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Port Jervis council orders temporary DPW relocation after mold discovery; discusses long-term replacement
Summary
City staff were displaced from the DPW administrative building after a mold issue; the council approved temporary relocation to the Fire Museum and began preliminary discussions about a possible new DPW facility after remediation was estimated at about $66,000.
The Port Jervis Common Council heard a report that the DPW administrative building had developed a significant mold problem and that staff were displaced for safety reasons. The city arranged a short-term relocation of administrative operations to the Fire Museum (second floor) while infrastructure and phone systems are moved.
Councilmember Michael Hockenberry reported an air-quality test and said crews were told to evacuate the building; a remediation estimate from CertPro (Serve Pro) was presented at roughly $66,000. "It's around $66,000 or so for them to remedy the mold problem and clean the documents that are there now," Hockenberry said. He and other council members urged caution about spending on a building that may continue to have recurring problems because of its age and below-grade exposure.
Mayor Dominic Sicilis and council members described the relocation as a temporary fix and said the time has come to consider a long-term solution, potentially a new DPW facility. Council asked staff to explore options including relocating DPW offices, constructing a replacement building or identifying other offices; they flagged funding and scope as follow-up topics for future council discussion.
Council requested public patience during the temporary transition while phone lines and workstations are re-established at the Fire Museum. No formal procurement or capital-approval decisions were made at the meeting; council agreed to continue discussion and return with recommended options and funding plans.
