The Municipality of Grey Highlands called an emergency special meeting of council to approve a study by BELFOR Property Restoration. The municipality says the intrusive investigation is required before the complete scope of remediation can be determined for a mold issue at Rocklyn Arena.
The emergency meeting followed a committee of the whole meeting that put the study up for consideration, with approval originally scheduled for a vote on Aug. 5.
The emergency session expedited the approval process by a week in an effort to beat the restricted-activity period.
The restricted period runs from the close of nominations on Aug. 21 until after the municipal election on Oct. 26. It takes effect if fewer than three-quarters of the outgoing council can be re-elected, prohibiting council from approving expenditures above $50,000 that are unbudgeted or not deemed emergencies.
Deputy Mayor Dane Nielsen attended the emergency meeting only to voice his objection to it taking place, leaving shortly afterward before the vote.
Only Mayor Paul McQueen and Couns. Joel Loughead, Tom Allwood, and Dan Wickens were in attendance for the special meeting, passing the motion unanimously.
According to the report, BELFOR’s study will cost approximately $150,000. Its purpose is to safely access concealed building components and determine the full extent of mold. The work will also provide the information necessary to prepare a detailed remediation plan and confirm project costs.
BELFOR previously conducted a preliminary assessment indicating that the current HVAC system fails to meet current building code and contributes to persistent mold odours.
The intrusive investigation will take roughly three weeks to complete, with remediation taking approximately one to four months.