Mold is Gone, Distrust Lingers

By EVONNE COUTROS

RIDGEWOOD -- The mold spore counts in Village Hall no longer present a health hazard, but disappointment still festers among village officials, employees, and volunteers who say they were kept in the dark about a report that showed significant mold growth in the building.

"It's more disappointment than anger at this point," said Robert Greenlaw, the village director of emergency services. "It's going to take time to rebuild communication and trust."

When Tropical Storm Floyd caused the Hohokus Brook to overflow in September 1999, the floodwaters destroyed the ground floor of Village Hall. The building was cleaned soon after and many volunteer emergency service workers returned to the ground floor of the three-story building.

But municipal employees and volunteers said a report issued Nov. 6, 2000, showed the existence of several types of mold still growing in the building. The report was withheld by Village Manager Larry Worth until February, the employees said.

Worth released the report only after some employees in the building worked a weekend in mid-February while the ground floor area was being disinfected. The employees said they were never notified of the work and petitioned to determine what disinfectants were being used. Worth released the report along with that information.

Ambulance corps personnel had moved back into the building a few months after the storm and other emergency services workers returned in November -- around the same time Garden State Environmental Inc. of Glen Rock issued the report. It suggested that the first-floor rear entrance be sealed off until the area was treated. It also said the village should fully inform workers of the extent of the problem and how it was being addressed.

None of that was done, the employees said.

Air samples taken Friday by Garden State Environmental conclude that there are barely detectable levels of mold spores in the volunteer bunk areas and ambulance corps quarters in the basement. The third-floor court clerk area also has barely detectable levels.

"The inspection and air-sampling data indicate that the abatement efforts taken to date have been effective in lowering the airborne mold levels in the building and there is no longer an indoor air-related health hazard present," Garden State Environmental reported in a letter to Worth.

The company said there will be more abatement work before a final inspection is conducted.

Mayor Jane Reilly and the members of the Village Council say they too were unaware of the November report and are reviewing village policy to assure that the incident will not be repeated.

"There's a level of discontent -- and understandably so -- among village employees and volunteers," Reilly said. "We'll be working hard to earn back their trust."

Worth said that, although air and visual samples show there is no health hazard, arrangements are being made to accommodate any employee or volunteer who requests a health screening. A comprehensive air test of Village Hall will be taken next week.

Worth and Councilman David Grubb said two formal complaints were filed March 2 over the timing of therelease of the report and about data on the cleansing materials.

Greenlaw said that at a Feb. 27 special meeting of 40 volunteer emergency service employees there was disappointment with the village manager's office. There is satisfaction that the building is being cleaned up, he added.

"The [emergency service] officers feel it's been resolved," Greenlaw said.

Grubb said a municipal safety committee could be formed to include the village manager, village department heads, and employee representatives.

"What Ridgewood currently has is an employee safety committee with only a few management representatives who were not in management when they joined the committee," Grubb said. "An employee safety committee has an important role in the program, but it cannot be a substitute for management responsibility and accountability."