FCSO Operations Center Employees To Relocate During Environmental Testing

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Bunnell, FL - Next week, the Flagler County Sheriffs Office will begin relocating employees from its Bunnell Operations Center while the building undergoes a second round of environmental testing after more than two dozen employees have said the building is making them sick. A total of 27 out of the 68 employees who work at the building, located at 901 E Moody Boulevard, have filed workers compensation claims due to health issues thought to be associated with the building, according to FCSO. Employees complained of rashes, hives, headaches, fatigue, and breathing impairments. Flagler Sheriff Rick Staly said he was first made aware of the issues with the building back in November of 2017 and immediately contacted County administrators afterward. Air quality testing was conducted by H2H Indoor Air Solutions in November 2017, and a report was issued the next month which revealed that there were small amounts of mold in some of the rooms. "Due to that report, any employees located in these areas were immediately relocated, and the County paid to have all remediation measures undertaken," Staly wrote in an email to FCSO employees. The Sheriff's Office was later told that the building was safe to return to, but some employees claimed that their symptoms had returned. The second round of environmental testing will be conducted by ESi Environmental and Safety Consultants and is expected to begin on June 14. "In my opinion, this is not about what the law requires to be done, or protection from litigation, or who must prove what for a successful claim, but instead it is about what is right for my employees," Staly writes in a letter to Flagler County Administrator Craig Coffey dated May 29 of this year. Staly says he hopes to work with the County to determine a suitable temporary and long-term solution. Read the full letter here. Employees in the FCSO Operations Building will begin relocating to areas in the County courthouse and the Detention Administration Center as early as next Monday. FCSO says the move could continue all next week, if not longer.