Published Thursday, August 13, 2009

Mold problem surfaces at Grantville community center

The Newnan Times-Herald

There is "significant mold" inside the newly-renovated Willie Clements and John Malcolm Community Center in Grantville that has rendered the building a health hazard, City Manager Scott Starnes said at this week's Grantville City Council meeting.

The city is considering its options, which may include suing the contractor, he said. The building has been closed indefinitely.

A $25,000 local assistance grant helped to fund the Griffin Street pool house/recreation center with the first state money awarded to the city in approximately 10 years. The swimming pool had been closed some years ago.

The facility -- a recreation building remaining unfinished since an original 2006 completion date was postponed after refurbishment problems -- underwent renovations to make it suitable for recreation programs, church gatherings and family reunions. The pool house, often a subject of community concern, had been falling further into disrepair after the project stalled about two years ago.

Renovations were finally completed in February, and included redoing the plumbing, replacing old wallboard, and putting in new carpet, heating and air conditioning, and a counter and sink.

The new mold problem may have been caused by "broken pipes under the building," Starnes said.

In any case, "there was no moisture control," he told council members.

Addressing the problem will cost between $35,000 to $40,000, he said.

"And the project was already over budget by $40,000," he said. About $120,000 has been spent on the building, he said.

"I'm not sure that the building, with the mold problem, is going to be viable," said Starnes. The city cannot "in good conscience" allow the citizens to use it, he said, and it's probably not a good idea to pour more money into the project, either.

"Not with our current economic conditions," Starnes said. "I don't see how we could put $40,000 into this building at this time."

But the building will not be open to the public "until we can get this corrected," Starnes said.

"I know no one wanted to hear that," he said. The building has had some "long-standing problems," he said.

The building was named for Malcolm, a businessman, and Clements, a retired police officer, who both served on the Grantville City Council and are prominent members of the Grantville and local African-American communities.