In the village of Potsdam, New York, officials have pledged to work together to make the asbestos removal project at the village courtroom a priority. Cooperation is key, in order to finance the costly procedure. "We should both realize in a time of economic depression, if we could save money by doing something together, we should try to cooperate," Supervisor Marie C. Regan said. "But nothing is going to be done, either renovation or on another structure, until the hazardous materials are taken care of. We’re just not going to put the people in this office or the public at risk."

The town has opened the initial environmental survey testing for bidding. Tests need to be done to see if there other materials present that could be hazardous in the courtroom. Asbestos is thought to be present in the mastic adhesive holding the ceiling tiles in place. Asbestos abatement is important, as airborne asbestos fibers can be inhaled and may lead to the development of diseases like malignant mesothelioma, a fatal form of cancer.

Elsewhere in the area, asbestos testing is needed for the building at 35 Market Street. Officials say that they may try to combine the two projects under one bidding umbrella, in order to save money. Administrator Michael D. Weil believes that it could cost as much as $20,000 to remove the asbestos, decontaminate the space and re-test the air quality in the courtroom.

Mayor Reinhold J. Tischler has asked Steven W. Yurgartis and Deputy Mayor Ruth F. Garner to convene a committee that would discuss the possibility of finding a temporary courtroom while the work is being done. Officials from a neighboring town may be able to share their courtroom.

"It’s all very preliminary. I think we should all just go in with an open mind to see what we can do,” said Councilman Mike Zagrobelny, who will likely serve on the committee. "It’s too early to start talking about potential locations and things like that without getting everybody together. I’m open to a discussion about the whole thing just to see where it goes."

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.