(Spirit Lake)– Converting the former Farm Bureau building into offices for County Attorney may not be as easy or inexpensive as first thought.
The Dickinson County Board of Supervisors Tuesday talked about a mold problem that’s evident in the basement. Mike Raner, who’s in charge of SHIELD, an organization that oversees health and safety issues for local governments, outlined options for getting rid of the mold, but had no cost estimates. The supervisors directed Raner, County Attorney-elect Rosalise Olson, supervisor-elect Paul Johnson and custodian Don Reed to get estimates. They were also told to get estimates on what it would take to remodel the former laundromat building into offices for the County Attorney and to compare the two to see which is most feasible. Olson says the building housing the Department of Human Services isn’t an option, as the D-H-S is occupying the entire facility.
Some ongoing health and odor concerns in the courthouse itself were also brought up again by Raner, who attended a recent meeting of the county’s Safety Committee. The concerns are similar to those expressed last summer, dealing with mold in a third floor hallway and odors in general throughout the rest of the building. Raner recommended something be done soon, saying the problem certainly won’t get better during the winter. One possible option he said, would be to replace the carpet. He says it hasn’t been cleaned or sanitized for as long as many employees can remember.
The supervisors also received a request for motion lights to be installed in various parts of the courthouse.
The board took all of the requests under advisement.
