WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — The price to fix West Palm Beach’s police station will now cost close to $20 million, according to city documents WPTV reviewed.
WATCH: Cost of mold repairs balloons to nearly $20 million
City administration is asking commissioners to approve an extra $13.4 million to repair the buildings after two city paid contractors found dozens of areas needing mediation for mold or bad odor in August. More than 100 West Palm Beach police officers have filed injury claims related to mold found in the police station, according to an attorney for the police officers' union.
The city has already allocated $6 million to repairs, which city officials showed were used to repair the roof and other parts of the building. According to the city commission’s agenda, the extra $13 million will go to remediating and reconstruction costs for the building's interior as well as refurbishing the HVAC units, waterproofing the exterior of the building, drainage improvements and paint.
In November, Commissioner Christy Fox proposed selling the downtown police station and moving it to the historic northwest neighborhood, specifically where the city leases land to the Salvation Army. Fox argued the city could use the money from the sale to create a new public safety building, which would also contain a fire station, rather than spend $6 million on repairs to the building.
“Our police are currently working out of a building that is completely mold-infested,” Fox said in November. “We’re spending $6 million at the moment, which will probably balloon to $12 [million] to $20 million. They’re being sent home to work from home because it’s so toxic. Why are we allowing this to happen? We should be demolishing this building.”
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: More than 100 police officers have filed injury claims related to mold exposure
Other people who sit on the city commission, like Mayor Keith James and Commissioner Cathleen Ward, said they don’t believe the problems are as bad as people are portraying. City Administrator Faye Johnson said in November the city started looking into constructing a new building after being approached multiple times by unnamed individuals about a land swap. But she said the financial commitment would require financing.
"If we were to look at all of the reserves that we have within the city, it would deplete everything that we have in terms of reserves," Johnson said. "It will completely deplete them, wipe them out and then we would have to borrow."
She also said the city didn't put in a financial plan in the past for a new building, and these current repairs have a 10-year warranty.
West Palm Beach
Mayor addresses mold issues at police headquarters for first time
More than 100 West Palm Beach police officers have filed injury claims related to mold exposure, according to an attorney for the police officers' union that WPTV spoke with. Documents WPTV received show a survey conducted by the Fraternal Order of Police for West Palm Beach said the most common symptoms officers reported are respiratory and pulmonary issues like chronic cough, sneezing, runny nose, itchy eyes, chest tightness and asthma-like symptoms.
The survey also said other main symptoms included cognitive complaints, skin issues and other general health complaints like fatigue. The survey said some officers reported serious health conditions due to mold in the police station like strokes, autoimmune conditions, hypertension, blood disease and cardiovascular problems.
Geoff Bichler, attorney for the police union, said these types of complaints aren’t uncommon when a police station tests positive for mold. He said the number of complaints, which he estimates is around a third of budgeted positions for sworn officers, occurs when problems are more long standing.
