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Video-Count: 1
Video-1: youtube.com/watch?v=WzRNTJ1SCBE

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Okay, hi everyone. Welcome to the Norfolk County Commissioners meeting of April 8th, 2026. Um pursuant to the executive order on remote participation on March 28th, 2025, Governor Healey signed into law House Bill 62, an act relative to extending certain

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COVID-19 measures adopted during the state of emergency, which includes a 2-year extension of the option for public bodies to hold remote meetings by suspending certain provisions of the open meeting law, Massachusetts General Law chapter 30A, sections 18 through 25. That action was effective immediately extending the current option for remote

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meetings through June 30th, 2027. Uh call to order. Um and roll call. Uh Uh Joe Shea, you're present. >> Present. Terrific. Okay. And uh Richard Staiti, are you present? Okay, I am present. So, we have a full

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board. Uh Uh Joe, do I need permission to uh to run the meeting as you're remote today? I don't believe you you don't, but you have it. Uh okay, yes. Thank you. All right. So, uh first item is an executive session.

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Uh Richard, do you want to make the motion for that? It's item three. Do we do Oh, sorry. You did. Okay, great. Thank you. Thank you, Richard. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation

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under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. All right. Okay. Um Richard, item three. Yep. So, I move uh that uh we go into executive session

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pursuant to Massachusetts General Law 30A, 21A A3, to discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining or litigation if an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the bargaining or litigation position of the public body,

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and the chair so declares. And the chair so declares. So, I I'll second that motion. And uh that'll be a roll call vote. So, Richard, I. I'll say uh yes also. Joe, you okay with that? Yes.

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Okay. So, we are now in executive session. Hey Joe, quick question. Um Joe, quick question. Do we have your permission to use your stamp today? Yes, absolutely. Absolutely. Thank you. >> [laughter] >> Excuse me, I'll bring this back.

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Okay. All right. Um item number four, Richard. Um minutes. Uh I move approval of the meeting minutes of the open session of April 1 as presented. I'll second that. Okay, seconded by Joe. Uh

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roll roll call. Joe, you good with that? Yes. Okay. Richard? Yes. I am also good with that. Okay, so the next item is um minutes will be All approval of the executive session of meeting minutes of April 1 as presented with stipulation it

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shall not be released until the chair so declares. I'll second it, Mr. Chairman. >> [snorts] >> Okay. Um Uh all in favor, Joe? Yes. Uh Richard? I, yes. Okay, and I'm in favor also, so it's unanimous. Terrific. Um item five is appointments. John, do

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we have any appointments today? Yes, sir. Okay. Item six, public comment. Uh did anyone uh anyone on Zoom land wish to make any public comment today? Hey John, did anyone ask for public comment? No, sir. Okay, we're going to move on to item seven, old business.

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John, do we have any old business? No, sir. Okay, and item eight, personnel matters for consideration. Richard? Yes, uh please move the following for approval. The first group is from the Norfolk County Agricultural High School. Uh

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first I'll take the notice of resignation. We have two. Approval for the resignation of Marlena Baluchi as a student laborer, and uh Ellie Winkler as a substitute instructor for the rate stated. The

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effective date for Marlena is 3/26/26, and for uh Winkler is 4/3/26. So moved. Okay, Joe, do you do you want to second that? I'll I'll second it. Okay. >> [clears throat] >> Um Uh roll call vote, Joe yes?

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Yes. Okay, Richard, yes? Yes. And I'm yes also, so that's unanimous. Next. All right, next I'd like to move approval together for contingent employment for Sophie Zonghi as student laborer at the rate stated effective 4/9/26,

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and on the same date of employment, uh move contingent employment for Brady Lovett as student laborer, same rate, uh sorry, different rate, but effective date 4/9/26. So moved. Okay, Joe, second. Okay. Um uh roll call Joe, yes? Yes.

