State tests for mold in judge's office

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- High mold levels in parts of the Missouri Supreme Court building have forced one judge into new chambers and may require state officials to temporarily close the building.

Judge Laura Denvir Stith has moved from her third-floor office to a first-floor office in the last few months because of allergic reactions that may be linked to mold detected in tests earlier this fall, Stith said in an interview Wednesday.

"We're concerned with some mold in our offices and I generally have allergies," Stith said. "So as a precautionary measure, I moved downstairs."

Stith said she has filed workers compensation paperwork allowing her to be tested to determine if her increased allergy activity is related to mold.

A handful of court maintenance workers also have suffered "severe" allergic reactions that may be linked to high mold levels, said Tom Simon, clerk of the Missouri Supreme Court.

"We don't know how serious it is," Simon said. "The court is concerned to the extent that they want to get some answers and find out the extent of the problem. Some of the allergic reactions may be consistent with the mold but there's nothing definite."

Additional filters

Court staff have installed additional air filters and taken extra cleaning measures, Simon said.

A state-hired contractor has tested parts of the 95-year-old Supreme Court building over the past few months. Complete test results have yet to be provided to the court by Tetra Tech, a California-based company with an office in Clayton.

The mold was discovered during inspections that were part of planned renovations to the building's heating, cooling and plumbing systems, said Randy Allen, director of the state Division of Design and Construction.

Allen, who has an allergy to mold, said leaks in the building's aging brickwork and roof resulted in damp conditions where mold tends to grow.

"It's not the type of mold that is deadly, just the type that causes an allergic reaction in a lot of places," Allen said. "The building, in a certain way, isn't a healthy building."

The planned renovations could cost as much as $4 million. A contract for the work is to be bid early next year, with work scheduled to begin as early as May.

The mold removal could be incorporated into that work. But if test results show a serious mold problem, workers could be relocated before the planned renovations begin. Besides the Supreme Court and its staff, the building also houses part of the state attorney general's office.

Allen said the renovation contract will be bid two ways. One would allow the work to go forward in phases while another would combine both phases into one large project.

If the state decided to combine projects, then the court building would have to be vacated for about a year.

"We would just want everybody out. It will make it faster and make it easier and cheaper to do," Allen said. "If you eliminate damp environments, then you eliminate the mold problem."

Chief Justice Stephen Limbaugh Jr. said he was aware of the situation and was eager to see the mold test results.

"I suppose a lot of old buildings have mold problems, and it appears our building is one that does," Limbaugh said. "Some people are more sensitive to mold that others."

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.

Limbaugh said that without additional information from the tests, talk of a long-term relocation is premature.

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On the Net:

Missouri Supreme Court: http://www.missourisupremecourt.org