Milan Area Schools remediates mold at Paddock Elementary after July power outage; district spent about $300,000

Superintendent McMahon told the Milan Area Schools Board of Education on Aug. 27 that testing found elevated mold in parts of Paddock Elementary after a July 29 power outage disabled HVAC controls, and the district completed remediation and HVAC work before students returned.

McMahon said the outage knocked district network controls offline for about 26–27 hours, leaving HVAC systems unregulated and creating hot, humid conditions that likely elevated mold concentrations in areas of the building that see little regular traffic. "We did not cancel any days of school or push back the start of school," McMahon said, adding that the district wanted to avoid the multi‑week closures other districts experienced.

The district arranged professional testing Aug. 11; results returned a week later and showed elevated levels in limited, low‑traffic spaces. McMahon said the administrative team solicited quotes and selected a contractor; remediation began the following Sunday and finished Thursday evening. The district had air re‑tested Friday morning and received clearance Friday afternoon, with indoor readings lower than outdoor measurements. "The air inside the building was reading less mold than outside," he said.

McMahon said the Board chose a more expensive option to complete work before school started. "The first quote was $175,000 more than the one we went with, and we ended up going with a quote that was $300,000," he told the board. He said insurance would not cover the full cost and the district will "find a way to make it work as a district." He also said the remediation crew numbered about 60–70 people during the work period.

District staff and outside contractors also adjusted HVAC controls and mechanics to reduce humidity. McMahon said the maintenance department is short‑staffed ("one and a half people at this point"), so district leaders worked directly with vendors and maintenance staff to learn controls and tune systems. He said the building "feels terrific" and there have been no reports of humidity returning.

Board members and administrators thanked custodial staff, maintenance, teachers and families for flexibility and support during remediation and for moving events such as open house outdoors. Assistant Superintendent Jen Bookout told the board she visited all four buildings and praised staff for the start of the year.

Timeline and clarifying details provided at the meeting: - July 29: Widespread power outage; network and HVAC controls disrupted for roughly 26–27 hours. - Aug. 11: District contracted for professional mold testing; samples analyzed over the following week. - Following testing: remediation work began the next Sunday and finished Thursday evening; post‑remediation testing occurred Friday morning with clearance that afternoon. - Selected remediation quote: approximately $300,000; an earlier quoted option would have been $175,000 more. - Crew size during remediation: roughly 60–70 people. - Maintenance staffing noted as approximately 1.5 full‑time equivalents.

Board members emphasized they prioritized student safety and avoiding lost instructional days when approving the remediation approach. McMahon said the district will continue monitoring HVAC performance and work with outside firms as needed.

The board did not take a separate formal vote on the remediation at the Aug. 27 meeting; McMahon presented the operational update and answered questions.