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Okay, Richard, yes? Yes. And I'm yes also, so that's also unanimous. Next. The side of spring, we've got some coaches coming on board. I move the following notice of rehire for Dennis Aldrich, girls JV coach at the rate stated effective 4/9/26,

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for Allison Cole as a varsity girls softball coach for the rate stated effective 4/9/26, and for Luis Guzman as a freshman coach of softball at the rate stated effective 4/3/26. So moved.

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Seconded. Okay, seconded by Joe. Joe, um roll call yes? Joe, roll call No, we don't need the roll call again. No, we're going to do roll call on this, Joe. Uh roll call yes for Joe for this motion? Yes. Okay. Richard, yes? Yes. Okay. And

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I'll say yes, so that's unanimous also. Okay, to the last one. Go ahead. Walsh Recreational Facility, uh move uh the following together, notice of rehire for Thomas Ford as a seasonal golf associate, Isabelle Madua as seasonal golf

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associate, and Charles Ward as a seasonal golf associate, both for the rate stated. Uh Thomas Ford, effective date 4/1/26, uh Charles Ward, 4/2/26, Isabelle, uh

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4/9/26. So moved. Seconded. >> Um I'm sorry, Joe, can you hear me? Second? I seconded. Yes, I said it. I'm sorry. Okay, great. Um and roll call Joe, yes? Yes. Okay, Richard, yes? Yes, sir. Yes, sir. And I'm yes also, so that's also

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unanimous. Last one. Do we have one more for Walsh Recreational? I move approval of notice of contingent employment for Dwight Sullivan as a seasonal golf associate, rate stated effective date 4/9/26. So moved. I'll second it.

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Okay, um Joe, uh roll call yes? Yes. Okay, Richard? Yes. And I'm yes also, so that's unanimous also. Uh terrific work. Okay. Mr. Chairman, I'll notice I move approval of the notice of the M FMLA effective 3/31/26, code 2603-01.

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Okay. You should abstain. Okay, and um Uh Joe, do you have a second on that? Yes, I'll second it. Okay. Um roll call Joe, yes? Yes. Um Richard? Yes. And I'm going to

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abstain from that one, so it's uh 2-0. Okay, next item is number nine, payroll and expense warrants for approval. I, Mr. Chairman, move the following for the approval of the warrant list of 4/8/26. Number one, payroll of the county,

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26-40, the sum $173,755.36. So moved. I'll second it, Mr. Chairman. Okay. Um Um roll call Joe, yes? Yes. Okay, Richard, yes? Yes. And I'm yes also. Okay, next. Next, I move approval of

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expenses of the school, uh 26-10, the sum of $143,448.95. So moved. Seconded. Okay, and Joe, roll call yes? Yes.

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Richard, yes? Yes. And I'm yes also, so that's unanimous also. All right, last item. I move approval of expenses of the county, 4/2/26, the sum $708,417.03. So moved. Seconded.

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Um so Joe, roll call yes? Yes. And Richard? Yes. And I'm yes also, so again it's unanimous. Terrific. And moving on to the next one is item 10, >> [clears throat] >> uh fiscal year 2026 third supplemental appropriation and budget transfers. I'll turn it over to John.

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Thank you, Commissioner. Uh Collins, good afternoon, Commissioners. Um This afternoon, I'd like to present to you a request for the FY26 third supplemental transfer. Uh This particular item uh would effectively close out FY26 needs at this

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time as we know them. Um In just a moment, I'll ask Bill to pull up the um so spreadsheet that I use to track the item. Be happy [clears throat] to explain the items behind it, but there are several actions that I would ask for your consideration and assistance with today.

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In addition to the supplemental needs, um we are looking for um a transfer of funds into the stabilization fund. Um with you and with the advisory board, we will need 2/3 votes according to our guidance from state law. Um we will also

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be looking for a transfer of um certain funds from projects that have surpluses that were taken from the ARPA interest account. We'd like them to go back into ARPA interest. So, I'll ask for at the conclusion of this supplemental presentation a um

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a motion to allow for that transfer. And then finally um you had previously approved, as did the advisory board, funding for office renovations um here in the commissioner's office. As we wind down on that project, uh we are under budget.

