The Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee reviewed a mold inspection report for the district community center and discussed next steps including temporary air-treatment, repair priorities and longer-term redesign work.

Committee members said the inspection recommended treatment, and the estimated cost of abatement cited in the meeting was $8,008. Committee member Tasha (committee member) said the board previously declined abating the mold and the committee is exploring a large commercial dehumidifier as an interim mitigation because the district has not scheduled abatement. Staff member Chris (staff member) said the dehumidifier’s energy draw is “probably over 2,000” watts and that the committee is still determining placement and operating hours.

Members described the dehumidifier as a stopgap and raised costs and effectiveness concerns. A committee member said running a high-power dehumidifier continuously could approach the cost of formal abatement; committee members agreed they can recommend the board reconsider abatement if long-term running costs make that preferable. Committee members also said the second mold inspection showed indoor spore counts similar to exterior levels, which has reduced but not eliminated urgency to abate.

The group also reviewed recent architect deliverables: updated floor plans and a 3-D camera-generated rendering. Staff said the architect’s redesign estimate for new work could be $20,000–$30,000, while the parks department has $10,000 in the current fiscal-year architect/engineering budget; staff reported the current set of schematic drawings cost about $4,000. Committee members discussed sequencing smaller repairs (for example, cleaning or replacing an ice machine, addressing a leaking south window, and making bathrooms ADA-compliant) separate from a larger redesign that likely must wait for next fiscal-year funding.

Committee members noted specific retrofit details discussed with the architect and consultants: the downstairs bathrooms currently have a five-foot turning radius, which staff said means minimal reconfiguration (for example relocating a sink) could meet ADA access without full demolition. Members also discussed the community center’s wastewater treatment and a proposed transfer of a commercial dehumidifier from another facility if the district chooses that approach.

The committee asked staff to solicit a third bid for mold abatement (two bids had been received and a third was expected) and placed mold mitigation and a third bid request on the agenda for the next meeting. Staff said updates on the community-center bids and the sports-court bidding (separate item) would be returned to the board at the November meeting.