Council mould issue spreads

Tauranga City Council is up-scaling its toxic mould outbreak to 'significant”, with up to 30 per cent of the Willow Street building in lockdown.

But the full extent of the toxic black mould, or Stachybotrys, will not be known until Friday.


Large areas of Tauranga City Council's HQ are now completely out of bounds.
Photo: Bruce Barnard.

In a media briefing, Tauranga City Council chief executive Garry Poole and newly appointed project manager for the outbreak Terry Wynyard outlined how 205 people - nearly half of the staff roll - have been evacuated as of this morning.

Around 170 are now operating either from locations including Baycourt Theatre and Harrington House or on paid leave.

When staff arrived for work this morning they were met with closed off entrances and directed to staff briefings at Baycourt at 8am and 8.30am.

The entire first floor of the Willow Street building is closed and areas of the ground floor are also out of bounds. Essential work items are now being cleaned before being removed from the quarantined areas by trained staff and contractors.

The cleaning regime includes hot soapy water, vacuuming furniture, and wiping down surfaces before drying with paper towels.


Office equipment has been boxed up and will be removed from the quarantined areas. Photo: Bruce Barnard.

'The entire first floor has been basically evacuated and that's in lock down,” says Terry.

'We are cleaning parts of the building as we go. Nothing gets removed from the building or relocated from a contaminated area to a clean area without going through a decontamination process.

'We have almost exhausted the supplies of face mask, rubber gloves and paper overalls in Tauranga.”

This comes a week after 35 staff were initially relocated after mould was discovered at their Willow Street headquarters.

Terry says the project is in the early stages but is confident the remaining test results, currently being looked over by Tauranga building surveying firm Prendos, will be outlined to council on Friday.


Terry Wynyard
outlines the affected areas of the Willow Street building. Photo: Bruce Barnard.

The authority is already looking at talking to landlords in the city in an effort to find alternative accommodation for staff, with the main concern being staff fragmentation.

'The difficulty is we can't find a building that can take everybody,” adds Terry.

Garry will not be drawn into how the mould has manifested, instead outlining how council's primary focus is ensuring the health and safety of staff and customers isn't compromised as well as minimal disruption.

He does admit the unusual issue of having to relocate displaced staff has moved from something relatively minor in scale to something that is now 'quite significant”.

'At this moment the costs are not significant,” says Garry, 'and the costs are in tens of thousands. But quite clearly, as the full situation emerges, we will start putting in budgets and costings around the exercise.”


Tauranga City Council chief executive Garry Poole (left) and council project manager Terry Wynyard. Photo: Bruce Barnard.

Meanwhile, a former Tauranga City councillor has revealed that the building on Willow Street has had a mould problem since at least 2001.

And according to Bill Faulkner, concerns surrounding the existing air conditioning set-up were raised following his re-election some 13 years ago.

'For the next 12 years, I conducted a one man campaign with no support from any other councillors about the system in the place,” says Bill.

'We had three investigations, and they brought consultants in to prove conclusively that I didn't know what I was talking about.

Bill, who was a councillor for 21 years in total, suffers from hyper-sensitive sinuses and could smell the mould that he claims has been growing in the council wall cavities and under the carpet for the last 14 years.

'From time to time,” he adds, 'I'd suggest an architectural feature that they needed to consider, and that was ripping the air conditioning out and putting in this new architectural feature that's been designed. It's called opening windows.

'But all that I got was ‘wear a jacket'.

'The system was rooted in 2001. That it's lasted this long would make it the eighth wonder of the world.

'The whole system is nonsense and it proves conclusively that their consultants were just covering their backsides. Nobody would do a thing. The system was sick in November 2001.”


Former Tauranga City councillor Bill Faulkner. Photo: File.

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35 comments

Where did it come from?

Posted on 15-12-2014 16:00 | By dgk

Cleaning it up is a waste of time and money if no work goes into identifying the source.


Go Bill!!!!

Posted on 15-12-2014 16:16 | By Jimmy Ehu

There has to be similarities between a few legionnaire disease cases and architecture of a similar ilk and age as the Council building, the outbreaks I have heard of where in public buildings of a similar era, the entire thing "stinks", and the only bonus is a few staff may not come back.


Only a govt dept or council

Posted on 15-12-2014 16:46 | By Annalist

I think only a council could get itself into this expensive mess. No problem, staff can go home on full pay, consultants can be hired. Meantime the rest of the world gets on with it and faces real problems. I certainly hope this isn't one great big over-reaction. One thing is sure, it will cost ratepayers big??


How about an independent report?

Posted on 15-12-2014 16:49 | By Annalist

I want to make sure this is a real problem and not some hyped up thing. After all, cost doesn't seem to be an issue to council, ratepayers just pay more??


cleanng regime.

Posted on 15-12-2014 17:15 | By whatsinaname

has this not being done in the past. surely if a bulding is cleaned thoroughly and aired it should not get to this stage. and surely its been a problem for some time and only just been noticed.May be its the air conditioning. who knows but I can feel a rates hike coming around the corner......