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And we are seeking to expand the use of the balance to um wider use within the county. Um so, we're going to be looking for a vote to do that at the end as well. So, at the conclusion of the supplemental, if you don't mind, I'll I'll be happy to through the chair make a recommendations

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for motions um to clean up those items as well. Fair enough. Yes. Very well. So, um So, this afternoon, commissioners, when we began um this stage of fiscal year '26 um activity for supplemental, as you know, notice was sent out to department heads. We've received their requests

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um to begin this process. We had approximately $134,633 remaining in the um um budget for FY '26. Um you'll see there are two columns before you. One is the departmental requests, and one is the recommended. Uh the departmental requests reflects the

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wants and needs that came in uh to fill over the last month or so. And after some analysis and review and dialogue with certain department heads, um the recommended recommended column follows. Uh under information technology, um we recommend $6,500 for county contractual

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expenses, $1,360 for computers computer supplies, excuse me, and uh 20 $2,673.99 for computer supplies. Um both of the computer supplies are for the registry in the county, respectively.

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Um the registry is in need of an IBM server upgrade. The anticipated cost is $215,332. Um we're recommending that the commissioners consider uh asking the register of deeds to fund that from the tech fund. Uh in a minute, I'm going to ask the chief information

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officer to come to the table and give you a little bit more background on that um on that item. Facilities asked for several projects um including a repair of the Dedham District Court sewer that was um damaged during this past winter, $12,000 to

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rebuild it. Uh the Blue House stairs, this is contingency on top of an item that you had previously approved. Um this $6,500 will be on top of the 20 that had already been approved. Hopefully, we'll get that done this this sum this spring, excuse me. Uh we need oil burner repair at the

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registry of deeds um building. That'll be $30,000, $1,500 for fire protection services, and then finally um 30,000 in the AC repair account. Uh the AC repair account, by the way, almost entirely Quincy District Court, uh which we will be reimbursed for by

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the state, but um if and when those expenses are made. It's a quite a quite a financial burden on the facilities department. Uh the registry of deeds requested overall $140,000 inclusive of 50,000 for legal fees, 35,000 for printing and binding,

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30,000 for contractual services, 15,000 for stationery and office supplies, 5,000 for miscellaneous supplies and materials, and 3,000 for miscellaneous rentals. After some analysis That's That's $5,000 for me. The big one for that does. After internal um analysis,

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we are recommending 3,000 for contractual services and 5,000 for miscellaneous rentals. The treasurer's office is looking for $36,100. This covers the buyout uh for the former assistant treasurer, as well as um

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the um salary overlap between the incoming deputy and the outgoing assistant treasurer. And then finally, Wollaston Recreational Facility requested $20,000. Um we've determined that is not necessary. They have additional resources they can move if and when the need arises.

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That concludes the supplemental requests. Um one of the items that I would like the commissioners, as you can see in the call out to uh draw your attention to, is earlier in the year, when our supplemental funds became available to us, we kind of carved out what we'd like to do. Um the commissioners thought it would be

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wise to set aside 300,000 for potential stabilization fund deposit, and then there's just additional 100,000 for OPEB um payment. Um we did not assign or vote on that. We just set it aside. Um and here we are towards the end of fiscal year

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'26, and it's my recommendation that you take the combined total of 400 and vote to move it into stabilization. Last week, when we had a conversation about the FY '27 budget, I gave the commissioners a um a timeline view of how the retirement liability costs are

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really starting to stretch the county's ability to use existing resources coupled with to date ARPA interest to balance our budget. Certainly, over the next 6 years or so, that ARPA interest will evaporate. You'll need to rely on stabilization funds to make it to 2033.

