PHOENIX — Something is giving headaches to House Democrats and their staff. But for a change, it’s not the Republicans.
A certified industrial hygienist was sent to the nearly 60-year-old House of Representatives building earlier this month after basement staffers complained about headaches and light-headedness during their work day. Staff members for Democratic lawmakers work in that area.
The Department of Administration, which has purview over all state buildings, sent the expert.
On Friday, department lobbyist Elizabeth Bartholomew reported that tests were run on everything from carbon monoxide and volatile organic chemicals to temperature and humidity. The results, she told the House Administration Committee, were all within the normal range.
But committee members said the inspection fell short. Rep. Kelly Townsend, R-Mesa, said all the things checked in the report “have nothing to do with mold.”
“Did they do any air testing or surface testing for mold or mold spores?” she asked.
“They checked the room, they checked the bathroom, they checked behind the ice machine,” Bartholomew responded.
That visual examination left Townsend unsatisfied. She wants the air tested by “professional, qualified mold-abatement people.” She said there needs to be extensive testing of surfaces for toxins, not just in the basement but throughout the building, including the heating and air conditioning system.
Rep. Charlene Fernandez, D-Yuma, said the danger should not be underestimated.
“We really have to act quickly,” she said. “Our precious staff down there, we’re worried about them. We go down there. So we’re worried for ourselves.”
The problems that may exist in the building are not confined to the basement — nor to staffers. Rep. Isela Blanc, D-Tempe, said she gets a headache every morning.
“They go away on weekends,” Blanc said, quipping, “I’d like to blame my colleagues on the other end of the aisle.”
She said the building clearly needs a more thorough inspection, not just looking at what is evident on the surface, and this time by a certified expert in the field of toxic mold. Blanc said that needs to include an actual test of the air for mold and toxins.
Fernandez said her own experience as a member of the Yuma Union High School District governing board dealing with a school that did have mold convinces her that the risks are serious and the problem needs real attention.
“Kids were getting sick, they could smell something in the air,” she said, noting that House staffers made similar observations.
“We immediately had to close the school and bring in experts,” Fernandez said. “It wasn’t an hour-long thing. It was days and days that they had to test the whole area and come out with a report that there was mold.”
