Fairfield’s City Hall building is closed until further notice; however, the offices have been relocated to the Conference Center (smaller building) at the Fairgrounds, to be open beginning Tuesday morning, July 16, 2019.
The closure announcement came Friday afternoon from City Administrator Nate Smith following an air quality test that was conducted in preparation for a Town Hall meeting to be held Thursday, July 18, 2019 at Navarro College Career Center (Telephone Hill).
The former Fairfield campus of Navarro College is a site that has been under consideration for use by the City of Fairfield.
The current City Hall location has been plagued with problems including leaks caused by drainage issues and issues with the roof, and cracks in the foundation, brick walls, and ceiling.
“I would not enter that building now without wearing a respirator,” explained Bret Lewis of Texas Mold Solutions during a special held meeting on Monday, July 15, 2019. “And if my wife were working there, I absolutely would not allow her to return to work in that building.”
Earlier this year, mold was found on the wall in one area of the building and on some ceiling tiles. The air quality test at that time was clear, however, it was not looking specifically for mold. If you are looking for a cheap man and van company in London to help collect, deliver or move items in and around London then look no further! We have a fleet of man and van drivers waiting for your call. The man and van london have a range of different size vans and a fleet of van drivers to give you the right solution for your needs.
According to City Administrator Smith, lab results from the current test came back with very high levels of mold called Aspergillus.
“Aspergillus is a form of mold that if one is allergic to or has prolonged exposure to, can cause significant health issues,” state Smith.
The standardized test performed recently to study the air quality consists of taking air samples from three locations throughout the building and one from outside. To pass the test, indoor air sample numbers should be lower than outside air sample numbers.
In the case of Fairfield City Hall, the three samples were 10-times higher in the City Secretary’s office, 60-times higher in the Council Chambers, and more than 100-times higher in the Police Department Dispatch area.
The closure comes “out of an abundance of caution for those who work in the building and after consulting the testing lab, health officer, and a mold remediation company,” said Smith.
It is important to note that the mold found in city hall was NOT black mold, which is very dangerous to be around.
While City Hall is relocated, residents can make water payments in several ways:
–in person at the Conference Center location
–online at fairfieldtexas.com (bureau code is 9212812)
–on their phones through Go Fairfield app
–by calling the automated system at 1-866-549-1010
–mailing the payment in, or
–dropping off payment using the drop box outside city hall.
“We will not be shutting any water off during this time and we will work with residents who have been inconvenienced by this,” said City Administrator Smith.
Fairfield Police Department is also being relocated to the Fairfield Conference Center. Residents can still call 903-389-3901 and talk to our dispatchers, or 911 in the case of an emergency.
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Fairfield City offices have been relocated to the Conference Center (smaller building) at the fairgrounds, as of Tuesday morning, July 16, 2019.
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There will be a Special Called Council Meeting at 6 p.m. Monday, July 15, 2019 at the Green Barn (Civic Center) where they and the public will learn more about what the current situation is at City Hall, what contingency plans have been made, and what could happen in the near future.
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Update from City Administrator Nate Smith (Friday, July 12):
I would like the opportunity to answer some questions about today’s closing of City Hall. Here is what we know.
First, the city commissioned an air quality test as part of our study of what to do about city hall in preparations of next Thursday’s Town Hall meeting. The labs came back with very high levels of mold called Aspergillus. Aspergillus is a form of mold that if one is allergic to or has prolonged exposure to, can cause significant health issues. The mold found in city hall was not black mold, which is very dangerous to be around. To learn more about Aspergillus, click here: https://www.aspergillus.org.uk/
Out of an abundance of caution for those who work in the building and after consulting the testing lab, health officer, and a mold remediation company, the Mayor and I, along with our senior staff, felt it was best to temporarily close City Hall for the rest of Friday and on Monday before the council meets on Monday evening to determine the best course of action. The police department is using the Fairfield Volunteer Fire Department as a temporary headquarters. We thank the FVFD for their help. Residents can still call 903-389-3901 and talk to our dispatchers, or 911 in the case of an emergency.
On Monday, I and the staff will work on a temporary location for the rest of City Hall staff. If you still need to make a utility payment, residents can make water payments online, via the automated phone system, mailing the payment in, or dropping off payment using our drop box outside city hall. We will not be shutting any water off during this time and we will work with residents who have been inconvenienced by this.
It is our goal to have the rest of City Hall back up and running on Tuesday at another location to take payments and have a safe area for our employees to work. Please check back here on our page or our local media for updates and more information.
It may seem that closing City Hall was a drastic measure. It causes confusion, and the rumor mill can cause panic. However, the safety of our employees is a priority. The City of Palestine experienced a similar situation last year when it had to close its police department offices for a short time following a chemical spill. We worked quickly to enact contingency plans to ensure we continue to provide police service. All of our employees worked as a team to help during a difficult time.
We will work quickly to get the rest of City Hall back up and running. Thank you for your patience and please check back here for further updates.
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Fairfield City Hall will be closed until further notice due to air quality concerns. Council meeting will be at 6 p.m. Monday at the Green Barn.
Residents can still call the police department at 903-389-3901 , or 911.
To pay a water bill, please call our automated system, 1-866-549-1010.
The bureau code is 9212812.
There will be a city council meeting at 6 p.m. Monday at the Green Barn. Click here for posted agendas.