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Um I think I mentioned to you, I think a big part of the strategy has to be, instead of just drawing down that balance, you need to be putting money in there every year when you have it. That'll help you get to the end zone without depleting entirely that account. So, I'm recommending that in addition to the 300, you send the 100 from OPEB over

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to stabilization for a total of $400,000. Um we have um one transfer request from engineering, uh $500 from overtime to educational compensation. Um I actually might have that backwards.

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Um for a total $1,000 transaction. That is all I have in terms of the supplemental, and I'm happy to answer any questions. Um could the sum of that could, Mr. Chairman, the sum of 500,000 is basically, you're working down from the

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available surplus, am I right? Could you ask the question again? I'm sorry. The The number I'm trying to figure out where we get this number from. The number where it says total supplemental 500,000. 502. 502. All right, 502. Is that from the available surplus assuming you you work it down?

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>> those are the requests. Yes, that's the request. Okay, those are requests. That's correct. All right, so if the requests are 500,000 Mhm. and you're recommending 130, Correct. how do you have a surplus of 400 to bank in stabilization? Well, if you go to the top, um Bill, if you go back to the

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first page, you can see the very top in red, we'd set aside 300,000 for stabilization, Richard. Very top. Right, that's in red. >> And 100,000 for OPEB. Those were never expended. They were parked. They were They were left there

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for year-end consideration and action. And so, what I'm saying today is that $400,000 separate from the supplemental needs that are laid before you needs to be transferred to the supplemental. All of the requests total 502. We're recommending the supplemental needs by

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themselves. Total $134,633.99. Okay, so they're two separate things. One is to move the 400,000, the other one is to expand the 133 as I just 134 as I just explained. Okay, so let me go back again. So, if the number is 134,

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633, what Where is it coming from? Right. So, if you go to the top, yeah, if you go to the top, you can see um where it says total supplemental September, and we spent a sum of money. Right. Total supplemental of December, and then then there's eight I see it.

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Okay. So, after and if you agree to all the expenditures that are recommended, our balance is $32 and 1 cent for the rest of the year. You have 32 bucks left. Pretty good. Yeah. Okay. Maybe get a cup of coffee. >> All right. Okay, so um okay, that changes that.

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[clears throat] So, that was your determination, and that's your recommendation. >> That's all. That's all. To pot 300 into stabilization and 100 into the OPEB. No, no, that's that's what we had done in the past. What we had done in the I'm recommending that you take both amounts and put them into stabilization.

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Right. Yeah, for both of that. Yeah. And do we have an idea of how much we have in stabilization right now? Yes, if you look at the upper level of the page, um the current stabilization balance is $6.814 million. Where is that again? Where is that? Up

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towards the top underneath the um available surplus. Right, there. Yep. So, does that include the 400,000? No. So, you'll be at 7.2 if you do move it. Right, that's our stabilization account.

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That's right. Okay. All right, so I'm All right. Okay, so um The other question I had, and I could be out of line just asking, I thought we had a discussion

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about getting chairs for the registry and some other places. I don't see it reflected here. Is that in this, or is that in the budget? So, the Right, it's in the budget for next year. >> For next year. Okay, I know we talked about that. Okay. So, that's going to be

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handled there. Um Do you know what miscellaneous rentals are? What are those? Which one? Okay. Under registry of deeds? Yeah. Uh I thought it was something else. Okay. I do. Mr. Chairman, if you don't mind, I would like to if I have a moment after

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um Mr. Cronin speaks to address that. Miscellaneous rentals um is the storage of all of our microfilm at Iron Mountain. And it's about 2,000 a month. Um over 200 years of documents stored.

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It's a recurring um contract with Iron Mountain. Okay. Okay. [clears throat] That helps that. Okay. Um Oh, I'm just going to deal with my questions. The other thing was first while it's a recreational

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contractual services you felt it wasn't appropriate or not needed. I can talking with Carl, um he had expended funds from that category earlier in the year and he's looking to replenish it. But there are sufficient funds in another category within that

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group that are unexpended. Mhm. So that if he does have a problem in this category, he can transfer them over. Does not need to be supplemented at this stage of the fiscal year. Okay. Um Facilities looks okay. And

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the server upgrade tech fund. Right. That's what I was going to, through the chair, ask if you would receive Sam to give the commissioners more insight on it's a somewhat of an issue. That's a problem. I can do that. You all right with that? I was All right. I don't want to take things [clears throat] out of water, all right? Is that what you wanted to do?

