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Article published Jul 8, 2004
Sanford to stay in pool house during mansion cleanup

JENNIFER HOLLAND
Associated Press

COLUMBIA -- Gov. Mark Sanford is known for pinching pennies and he's not about to waste any just because a hazardous mold temporarily displaced his family from the Governor's Mansion.Next week, Sanford is set to move in to the pool house on the mansion grounds and he's bringing along his infamous futon, the governor's spokesman Will Folks said Wednesday.As a congressman, Sanford rejected his housing allowance and slept on the same sofa-bed in his Washington office for six years all for the sake of saving taxpayers money.While Sanford is reunited with his futon, which was a victim of the fungal invader and had to be disinfected, his wife and four sons will continue to stay at the family's private home on Sullivans Island.The first family retreated to the Lowcountry last month after they were told the mold was toxic and the mansion was closed. They were told to stay out of the building until at least September while the mold was removed.First lady Jenny Sanford has said the mold caused health problems with family and staff members.The mansion was reopened three years ago after the state spent $5.6 million renovating the downtown Columbia building, which has been home to governors since the 1870s and was built as faculty quarters for Arsenal Military Academy in 1856.The company hired to eliminate the problem is investigating whether it needs to clean or completely replace the building's heating and cooling systems.Mike Sponhour, the spokesman for the State Budget and Control Board, which oversees maintenance on the buildings, said the cost of the mold cleanup had not been determined.Mold also was found in other buildings on the grounds of the Governor's Mansion complex, including the historic Lace House that was renovated earlier this year.The state would pay to house the governor, but Sanford opted for the two-bathroom pool house."It was either that or he was moving in with one of us," Folks said.Even though he's a millionaire real estate businessman, Sanford sticks to his frugal ways. He wears the same sport coat to work, sits on a folding chair in his office and salvages paper clips."This isn't the kind of governor that's going to go out and rent a big house or nice condo," Folks said."If there is a way to save taxpayers money during this time of inconvenience, he's clearly going to find it."Folks said the governor looked forward to reuniting with his futon, which will be placed among the foosball table, weights and couches in the pool house."You spend six years sleeping on something, I'm sure a little attachment comes about," Folks said.