The marble floors of the Capitol sustained nearly $18,000 in damage after a cleaning company’s machine spilled battery acid.

The Wisconsin Department of Administration has asked the company, Peterson Cleaning Inc., to pay for the damage by the end of April, spokesperson Stephanie Marquis said in an email to The Badger Herald. She said they are prepared to “pursue any and all legal remedies to collect [the payment].”

“Our facilities staff determined the white spotting on the marble floor was caused by battery acid leaking from a cleaning machine owned by Peterson Cleaning,” she said.

She said the exact amount to restore the marble floors in the Capitol came to $17,994.39 and the state owed Peterson Cleaning $12,647.69 because of its contract. According to Marquis, the state had contracted the company to perform janitorial services at the Capitol.

She said that amount will offset necessary cost to restore the marble floor and the cleaning company now still owes the state $5,346.70. She said the company must pay that amount by the end of April or it will face the legal repercussions.

Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4,
formerly worked in the Capitol and currently represents the district. He said he was dismayed to hear about the
significant damage done to the marble floors.

“I sincerely hope the contractor
responsible for the damage will right the wrong that they caused,”
he said.