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>> Do you want to finish your questions first? >> No, I was just I wanted to get a couple into my head about the numbers. Then we can Then we'll get a chance to talk. But yeah, let's start. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Well, thank you, commissioners. So I prepared a boiled down version of this

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from my supplemental request that I sent and I'm sorry, Commissioner Shay, I didn't know you wouldn't be here. So I don't have a copy of that for you. That's all right. >> [clears throat] >> So uh just to give you a brief background on what this issue is.

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So the current IBM server that we have >> [clears throat] >> was um brought in by uh >> [clears throat] >> Jim Lindy and Dan working with the register. It's uh was brought in in 2019 or 2020

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and uh we started this summer to look into bringing in a newer version of the server because IBM announced that this current server, which is called an IBM Power 9, is going to go into end of service status

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uh and the at the end of January 2026, which it did. So just to give you a very brief, this is on your uh piece of paper here. End of service status just means that they're not going to be making new parts for it. They're not going to be keeping

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it as up to date as they are. So it puts us at some risk. But um speaking with Dan, it's not it's not the end of the world, but it's not an ideal situation. So to give you one scenario, we talked to our service providers and IBM folks

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itself. If uh part breaks in it now, it just means especially since it's only been a couple of months, they're not necessarily making new parts, they could find us another part. But if that part were in a different part of the country,

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it takes longer to get there. So it's not an ideal situation for us to be on that server. Um one of the reasons that we waited a little while to figure out what to do is what Jim Lindy had done with the last upgrade is IBM makes where on Power 9,

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IBM makes a Power 10. But what Jim had decided to do the last time is we didn't want to go one up, we wanted to go two up. So the Power 9 that he got was two above where it was before. So they had a Power 7, they went to a Power 9 so

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that it would last longer. So we were waiting for the Power 11, which is a newer machine, to be tested out cuz we don't want to be on a brand new cutting edge machine. It has to be out there for a while to make sure everything's okay. So we had been gathering information on

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can we get a Power 11? Is it good? Is it going to work with Brown Tech? Is everything great? So we put together some information uh on the Power 11 situation and we sent a memo to the register and uh senior registry management in January uh to discuss all

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of this information. Uh that's in the timeline there. >> [clears throat] >> Is Power 11 what you're going for now? That's what we would like to That was the recommendation. Can we Can we do a Power 11 upgrade? Uh I sent it There's a couple of other little minor uh updates to the memo that

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I sent in January and then again in uh March and the register got back to me at the end of March um to say that he'd been busy responding to requests from the county attorney and that he would again considering it. Then we found out

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that IBM, unfortunately, was going to do a pretty significant price increase on a major part of the server uh on April 1st, 34 to 56% increase in the price. So I uh had sent another thing to the register saying, "Well, okay,

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unfortunately, here's what we're looking at for the price increases." Uh and then he got back to me very quickly and said, "All right. So um I had also mentioned that the last time that we the server had been purchased, which was again in 2019 or 2020, the funding had

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come from the tech fund. So the register wrote back saying, I just want to make sure I get it right, that he thought that the the better place I shouldn't say better, that possible funding sources for this besides the tech fund were the uh to look at it as part of the county

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budgeting process uh or the the deeds excise that had been collected in FY26 and also there were deeds excise that had been collected in FY25 um and that the maybe the county's capital budget could handle this price

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uh the price needed for the IBM. And then uh also uh Margarite had mentioned that the tech fund, while it sounds like uh a fund source, it it you have to prepare it in advance and then there's other steps that have to be taken and it has to be approved and given the time frame that

