Westport officials say no concern after lead detected in pre-school

Small traces of lead were found on doors and door jams in the Town Hall Annex basement — a portion leased by the Codimonk Nursery School, according to the Board of Selectmen’s office.

WESTPORT — Small traces of lead were found on doors and door jams in the Town Hall Annex basement — a portion leased by the Codimonk Nursery School, according to the Board of Selectmen’s office.

Public Health Director Matthew Armendo insisted that there is no concern to the public and the lead is being safely removed.

Armendo said that because school is not in session and a registered lead removal contractor is removing the lead, he has no concerns about the potential health hazards for the students or employees there.

Armendo also asserted that the building has been routinely tested and yielded no results until last week. According to the selectmen’s office, the nursery school is under new ownership, which triggered the most recent test.

Armendo mentioned that perhaps either the small traces could have escaped detection or the areas that recently tested positive were previously encapsulated.

The inspection took place July 31 and revealed lead in five of the door jams and two of the doors in the basement hall and bathrooms, but not the actual classrooms, according to the release. There was no lead found in other parts of the basement area and the basement there will be closed until the remediation is complete by Thursday, the release stated.

The written release also mentioned that a full copy of the inspection report is available at Town Hall.

Town Administrator Timothy King said he also has no concerns about safety. He said the remediation work cost around $1,000. The town owns the building and is paying for the work.

Selectmen Chairwoman Shana Shufelt said no concerns have been expressed to her by members of the public.

Testing for lead paint is required for facilities built before 1976 that provide services for children such as childcare centers, according to the release.

According to the United States Department of Health & Urban Development, lead is a highly toxic metal that may cause a range of health problems, especially in young children.

Interested parties can review the report in the Board of Selectmen’s office at 816 Main Road from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays For any questions, the office can be reached at 508 636-1003 or at bos@westport-ma.gov.