Mold found in town hall A/C system

By STEPHEN SEITZ
Special to the Eagle Times
ROCKINGHAM, Vt. — Municipal manager Wendy Harrison told the Rockingham board of selectmen at their regular meeting Tuesday night that mold had been discovered in the town hall’s air conditioning system. 

“The staff was cleaning the units, and they found something that turned out to be mold on the second and third floors,” she said. “The cost to clean it up will take more than my limit of $15,000. We want to get this done as soon as possible.” Harrison said.

She added that the building never had to be evacuated and that no one has gotten sick so far.

“It’s worst in the listers’ office,” she said. “There’s no air movement and the unit is on the floor.”

Selectman Gaetano Putignano asked the cost. Harrison said she didn’t know for certain, but guessed it would be in the neighborhood of $25,000.

“Is insurance going to cover any of it?” Putignano asked.

“It could,” Harrison replied. “Mold is covered in case of a catastrophic event, but not this. We do have some funds in the town hall reserve.”

The theater has its own separate HVAC system. 

A recent Eagle Times report (“Board mulls Church Place, YMCA future,” Sept. 19) on the Rockingham school district’s desire to acquire some empty lots on Church Place aroused the ire of Selectman Peter Golec. 

“My preference would be to send them to the YMCA building,” he said. “Church Place would be much better for residential units, and we could keep those properties on the tax rolls.”

The Church Place area has long been notorious for its lack of parking. A fire in 2017 destroyed two buildings and five apartments. The now abandoned YMCA building on Atkinson Street and School Street Extension is viewed by the school board as a safety hazard, endangering the students of nearby Central Elementary School. Part of the sidewalk has been blocked off due to slate falling from the roof. 

School board chairman Rick Holloway said the board has no interest in purchasing the YMCA building.