City Hall to Undergo Asbestos Abatement and Renovations
In Moss Point, Mississippi, it has been announced that repairs and improvements at the City Hall building should begin before the end of the calendar year. The building was damaged during Hurricane Katrina, and city workers have been doing their jobs out of trailers for some time while they wait to be able to use their building again. Leo Wood, project manager with Broaddus and Associates, said that architects on the project have been talking with companies that specialize in mold remediation and asbestos abatement. Once those two hazards have been dealt with, work might begin as early as next month. "We’ve got to pull out sheetrock and repaint," added Wood.
Asbestos exposure, in some cases, causes mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer. Mesothelioma originates in the lining of the lungs, abdomen, or even the pericardium. Mesothelioma affects thousands of new patients each year in America and all over the world. Chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation therapy can all help a patient battling mesothelioma, but the cancer is incurable. The majority of patients succumb within two years.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is funding the project. Mayor Aneice Liddell is eager to get this project completed, telling reporters that "We’ve got to move and we’ve got to move quickly."
In addition to FEMA funds, the city of Moss Point is also reportedly in line to receive nearly $12 million from the Mississippi Development Authority. This money must be earmarked for downtown redevelopment projects. This could include a new City Hall and fire station, river boardwalk and marina repairs.