Ben Garbacz/Daily Mining Gazette The L’Anse Township Board is shown during its September meeting in front of a room full of residents Wednesday.

L’ANSE — The condition of the L’Anse Township Hall was the main discussion at the township board’s monthly meeting Wednesday afternoon.

The building had complaints of soft areas on the floor and when the building was inspected underneath, rotted floor joists were discovered along with a concerning aggregate of mold. The inspection of the building suggests that over the past years quick fixes and simple repairs were made to quell immediate problems, but now the overall condition has deteriorated to the point at which considerable action is necessary.

Professional engineer Nate Jurmu of Jurmu Engineering inspected the building on July 17 and reported his findings to the board Wednesday.

Jurmu’s observations suggest that the vents in the building are the main source of water infiltration, which occurs during rainstorms and snowmelt. The constant source of water continues to damage the building and produce white mold which creates health hazards for those working in the building. The deterioration has led to areas on the northeastern portion of the building letting in sunlight and provide access to the outside.

Jurmu reported that he believes the best course of action for the building is to work on rehabilitation work for the foundation, which includes dealing with water infiltration in the form of a drain tile system and blocking vents. He said that there are systems that exist now where an interior membrane can be laid down and will separate it from the ground which can keep the space dry.

“The deal with that is to create a safe environment for everyone to breathe in,” Jurmu said.

Jurmu also found that the sidewalk outside the township hall has an area where rain and snowmelt pool and seep into the building’s foundation. He suggested installing a catch basin to keep the water away from the building.

The solutions to the building’s condition can be approached by creating a new structure or repairing the current one.

Jurmu estimated a building of similar size to the current hall would cost around $2.2 million though the cost would be less if a site was already set aside for construction. Repairs needed for the current hall are estimated to cost around $288,000. Jurmu presented the board with grant opportunities which will be considered when trying to find a way to gather funds, but he also recommended the board consider to register the hall as a historical building to open up more ways to receive aid to address the cost.

After the discussion of the building, the Baraga County Road Commission requested L’Anse Township to create a road fund to assist the road maintenance of the local area.

In other business, the board:

• Acknowledged that they are getting ready to mail out absentee ballots for the upcoming election and plan to send about 700 for initial mailing;

• Approved payment of the bills; and

• Fielded no public comment despite a large turnout of residents at the meeting.