Mold that mottled the exterior of the public library and drew a rebuke from Vicksburg Mayor Laurence Leyens was pressure-washed from the county-maintained building Wednesday.

Workers for Ashley Remodeling and Construction removed stains from the brick and granite near the main entrance and from the sidewalk on Veto Street. “We’ve been out here all day,” said Cody Parks, whose brother, Millard, was blasting mold off the building using a jet nozzle intensifying the spray.

“We were overdue for some routine maintenance,” said Jennifer Smith, assistant library director. “We’ve been on the schedule for some time.”

The mold on the library’s exterior was among the aesthetic flaws criticized by Leyens, who was asked in October to greet members of the Mississippi Library Association meeting in the city.

Other aspects of the building’s condition Leyens disparaged were its restrooms, which he called “atrocious,” and flood-damaged carpeting on the main level. His speech brought a letter from a former association president who said she was shocked to hear the mayor’s harsh words. Leyens didn’t apologize, however, and said that as a regular library user himself, he’d noted the need for improved maintenance and equipment, including computer terminals.

The library, once at South and Monroe streets, moved to the building at 700 Veto St. in 1979. Although some city funds were used in construction, it is maintained by county funds and managed by a supervisor-appointed library board.

Library staff have stayed out of the political exchange. Smith said recent improvements — particularly new computers and wireless network acquired through a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in July — have contributed to a boost in library use and a swelling in the ranks of regular users.

Chuck Thornton of the county’s purchasing office said the cost of spraying the mold was not known because the job pays hourly and was not yet finished. He declined to provide the hourly rate.

Before Leyens’ comments, supervisors had already increased the county’s overall building and grounds budget by more than $400,000 for this year. The bottom floor of the library, home to the children’s department and video section, was tiled several years ago. Smith said the carpet on the main floor could be replaced this year with tiles or with carpeting.

“It’s really made a difference,” Smith said of improvements so far. “We also do some ourselves, like planting flowers out front, because some of us like to garden.”

The library is open from 9 a.m. until 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday and from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday. It is closed on Sunday.