Update – October 11: At this time, the Planning Department Office is also closed. The Planning and Assessor’s Offices will be closed through Friday, October 18th. Contact information for the Planning Department can be found here and you can contact the Assessor’s Office at assessor@newburyportma.gov.
The City is giving an update on the condition and planned remediation of a building issue in City Hall. In late September the City learned about potential harmful mold in some areas of the City Hall basement and immediately initiated efforts to remediate the problem.
The Department of Public Services (DPS), recognizing the potential risk to the health and safety of employees, immediately contracted with Elite Home Inspections LLC of Melrose, which has extensive experience in mold and air quality testing. The company conducted a thorough round of tests on Sept. 25.
Initial test results were received the next day. These results showed that air quality and mold spore levels were within acceptable ranges in all basement rooms except for the Building Department Storage Room and the Water Shut-Off Room, which are not accessible to the public. The early indications from these tests show that mold issues developed over a number of years due to periodic leaks of building systems. There are no active leaks in City Hall at this time, and all past leaks have been rectified.
The company’s hygienist advised that while mold was contained in these rooms it could potentially affect surrounding offices.
Follow-up testing in adjacent offices was conducted on Oct. 4, with the city receiving results on Oct. 9. Results showed no spread of the specific mold in the basement, but it did indicate the presence of a different strain of mold in the Assessor’s Office and Planning Office. The City immediately contacted a mold remediation firm, Aspen Environmental of Methuen, to discuss action steps and development of a remediation plan.
The Mayor has closed the Assessor’s Office through October 11th, and the Planning Department staff have been given permission to work remotely. The office is currently open.
The Department of Public Services is working toward quickly developing a remediation plan that it will share with the public. The DPS also is taking the following steps:
- Access to the Building Department Storage Room and the Water Shut-Off Room has been temporarily restricted.
- Additional testing will be performed at the discretion of the remediation firm.
- Dehumidifiers and air scrubbers have been installed in the affected areas.
- The effectiveness of existing air purifiers will be reviewed, and upgraded where necessary.
- Price quotes will be sought for duct cleaning.
- Excess ducts will be evaluated for removal to improve overall air circulation.
It is vitally important that City Hall remain a safe and healthy place for our community and our employees. The City remains committed to resolving this matter as quickly as possible and will continue to provide updates as new information becomes available.
