GREEN COVE SPRINGS – An Orange Park fire station is set to receive relief from a mold issue after Clay County Commissioners unanimously approved a $106,000 bid for repairs Tuesday night.

The county needs to perform mold remediation and renovations at Clay County Fire Station 18 to correct the air conditioning system and moisture deficiencies, according to county documents.

Clay County Fire Station 18 is located at 207 Blanding Blvd. and is a 3,600-square-foot building. Other than mold and air conditioning, the scope of the project includes wall, ceiling and fixture replacements.

The Fire Station 18 Repairs and Renovations bid was awarded to Middleburg-based Gary S. Bailey, Inc., for $106,097. The project deadline is no later than 70 days from the notice-to-proceed date, which county officials said they would establish after Tuesday’s meeting.

Commissioner Betsy Condon said she didn’t want to wait too much longer and was concerned about firefighters’ setup while work was underway. She didn't like the idea of firefighters cooking near their trucks. She praised county staff for working hard but she said didn't want to put people at risk.

“The setup was undesirable in October and now it's December,” Condon said. “Now, we're talking about another two-and-a-half months."

She suggested an offsite vehicle or place firefighters can cook.

“I just don’t think it’s a good situation,” Condon said.

Acting Fire Chief David Motes said the project was pushed by county staff as fast as he’s ever seen. He said the firefighters wanted to stay near the station and Clay County Fire Rescue couldn't have a coverage issue.

“I’ll tell you it’s not the best situation, but we’ve been working back and forth with those firefighters to make sure we get it done right at the station and right the first time,” Motes said.