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County contractors finish targeted mold treatment at Monroe County Justice Center; further testing planned
Summary
An environmental contractor told commissioners it completed targeted mold treatments across most floors of the Monroe County Justice Center and will deliver a final report next week; commissioners discussed humidity, plant-related mold risks and long-term building planning.
Sarah Hemidovich, an environmental consultant with Vet Environmental Engineering, told the Monroe County Board of Commissioners on Aug. 28 that field crews completed targeted mold investigation and treatment at the Justice Center and had begun follow-up testing.
Hemidovich said crews treated the entire fourth floor, two-thirds of the fifth floor (the county jail), and two full floors of the sheriff’s department, and that crews would finish remaining holding-area work after business hours. “We basically evacuated the entire jail … We were up there for 3 hours treating, Got every single cell, every office, the entire Fourth Floor and 2 thirds of the Fifth done,” Hemidovich said.
The consultant said crews inspected and cleaned all horizontal surfaces and saw “no residue or weirdness left behind,” adding the building “smelled much better” after treatment. Hemidovich said results from retests of areas of concern were expected within about 24 hours, and confirmation testing for the remaining intake and holding areas would follow the final evening treatment. She said the firm planned to have a comprehensive written report by the middle to end of next week.
Commissioners pressed for context and next steps. Commissioner Madera asked how seasonal cooling might affect conditions; Hemidovich said lower ambient humidity was already helping. “The ambient humidity in the building went down by 10% across the board,” she said, and noted lower humidity should reduce the conditions that had allowed problematic molds to grow.
The consultant also advised limiting indoor plants in the Justice Center because the building’s unusually high humidity had allowed plant-related and outdoor molds to persist indoors. “Some of the plant pathogen molds will also selectively target humans,” Hemidovich said, noting she had found buildup in planters and signs of fungus gnat infestations that signal overwatering and mold in soil.
County officials said the building’s age and design constraints complicate mitigation. A commissioner described the structure as “beyond its natural lifespan,” saying long-term planning would follow the consultant’s report. Hemidovich said she and her team would also prepare a plan for ongoing attention to areas that need recurrent maintenance.
No new policy or capital funding was approved at the meeting; commissioners thanked the consultant for prompt work and clear communication with staff and employees. The county will review the final lab results and the consultant’s recommendations before determining any further repairs or capital projects.
For now, the county has completed the targeted treatments identified during the investigation and is awaiting final confirmation testing and a written report.
