The Monroe County Justice Center closed again Wednesday for more mold removal.
In a press release, the Monroe County Sheriff’s office said prisoners were being kept in courtroom areas of the justice center during the cleanup. A full transfer to another jail would be complicated, it said, and cause lengthy and unnecessary disruptions.
Criminal hearings have been rescheduled to Thursday.
The county hired VET Environmental Engineering to clean portions of the jail and justice center.
Read more: Some offices in Monroe County Justice Building closed again because of mold
An environmental survey found mold spores at mainly “acceptable” levels throughout the facility, while a few areas had “elevated” levels, including one judge’s office.
In internal emails, county staff described experiencing headaches, sore throats and burning eyes while in the office. They shared images of water damage on ceiling tiles and trash cans being used to collect dripping water.
The Commissioners and Sheriff’s Office used the incident to stress the importance of building a new jail and justice facility, which has been an ongoing struggle for the county.
