Repairs on a Nelson City council building infected with black mould will reportedly cost up to $850,000, but it will be charged to taxpayer money instead of insurance.
The city council approved the budget to replace the cladding of the affected Millers Acre Centre on Trafalgar St., Stuff reported. In May, sections of the building were shut off after an infestation of Stachybotrys chartarum, a potentially toxic black mould, was discovered.
Fissures in the building’s cladding allowed moisture to seep in and cause damage, the report said. While the building remains structurally sound, a substantial replacement of external cladding was required. During the Level 3 lockdown, various cleaning and disinfecting measures were undertaken to remove the mould.
During the council’s meeting on Tuesday, Councillor Gaile Noonan raised the issue of funding the repairs, which were paid for using taxes rather than insurance.
Pat Dougherty, Nelson City Council’s chief executive, said that this was due to the cracks in the exterior cladding being classified as regular wear and tear. He added that had repair work been carried out earlier, the bill would not have been as expensive.
“We should have carried out some maintenance on that building five or six years ago,” he said.
Aside from repairs to the building the council recommended that an external expert look into the building and advise on any issues, to help avoid any similar problems from cropping up in the future.
