Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Facilities topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board: Tarpon Springs High culinary building remediated after suspected mold; district cites $3.35 million in HVAC work
Summary
Board member Miss Peters reported the district commissioned external air-quality testing and completed HVAC upgrades at Tarpon Springs High School’s Culinary Academy after a parent complaint; the district cited remediation and HVAC work totaling $3,351,277.26 and external testing of $7,500, and said a Sept. 29 final report recommended no further action.
Board member Miss Peters told the Pinellas County School Board on Oct. 14 that district operations responded to parent concerns about suspected mold in the Culinary Academy at Tarpon Springs High School by contracting an external air-quality firm, performing deep cleaning and HVAC upgrades and conducting follow-up testing.
Peters said the district cleared spaces for use on Aug. 27 after the external air-quality assessment and then completed larger HVAC upgrades (including duct and vent replacement and the installation of a new external HVAC unit that required crane work). She said the external final assessment, dated Sept. 29, noted remediation efforts met industry standards and recommended no further action at this time. "All remediation and cleaning efforts appear to have been performed professionally and per industry standards," Peters said.
Peters cited a district figure for total HVAC improvements in the Culinary Academy building of $3,351,277.26 and said initial testing and remediation-verification testing by the external company cost $7,500. Students were temporarily relocated while remediation and testing took place; the district said they were allowed to return once external assessments cleared the spaces.
Peters said she personally visited the site and found the dining room and kitchen areas clean and operable. She thanked district operations, the chief operating officer Jennifer Dull and school leadership for their response and communications.
Outcome and next steps: The board received the report from Miss Peters; no formal board action was recorded during this item. District staff said they will provide additional documentation on request.
Provenance: Peters presented the summary during the board-member comment portion of the Oct. 14 meeting.
