BENTONVILLE — Benton County officials said they will meet soon to discuss a black mold and fungal problem developing in the administration portion of the Sheriff’s Office complex.
The problem could be costly and could cause health problems for employees, said County Judge Bob Clinard.
At A Glance
Mold Found
Officials discovered fungal growth at the Benton County Sheriff’s Office. Finding out how bad the problem is, stopping the mold and fixing the problem could cost thousands of dollars.
Source: Benton County Judge’s Office
“In my opinion, it’s more than a trace amount (of mold). It’s a significant amount,” Clinard said.
The fungal growth could mean structural problems for the 17-year-old building connected to the jail at 1300 S.W. 14th St. in Bentonville, county officials said. Tests to determine the extent of the damage probably won’t happen for another week or two, Clinard said.
There's no cost estimate for fixing the problem, and tests could run into the thousands of dollars. Taking out part of a wall in one room to look and test inside will cost about $4,150, said John Sudduth, administrator of general services. He didn’t know how many rooms will need testing.
Officials may want to test part of an exterior wall, too, Sudduth said.
An environmental company tested and found fungal growth, including black mold, which can affect people’s health, Clinard said. No staff member have complained or felt ill, said Keshia Guyll, Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman. No fungal growth is showing inside the building, Sudduth and Guyll said.
At A Glance
Mold And Health?
Some people will see no health problems at all from mold, but people with allergies, immune suppression or underlying lung disease might. Molds can cause stuffiness, throat irritation, coughing, eye irritation or sometimes rashes. Mold can cause respiratory illnesses in otherwise healthy children.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The building is safe for staff to be in, Sudduth said.
County officials have asked environmental and construction experts to look at the building or the construction plans. Most likely the problem stems from the split-faced block on the outside base of the building, Sudduth said. The masonry product is hard to seal and maintain, and moisture or vapor can leech into the walls.
The fungal growth could have been there for years, Clinard said. He found out about the problem in October, he said.
A maintenance man for the jail previously dealt with the problem without involving the county judge, Clinard said. The county judge’s duties include facilities, but in the past, sheriffs took care of their facilities without involving county judges, Clinard said.
No one at other county buildings has complained about fungal or mold troubles, Clinard said.
At the Sheriff’s Office, employees are waiting test results to gauge how big of an issue the fungal growth is, Guyll said.
Officials have contacted their insurance firm and a claims adjuster recently visited, Sudduth said, but officials don’t yet know what, if anything, the insurance will cover.