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City actions stink

Dear Editor:At Monday night’s City Council meeting, I presented the published letter to the editor from the Youth Center “informing all parents with children who attend the Aspen Youth Center that our space in the ARC is closed until after Thanksgiving due to the toxic fumes from the repainting project in the swimming pool area. The fumes are coming through the ventilation system and making it a dangerous area for our staff and children.”Mayor Klanderud retorted, “There are no toxic fumes!” Assistant city manager Ed Sadler said, “Just because you can smell something doesn’t make it harmful. Yeah, you can spray Lysol in the air, you can smell that, too. That doesn’t mean it will kill you.”Before the paint repair work started, I voiced my concerns about the toxic vapors and dust affecting the rest of the facility. My suggestion was to shut the entire facility down for the short term to prevent any potential harmful exposures.But do you think my valid concerns were addressed? What irks me even more is after other legitimate complaints were voiced, “the city” still did not take any corrective measures, claiming the vapor problem was due to the weather.The smell in there may not harmful according to “the city” but most hazard ratings assigned to epoxy, dust and even Lysol are deemed “harmful, toxic and may cause permanent brain and nervous system damage.”While some people may think the problem “smells,” I think the situation “stinks.”Toni KronbergAspen