Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

ADEQ won't stop school demolition

An inspection by the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality wont stop the demolition of the former Gurdon High School building.

Ownership of the property has recently been questioned. M and M Enterprises purchased the property from the Gurdon School District several years ago, but apparently never filed the deed. When the city condemned the property earlier this year, M and M Enterprises owner Mike McKenzie said the property had been donated to a local church. The church declined the donation and McKenzie reportedly filed the deed in June.

According to ADEQ spokesman Doug Szenher, the inspection was made after an ADEQ air quality inspection happened upon the property while doing other work in the area recently. Although the inspectors work consists primarily with air quality, Szenher said all inspectors are cross-trained to be able to spot problems in other areas.

He saw that there were problems, particularly with the site being very open.

Szenher said the inspector approached the people working at the site and told them that it would be advisable to contact ADEQs asbestos section before continuing with the demolition. However, Szenher said no official order to halt the work has been made by ADEQ officials.

Szenher said the property owners did contact ADEQ, and an asbestos inspector was on the scene Wednesday, June 27.

Szenher said the inspector found that the property owners had previously had an asbestos survey completed on the property, and that report turned up possible asbestos in some of the floor tiles. State law requires the property owner to file a notice of intent before beginning demolition, and Szenher said that notice was never filed.

While on the scene Wednesday, the inspector reportedly assisted the property owner in completing the notice.

Demolition began once again on the property soon after the inspector left. Szenher said the property owners may continue with the demolition as long as personnel are used that know how to handle the asbestos.

The asbestos must also be removed from the building, placed in plastic bags and taken to an approved landfill for disposal.

As long as it is disposed of properly it is all right, Szenher said.

It has not yet been determined as to whether the property owners will be fined as a result of their alleged failure to file a notice of intent with ADEQ. Szneher said the inspector who was on scene Wednesday will file a report that will be reviewed on several levels at ADEQ headquarters before a decision is made on final enforcement.

Although ADEQ will not make any announced visits back to the site, we probably will do some follow-up, Szenher said..