More on the Flood
As of today, Redlands staffers still don't know how much money will be spent on repairs to sewage-damaged City Hall.
"It's still too early even to estimate what that cost may be," police spokesman Carl Baker said.
A sewage backup led to flooding at City Hall on Oct. 10, a week ago. Damage assessments have turned up additional problems - mold was discovered in the Fire Administration and Administrative Services offices and asbestos has also been uncovered. Baker said workers installed new drywall today as part of repair efforts but cannot initiate repairs in the Fire Administration offices until the asbestos is removed. The city needs a permit from the South Coast Air Quality Management District to get the asbestos out of the civic center. (People aren't supposed to breathe the stuff, since it's linked to mesothelioma, which is a form of cancer.)
Tuesday, the City Council voted to declare a local state of emergency, which gives City Manager N. Enrique Martinez the power to hire clean-up crews without taking the time to go through the competitive bidding process.