Reports first surfaced in October and work began in December, but a January test revealed two problem areas
The battle to remove mold from areas of Carlos Vigil Middle School on Industrial Park Road continues, after it was reported in October.
Reports of mold at the school surfaced after the maintenance operations teams discovered it and told Española Public Schools Superintendent Carl Marano about it, he said in an email response to an inquiry about the mold claims.
“We immediately notified AirWell to conduct a test,” he wrote.
Four areas in the seventh grade wing were identified as having mold because of roof leaks that occurred over the last several years. Marano said none of the identified areas were classrooms.
Following the October testing, Keers was contacted to work on the mold abatement and removal. That work began in December. According to the company website, Keers is the “top remediation contractor in the Southwest” and does more than 50% of the hazardous material removal in the Southwest. Their services include: testing for toxic material, asbestos removal, mold removal, lead paint removal, air duct cleaning, building demolition, site remediation and decontamination services. They have offices in Albuquerque and El Paso.
“We then had AirWell complete a more comprehensive test in the entire 7th grade wing in January,” Marano wrote. “They identified two areas that had minimal mold.”
AirWell does testing and assessment services to detect indoor contaminants, according to their website. They service Arizona, Colorado, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Texas and other locations.
Marano said they are currently in the process of removing all the mold and are cleaning the two identified areas. In addition, roof repairs in the seventh-grade wing are also being completed.
“We have two areas in the 7th grade wing that have minimal mold and Keers is on site today (Monday) to remove and clean it,” Marano wrote. “We will have it re-tested tomorrow by AirWell to ensure that all has been cleared.”
Marano said Keers and Airwell were the companies recommended to do the work for the middle school, however, he did not answer when asked who recommended them or how much the mold removal and roof repairs would cost and instead asked district Chief Operating Officer Tomas Campos to assist in answering those questions via email. Campos said the first mold removal was billed by Keers at $34,981.07. The second has a purchase order for $15,536.50 but has not been billed yet.
“Several companies were called for proposals in oct.,” Campos wrote in an email. “Archuleta Restoration and Keers Environmental responded. Keers had a lower price and is on state contract. Keers had done a project for the school before and was vetted through NMPSFA (New Mexico public school facility authority) They are from abq.”
Marano was asked if the mold posed a threat to students and whether they had to be relocated as a result. He responded that there was “only one area in which students had to be relocated to another classroom.”
He wrote that school is still in session and that parents were updated and notified via letters and robocalls.
“At no time did any of the reports state that student or staff health were in danger,” he wrote.