Willacy County insurance may not pay to have mold removed from courthouse

RAYMONDVILLE - Willacy County's insurance company might not pay to remove mold in the historic 86-year-old courthouse because delay by officials may have exacerbated the problem, county commissioners said.

The state Health Department warned that the mold could pose a health threat in the three-story courthouse, but the Texas Association of Counties might not pay to remove it, County Commissioner Eddie Chapa said.

Last December, a state inspection found "visible moisture damage" in the district courtroom, the district clerk's office, the district attorney's office, a second-floor restroom and the second-floor hallway, a state report said.

The report recommended that "water damage and mold problems (be) resolved as quickly as possible and that adequate preventive maintenance practices be implemented to help prevent large-scale problems from developing."

Local officials don't know how much it could cost to remove the mold, Commissioner Aurelio Guerra said.

"The cause of the mold might have been due to the amount of time we waited to get an assessment, that's why the building may have been damaged. The longer we waited, more damage was done. If we had taken preventive measures at the onset, it wouldn't have happened," Chapa said of the insurance agency's response to the county's claim.

Last week, county commissioners requested Robert Collins, a South Padre Island attorney, to conduct a county inspection to determine whether mold damage has spread, Chapa said.

"We're going to do whatever there needs to be done as soon as we clear whether we're covered (by insurance)," Guerra said.

"Obviously, we're concerned that we abide by whatever the Health Department says."

An anonymous complaint led to the state's inspection last October, the state report said.

The inspection found high humidity levels that can trigger mold growth, the report said.

"Emphasis should be on ensuring proper repairs of the building infrastructure so that no water damage and moisture buildup occur," the report said.

The report recommended insulation of air-conditioning lines to prevent condensation.