Leak forces Troy City Council into new meeting space

A leak has temporarily put the Troy City Courtroom out of commission. The flooding has also bogged down Troy City Council, which uses the courtroom as its chambers.

During a Dec. 9 council meeting, which was held in the city annex building on Third Street, City Clerk Tracy Rebo said the leak was discovered Nov. 28.

Carr said two feet of mold would have to be taken off the upstairs walls. The floor and synthetic carpeting would dry out. In the building’s basement, however, many of the city’s records were waterlogged. Councilors decided to find another space to store future city documents.

Noting that the city was required to keep records for a certain time, Carr said city employees moved the documents to an unheated building. Each department will have to sort through its records and determine what is salvageable.

Rebo said Robbee Pennock, Troy City judge, had decided it was not necessary to have all the documents restored. Without insurance coverage, total restoration could cost the city between $40,000 to $50,000.

To avoid similar accidents in the future, Carr suggested putting a hole in the basement with a sump pump. The mayor said the set-up would also help drain the water that occasionally dampens the building.

During a Dec. 16 meeting, also held in the annex building, Carr said he expected the council to move back into the court within a matter of weeks.