Niles taking steps to address mold issue at city hall

August 23, 2016 at 12:00a.m.

NILES

Faced with a leaking city-hall roof in disrepair for years, building structural issues and mold that sickened several people including Mayor Thomas Scarnecchia, council moved to hire an architect to assess the damage and a construction firm to eradicate the mold.

At the same time, the city set an accelerated timetable in which it hopes to have all roof and structural repairs completed by the end of October.

The damage to the roof is massive, according to Warren architect Bruce Sekanick.

“The roof is billowing, fasteners have let loose and water is seeping in,” Sekanick said Monday. “It should have been repaired earlier.”

A construction company analysis in 2011 recommended replacing the roof, but the former administration decided to patch the leaks.

Sekanick said the west wall of the basement is taking water but added he does not believe there is any danger of a wall collapse.

Council passed the first reading of legislation to hire Sekanick as an emergency without submitting the project for bids, after being assured of the move’s legality by Law Director Terry Dull. Council also gave first reading to hire Lewis Construction of Warren for mold remediation. The company actually began working on scrubbing the offices last week.

Council would have needed six votes to pass the legislation as an emergency, but only five members were present. Frank Pezzano, D-1st, and Steve Papalas, D-at large, were not able to attend Monday’s meeting, according to Robert Marino, council president.

Council will have meetings today and Wednesday to complete the legislation process.

City hall was closed for one day last week after the mold was discovered. Three areas — the mayor’s office, the tax office and the basement — remain sealed off, and employees from the tax department have moved to the Wellness Center. Scarnecchia is still hospitalized, but Safety Service Director James DePasquale told council he expects the mayor to be released today.

The mayor, who was admitted to St. Joseph Warren for tests last Friday, attributed his illness to the mold in his office.

Several council members questioned whether roof and structural costs might be too prohibitive, meaning the city building would have to be closed and its offices moved elsewhere.

“If it’s worse than what we saw, we would not recommend you put money into it,” Sekanick said.

Sekanick estimated the cost of repairing the roof’s 24,000 square feet at “between $10 and $15 per square foot.” That would mean roof replacement could cost the city as much as $360,000 if the entire roof is replaced. The city, in fiscal emergency for the last 22 months, would have to scramble to find enough money to cover repairs.

“The state auditors agree this has to be taken care of,” DePasquale said.

Marino said bid advertising will begin Sept. 1 and the contract award on Sept. 20. “Then we’ll have the work done in 30 days,” Marino said.

As for the possibility of having to move city offices, DePasquale said one possibility, the former General Electric plant, would cost up to $1 million for purchase and the removal of asbestos.

“There are no grants likely [for the purchase],” DePasquale said. “If we can repair this building, it would be much cheaper.”