An air quality test showing elevated fungus counts in the basement of the Androscoggin County Building has prompted the county administrator to move deputies and detectives from their offices in the 170-year-old building.
Administrator Jeff Chute said Tuesday the union representing the deputies hired a company to conduct an air quality test in the basement area and adjacent hallways.
“Although the county was not notified in advance that this testing was being conducted, I reviewed the findings immediately upon receipt,” Chute said. “Based on those results, I made the decision to relocate personnel from the affected areas out of an abundance of caution and with the priority of ensuring a safe work environment for our employees.”
Air purifiers were installed in the area, he said, and deputies and detectives are being relocated.
“We will continue to evaluate the situation and take any additional steps necessary to protect staff and ensure continuity of services,” Chute said.
Detectives will move to the District Attorney’s Office at 184 Main St. in Lewiston while deputies will temporarily use the Androscoggin County commissioners’ conference room on the second floor. Commissioners will meet in courtroom two on the second floor.
Chute said the moves will be completed in a week or two.
In 2022, the county purchased the former Evergreen Subaru building in Auburn for $4.5 million as a potential new home for the Sheriff’s Office. But since spending $200,000 on surveys and engineering designs, the commission has balked at moving forward with the plan, rejecting a proposed $29 million bond last year to renovate the building at 774 Center St. as too expensive for taxpayers.
In February, the majority of commissioners again declared that the project, at a lower cost of $26 million, was still too high.
The Androscoggin County Building at 2 Turner St. houses the Sheriff’s Office and other county staff. A letter sent by the Androscoggin County Employees Association to commissioners last month complained about the standstill on the proposed project and the conditions of the current building.
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