The Monroe County Board of Commissioners on Oct. 2 approved installation of dehumidifiers and an ongoing consulting contract to address elevated humidity and biological growth at the Charlotte Zitlow Justice Center.

County staff told commissioners the elevated relative humidity identified during August–September inspections was the primary cause of the biological growth, and that a poorly functioning or improperly calibrated HVAC system, combined with the building’s age and design, contributed to the problem. The board approved a VET Environmental Engineering LLC contract for dehumidifier installation at a not-to-exceed cost of $44,067.65 funded from the Cumulative Capital Fund (1138). Commissioners then approved a separate VET consulting agreement for ongoing mold inspection, targeted remediation and confirmatory sampling with a not-to-exceed annual total of $134,986.68; the board added standard county boilerplate for insurance, nondiscrimination and reporting before voting.

The vendor’s installation plan calls for dehumidifiers in stairwells and multiple floors (three on the third floor and three on the fifth floor as described in the proposal), plus condensate drains tied into existing waste lines and associated electrical work. The consulting scope includes monthly inspections of previously sampled and unsampled spaces, air sampling and tape-lift surface sampling, targeted remediation where needed, and confirmatory sampling before and after remediation.

Commissioners and staff emphasized the measures are intended to protect staff and building occupants while the county continues planning for longer-term facilities solutions. Staff noted some window leaks and aging infrastructure make the building vulnerable, and that the county experienced unusually high humidity levels this past summer. Officials said the Health Building is likely the next facility to be assessed, and that countywide building testing and periodic monitoring would be considered subsequently.

The votes on both items were unanimous at the meeting (motion carries 2–0). No public comment was recorded on the items during the Oct. 2 meeting.

The contracts are intended as remedial and preventive steps; the consulting agreement is described by staff as a ‘‘living document’’ that will evolve as inspections and remediation proceed.