Worldwide Restoration Inc. this week began removing drywall and carpeting from the second-floor chambers of Associate District Judge Sheila Condren, said Arthur Mathews, the maintenance supervisor for the courthouse.

Initial repairs are estimated at $6,000, Armstrong said.

"It appears to be like a ventilation problem," said Kirt Thacker, the county commissioner for Claremore-based District 3. "We are going to have to fix that after we clean all the mold up to keep it from recurring."

After the mold was found, Liberty Occupational Health Management Inc. performed air-quality testing in the room last month.

It revealed a couple of types of mold, including stachybotrys, which is capable of pro ducing toxins, Mathews said.

The problem initially surfaced a few months ago, when a woman laid a book bag down in Condren's office. Within a day or so, mold was clinging to the bag's surface, Mathews said.

The vinyl wallpaper that lines the courthouse's hallways is to blame, he said. Moisture that penetrates the drywall and reaches the vinyl can't dissipate like it should, he said.

"When it gets to the wallpaper, it becomes an environment for this mold to grow," Mathews said.

"Mold spores are microscopic, so

No one has become ill from the mold, Mathews said.

Condren's office has been closed this week. Repairs could be finished by next week, he said.

Rhett Morgan 581-8395
rhett.morgan@tulsaworld.com