Outside consultants

Posted on 15-12-2014 17:50 | By Johnney

With all the amount of experts and qualified people employed by council they have to engage expensive consultants to state the obvious.


Time to redevelop the site?

Posted on 15-12-2014 18:18 | By 4AGR8TgaFuture

Perhaps a good time to seriously think what could be redeveloped on that whole Willow/Wharf/Durham/Hamilton St site and linked with accommodation on the old TV3 site on Durham. Could be a major CBD drawcard & City Hall housed elsewhere in a purpose-built new office block.


Toxicity vs. Accountability

Posted on 15-12-2014 19:35 | By ROCCO

'At this stage the costs are not significant and are in the tens of thousands' so sayeth CEO Garry Poole.Yeah Right. Hang about it cost $31000 for the idiotic plastic waka assessment.Well mate 200 Council staff absent from work on paid leave is around $38000 per day for them alone never mind the leaky building remedial works that is going to cost zillions if my intuition is correct.TCC Ratepayers you are about to wear it between the eyes again.How much longer are you going to put up with this bull****. LOL


Another snow job coming

Posted on 15-12-2014 19:52 | By Bronzewing

How come an ex staff member doesn't know about the Business Continuation Plans dreamed up years ago to relocate staff to multiple locations in the event of a situation denying staff access to the main office? Oh that's right he was on the management group that helped write them. Another fat fee coming up. What is wrong with the Emergency Manager they already have? A bulldozer is the best solution for both buildings. One is waaaay past its used by date and the other "new" one should never have been built. I speak from personal experience having worked there for many years


Staff drop

Posted on 15-12-2014 20:04 | By YOGI BEAR

Only 205, we are well on the way now to achieve the essential task of staff reductions needed. What will happen now is that ratepayers are about to realise that the staff that are pensioned off now will not be noticed as missing and or needed now. What a wonderful result for ratepayers.


Spare rooms

Posted on 15-12-2014 20:07 | By YOGI BEAR

Lock them off, no need any more, don't need mould consultants, may as well just convert the rooms into mushroom behemoth havens. Sounds like ideal conditions ... hey wait a minute isn't that how Council staff view ratepayers and EM's as mushrooms, in the dark and feed them ... hmmm what was that again, please remind me I keep forgetting.


Oh no

Posted on 15-12-2014 20:35 | By YOGI BEAR

Bill is back, just cant figure that though, he is clearly suffering from "White mould" the black mould has long since left his corner.


?

Posted on 15-12-2014 22:09 | By YOGI BEAR

Bill, I agree with the consultants and so does most of the electorate. Read the numbers ...


First photo above

Posted on 15-12-2014 22:13 | By YOGI BEAR

Interesting, the pretty red sign on the door says "Area sealed NO ENTRY". Yet on a closer view of the image it is rather obvious that the door is open and the door then can not be sealed at all. Next the hooded suit person walking through the door does not appear to be able to read, it says "NO ENTRY" but that appears to be exactly what he is doing? Excuse me for being confused here ... but are these guys actually making the problem worse and helping to spread it or what?


Mould spread?

Posted on 16-12-2014 00:24 | By YOGI BEAR

Well actually all has been understated so far ... the situation applies to the entire place, top to bottom, all dimensions, all angels, all rabbit holes never mind how deep.


Independant report?

Posted on 16-12-2014 00:44 | By YOGI BEAR

That is the problem, there are to many of those already. The cause is known, it is simply a way of clearing the deck, mother nature does these types of things when a population overwhelms the local environment and she take action, that is all that this is. Simple solution, get out of the way.


ratepayer savings/day

Posted on 16-12-2014 00:49 | By YOGI BEAR

The total wages cost is about $58m/pa, that is across some 800 odd who are on the payroll for whatever reason. The daily cost while this lot sit at home is about $75,000 per day. or around $15m a year, that is just the wages alone, there are many more costs resulting from all the cunning thinking, you just need to look at the Mount Hot Pools debacle, Route K shambles and not to mention the Mount Greens massive cost overruns, but don't get me started on Baypark and the rest of it out there. So this lot being packed up and sent home will slow down for a time the whacky decisions that come out of the place.


Mould areas located?

Posted on 16-12-2014 00:56 | By YOGI BEAR

According to where Terry has his finger they have already found the black mould, so what tests are being waited for I wonder?


Keeping them busy doing nothing

Posted on 16-12-2014 09:31 | By The Tomahawk Kid

The UP side to all this is that while they are BUSY cleaning up this (and/or doing nothing) they are not inventing other, more intrusive and expensive ways to spend other peoples many, and things like "how, when and by whom the population should be entertained." Hopefully they will be more focussed on CORE council activities..


GROW UP, Cynics.

