Commissioners authorize bids to salvage or demolish county transportation/tax/sheriff building after mold and flood damage

Mitchell County commissioners authorized the county manager to solicit bids to salvage or demolish a county building that previously housed the tax office, transportation and sheriff’s functions after the structure failed post-storm mold testing.

County staff described the building as having sustained about 18 inches of water on the transportation side, lesser depths on the sheriff’s and tax-office sides, and subsequent mold contamination in ventilation, ceiling tiles and insulation despite initial remediation. Staff said sheetrock had been removed to approximately a 4-foot level and furniture and floors removed for cleaning, but follow-up testing still showed harmful mold.

Because remediation costs had doubled and because of potential worker-safety and workers’-compensation liabilities, staff recommended exploring demolition and salvage as a more prudent use of taxpayer funds. Staff said insurance proceeds from a tear-down and salvage could be applied to replacement or relocation costs.

Board action and next steps

The board voted to give the county manager authority to solicit bids to remove, salvage or demolish affected portions of the building and to explore options for reusing salvaged materials. Commissioners discussed interim location needs for affected county operations; staff said the sheriff’s office has relocated to a new space and transportation functions will remain in temporary locations while site assessment and grant work continue to identify a replacement site (site-assessment work could extend into next year).

Why it matters: the structure contained multiple county services; persistent mold raised health and legal concerns and could expose the county to liability if employees return to a contaminated workspace.

Clarifying details

- Flooding: staff reported roughly 18 inches on the transportation side, 4–5 inches on sheriff side and about 1 inch on tax-office side. - Remediation: sheetrock cut to 4-foot level, furniture removed, concrete-slab floors cleared; follow-up testing still detected mold in ventilation and ceiling elements. - Timeline: staff said site-assessment work for a new transportation building could run through March 2027; transportation services are expected to remain with the county for the near term in temporary arrangements.

Outcome

Board authorized solicitation of bids for salvage/demolition and directed staff to return with options and cost estimates. Commissioners emphasized protecting staff health and minimizing long-term liability.