Mold in court not hazardous enough to force immediate closure

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- High mold levels found in parts of the Missouri Supreme Court building aren't hazardous enough to force the immediate closure of the 95-year-old building, state officials said Wednesday.

But a state report obtained by The Associated Press shows that high mold levels were found on walls, duct work and furniture on all three floors of the building.

Some of the mold already has been removed by scrubbing it with bleach and water. For example, mold was removed from the plaster ceiling between the offices of Supreme Court judges Laura Denvir Stith and Richard Teitelman, the report said.

State officials said the rest of the mold will be removed during a previously planned renovation that could begin as early as June. That likely would include replacement of what the report calls an "mold infested" ventilation system.

No health hazard

"The bottom line is that there's really not a problem except in a couple of areas where they discovered high mold readings," said Randy Allen, director of the state Division of Design and Construction. "It's not a health hazard. But for people who are sensitive to it, we don't want them around those areas."

Stith had been moved from her third-floor office to a first-floor office because of allergic reactions that may have been linked to the mold. But after higher mold concentrations were found on the first floor, Stith moved back to her regular office, Allen said.

Chief Justice Stephen Limbaugh Jr. said in an interview earlier this week that the mold was not toxic and was "completely incidental" to the repairs already scheduled.

Allen said the results of the testing -- done by Tetra Tech Inc., a California-based company with an office in Clayton -- were shared Tuesday with employees who work in the building. Besides the Supreme Court, the building also houses Attorney General Jay Nixon and some of his staff.

Mold can produce toxic substances and can cause reactions such as a runny nose, eye irritation, cough, congestion and the aggravation of asthma.

Besides Stith, several maintenance workers also suffered severe allergic reactions that may have been linked to mold. Court staff have installed additional air filters and taken extra cleaning measures.

The mold was discovered during inspections that were part of planned renovations to the building's heating, cooling and plumbing systems.

Those renovations, which are to be bid in late March, could cost the state as much as $4 million and could force Supreme Court and attorney general to find offices elsewhere. The renovations could take up to a year.

Allen said the Supreme Court and the attorney general have the option of rejecting a large-scale move.

A less costly option would be to do the work in two phases, which would not require a wholesale move of workers and would cost less than the first option. Allen estimated that approach at $3 million.

The Missouri Constitution requires that the Supreme Court meet in Jefferson City, so there is little chance the court would move far from its current location across from the Capitol.

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On the Net

Missouri Supreme Court: www.supremecourt.org