Posted on 16-12-2014 11:43 | By Bill Gibson-Patmore

Time to Grow Up! . Honestly! I'm still struggling to believe that such a large group of contributors (regular commentators among them - whom I shall never regard again) can be so callous, simple & cynical. .. Be ashamed of yourselves! You do not have ANY right to publicly harangue employed STAFF! PEOPLE are at serious risk here! Really good people! People can DIE or be seriously handicapped by mould effects. EVERYONE has a (legal) right to a SAFE working environment! Council has a legal responsibility to maintain safe working environments for its STAFF and others. Thorough action is being proactively undertaken! Now, IF you don't like the COUNCIL that was elected, do something about THAT. It's NOT at all ADULT to project your foolish statements toward employed STAFF. Please Grow Up, or stay out of the headlines.... Cynics are not required on this project! Bill Gibson-Patmore.


Is this the same council

Posted on 16-12-2014 13:42 | By s83cruiser

that has inspectors that go around restaurants and food outlets telling them how to be clean????? Can't believe these experts in hygiene haven't been looking in their own back yard. Why consultants?? is this just to make it look good. Why couldn't the councils own health and cleanliness inspectors carry out this work???......or are they not REEEAAAlly that qualified to deal with in house problems? if so how do they get off telling other what to do.


Tomahawk Kid

Posted on 16-12-2014 14:44 | By YOGI BEAR

Well said, in fact normal that is normal to date, they don't know anything different.


Council's Mush-rooms

Posted on 16-12-2014 15:57 | By The author of this comment has been removed.

Indeed. I feel like a mushroom as well, because they are kept in the dark and fed BS.


s83cruiser

Posted on 16-12-2014 16:51 | By YOGI BEAR

Simple answer, the rules don't apply to self, only to everyone else. talk all the talk but truth of it "NO" they can just make it all up as they go, no worries mate.


Hi Bill Gibson

Posted on 16-12-2014 17:09 | By YOGI BEAR

I don't think your commentary is at all useful here, whatever the nice happy ... happy feelings are about all the PC garbage that usually goes on in a every Bureaucracy ahead of anything real. Most spend a life time writing policy and forget about the basics, reality and most importantly who is paying for it all. Result of course is what we see now. What is needed is to turf them all out of the cossy haven and let them feel the real world for what it is. They will of course want to scurry back to the warm cossy haven but just send in the piped piper and lead them all away to a safer place ... all problems solved.


Sick?

Posted on 16-12-2014 17:16 | By Theway

This sick feeling these council employes are experiencing is what the working class call guilt! Accepting a wage for doing very little for it.


The way

Posted on 17-12-2014 10:24 | By YOGI BEAR

On the money there mate, although you likely have overstated the effort made for the remuneration received a tad much.


Secret 'Mould'

Posted on 17-12-2014 18:53 | By Mackka

I rang 'Sunlive' reporters to see if they could take a photo and show us what this 'toxic' stuff looks like. I was told the council will not permit Sunlive into the roped off, 'contaminated' area to do this as they don't want photos published! Hidden agenda here? I am sure it is the same mould that we all deal with from time to time via '60 Seconds' or 'Wet and Forget. But who knows? I think they are angling for a whole new building! The whole thing is a load of codswallop!!!! It is one thing after another and we ratepayers are absolutely FED UP !!!!


Mackka

Posted on 18-12-2014 01:30 | By YOGI BEAR

On the money there for sure, cant see anything real in all this. So a staff member got a bit of a sniffle, its spring time, it happens.


Theway

Posted on 18-12-2014 11:43 | By YOGI BEAR

Got that one right, throw them out of the cotton wool world and let them feel the cool breeze of reality out in the real world.


Get a life you sad critics

Posted on 19-12-2014 13:27 | By penguin

Bill Gibson-Patmore - I could not agree more with your excellent, factual statement about the dangers of black mould and the actions being taken by management. I have been through a similar situation and it is no joke in any way, shape or form. It is sickening to see the comments made by utterly ill-in formed, cynical and biased individuals who have used the situation as a chance to take cheap shots at the council staff. Maybe these sad critics could volunteer their services to rid the building of mould. But, hark; I hear the sound of feet running away...oh such brave souls.


Penguin

Posted on 22-12-2014 10:00 | By YOGI BEAR

Sadly not a good read there, looks like you have a vested interest in the outcome of the Mould here, sure mould can be a little bit of a worry. The critics here seem to have it sorted on the BS brigade at TCC. Actually if TCC was to be able by some miracle to "Tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth" first then the job of the concerned critics would end immediately. To me many things are massaged, enhanced and so on to deliberately distort what appears publically.


Mould turns to slime?

Posted on 23-12-2014 15:43 | By YOGI BEAR

Remember all the old movies creeping mould and the good old days of cheap special effects, the current saga looks to be the pre-quill to it all and about as much class about it as could be expected as well.


Slime it

Posted on 28-12-2014 14:20 | By YOGI BEAR

That is what happens once the TCC media/communications department gets going on something, it is nothing less that a slime attack singularly for the purpose of masking completely the truth and creating another mythical story for all to repeat and repeat ...


A good saga

Posted on 06-01-2015 16:41 | By YOGI BEAR

Doesn't it bring out of the woodwork all the deadbeats and limelighters that normally fossick around in the lower levels of the rabbit warrens. They do need to be careful of the daylight, it is likely to be the end of them all.


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