While an official report released Aug. 9 by ATOKA Inc. Environmental Laboratory declared the Jefferson County District Court building safe following a comprehensive air quality test, concerns about mold and its health effects persist among city employees and members of the public.
The report, commissioned by the Arkansas Division of Labor’s Arkansas Occupational Safety and Health unit, stated mold levels were “not indicative of sick building syndrome” and that indoor mold levels were “lower than outdoor air” in several areas. It detailed findings of common spore types like penicillium, aspergillus, cladosporium and basidiospores within “acceptable limits,” and moderate levels of airborne particulates typical for indoor environments.
The report was addressed to District 29 Judge John Kearney from Mike Watson, supervisor of Labor and Licensing of the health and safety unit.
However, Amanda Thomas, who works for the city of Pine Bluff District Court, voiced strong concerns about the ongoing situation on social media Wednesday.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
“I don’t ever post anything like this but I feel I have been left with no choice,” she stated, highlighting a perceived lack of transparency and action.
Thomas reported that despite a county air quality test four weeks prior to her statement, results had not been provided. She also mentioned that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration was contacted, leading to a state official’s visit, who “stated that there is visible black mold, ‘the worst of the worst,’ his words not mine, and that he would do a report,” which she had not received after two weeks.
Thomas detailed the health issues experienced by staff, including “constant headaches, nose starts dripping out of nowhere, sneezing constantly, eye watering and fatigue.” She further recounted a recent visit from two other individuals, one of whom immediately said, “Yes, that is black mold, you can clearly see it and smell the mold when you walk into the courtroom.”
“We just need answers and a solution and to know if our health is at risk with all this black mold in our building,” she said. “Not only is our health at risk, but the public’s health as well.”
Public sentiment echoes these concerns. A woman with the Facebook handle Elizabeth Dubya, who visited the courthouse for traffic court, corroborated the presence of mold.
“It is absolutely mold,” she said. “I noticed immediately when I walked into Judge Kearney’s courtroom that there was mold in there. The air even felt damp.”
Dubya described her own health symptoms after just an hour in the building.
“My head and chest hurt for the next couple of days.” She said she observed “white ‘dust’ mold covering every surface” on the pews and noted “black mold spots seeping through the paint or wallpaper of the courtroom, and the same black coloring around the vents.”
The official report indicated following the test results that “the building’s roof was repaired to prevent further moisture intrusion,” and that the Division of Labor’s Watson ordered a deep cleaning of the courthouse. Chance Villines, a certified mycologist with VEL LLC, and Joe Henry, Lab Manager at ATOKA, oversaw the analysis, confirming “the building’s air quality is within safe parameters, and no immediate remediation beyond cleaning is required.”
Despite these assurances and planned actions, the contrasting accounts from those regularly in the building and recent visitors suggest a disconnect between the official findings and the lived experience of the courthouse environment.
Jefferson County Judge Gerald Robinson debunked the accusations regarding unsafe building conditions, confirming the situation is “not as severe as the employees led the public to believe” and that air quality is “not diminished.” He feels that the perceived severity of the building’s condition was exaggerated.
Robinson, in a recent discussion with the Pine Bluff Commercial, explained that recommendations have been provided, and the building is undergoing extensive cleaning, including carpet cleaning. Once these measures are complete, a final report will be issued, detailing the recommendations and the actions taken.
“Each time they have called us with a problem … my buildings and ground guy has gone over and assessed the situation and we take an appropriate action,” Robinson said. He emphasized that any issues, from roof leaks to other problems, have been addressed promptly and thoroughly. He noted that the building, which has been in use since the early 2010s, has never failed to have its issues taken care of.
A final report and follow-up are expected. Watson encourages staff and visitors to contact him at mike.watson@arkansas.gov or (501) 690-5271 for further questions.