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County approves contract to remediate and digitize mold‑damaged family court records
Summary
The commission approved a contract for remediation and document scanning after flood‑related mold was found in basement storage of family court records; staff said contractors will digitize files and that paper copies affected by mold are being assessed for preservation or destruction.
Commissioners approved a contract to remediate mold‑damaged family court records, move remaining paper files to preserved shelving where appropriate, and digitize court documents, county staff said during the meeting.
What staff said: A county staff member responsible for records told commissioners that contractors are performing remediation and scanning. "They're digitizing and those records where they're taking from the boxes where they mold, trying to separate them, do the mitigation that's necessary, and then scan them in," the staff member said. The staff member said many of the records are family‑court documents that must be retained; on retention the staff member said, "I think from my understanding, I have to keep them indefinitely." The staff member also described ongoing remediation work and that much of the work is being done by outside contractors; staff confirmed there is no permanent county staff presence in the basement area where the damage occurred.
Commissioner concerns and context: Several commissioners asked how long paper records must be kept, whether staff would be exposed to hazards returning to the basement, and whether the county planned long‑term changes for a building in a known flood zone. Commissioners were told remediation is ongoing; staff said digitization will create accessible electronic copies and that sealed or otherwise required records may remain in restricted storage. At one point a staff speaker described plans to remove mold‑damaged boxes, perform mitigation and then digitize or dispose of irreparably damaged paper records.
Action and outcome: The commission moved and approved the item related to family court records remediation and scanning by voice vote; the transcript records a motion, a second and an "aye" vote. The motion approved the contracting and remediation work as presented. The transcript does not include a roll‑call tally or the contract dollar amount.
Implementation notes: Staff said outside contractors will continue remediation and scanning work; records designated for long‑term retention will be moved to shelving once remediated. Commissioners asked staff to address the long‑term suitability of basement storage given flood‑plain concerns.