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that may not have been the best way to go. So those were the pieces of the puzzle. At the bottom of this piece of paper I gave you, you can see the where this amount of money came from. There's a cost for the server itself. There's a new tape drive we're getting,

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which is faster, which makes the backup go faster. And then there's an installation cost. What we're talking about here, you can see the line I have in yellow is we don't know what the price increase is yet cuz I haven't gotten back to our our uh vendor yet. I don't know if it's 34, if it's 56. So the request just took in

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the most possible. Um what we are going to have to do at this point is we pay for the maintenance cost for our current server, which I have in my FY26 budget. So that is not included here. We'll pay for that. And when whenever we buy the new

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server, it comes with 3 years of maintenance prepaid. So that's not a concern. So this $215,000 request is the server, whatever the the most possible increase from what we understand, the new tape

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drive and the installation. The question before you is where you think this funding should come from. You answer that. In the past it came from the tech I should say that the last one was from the tech fund.

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Margarite may be able to speak more to that. So we Well, before we do that, if I could >> Yeah. So again, I'm trying to discern here supplemental versus budget. If if if it's possible, could this be shifted into a budgetary request? And that would allow Margarite

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and Bill the time to contact the tech fund and get the money that way, which you're saying it might take a little longer. Could you Can you Can we That was what I was saying is if you don't change what you have right now, can we get by for a little while longer? Or are we You said you were not at risk.

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Well, the I mean I'm sorry to interrupt you. Please go ahead. Okay. I know it's not the great situation, but could this be at least get us by for a little while longer and then put it into the budget for next year through the tech fund? Is that an option? >> tech fund's not a part of the budget

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from what I understand. But yeah, we So there's no the the once we get where we are right now, there's risk. It's not it's not immediate. If something were to break, it's not the end of the world. I mean, but it's we're not in an ideal situation. We can pay for what they call extended support,

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but as more time goes by, the risk increases if something breaks. But it's not, you know, it's it's not it's not like lightning bolts, but um the the budget sources that the register suggested, uh those are up to you folks to

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consider. I understand. All right, Jim. We have Yeah, briefly for the commissioners who may be unfamiliar with the tech fund, so-called. Uh this fund is uh state run. Um registries of deeds across the state contribute um to this fund. It is

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managed by the state. The various registers across the state make application and it's for the technological improvements and operations of the registry of deeds. When the applications are made by the registers, they go up they go through various loops involving the legislature,

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the state uh chief information officer, and the secretary of state. Um those applications are vetted and then eventually in the back end, the awards are made and the funds are received by the county treasurer and they're put in to a fund that the register then expends against pursuant to the request that he

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directly made. So in this case, uh we're looking to uh seek the commissioners' guidance um to make a recommendation to the register that he again utilize this fund to offset this particular cost, which is

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technically and technologically exclusive to the registry of deeds. No other county department makes use of this particular tool. It runs the ground tech system. You know, when appropriate I'd I'd like to If you want with that my friend. Um

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yeah, Joe do you have any fresh Joe do you have any questions? Joe are you good? No, I'm Yeah, I'm good too. Uh yeah, sure Migliore. Thank you. Thank you stance, yeah. Yeah. Um you know, good

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And thank you for allowing me to speak today. Um there's a lot to unpack here. Really is. Um Sam prevent presented us with kind of a do or die date on this. I don't think any of us want to be in that position of

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having an IBM uh server out of warranty, out of parts, maybe they're not making the parts, but ultimately it's your department, that's your decision if you want to be in that position.

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Um when tech funds were requested in the past and I know speaking with Paul McCarthy from the Secretary of State's office, this office speaks to him all the time. Any need we have is requested a year in

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advance and that would have been done with Jim Lumby in coordination with that office. We don't get hey, it's going out we have something that needs to be replaced by May. We're not presented with it in January.

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So, we're behind the gun on that issue and just you know, obviously should be funded, but it it's up to you folks right now. The other issue is that IBM server is not exclusively the registry. That's what funds the entire

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county. And I think you should should look at that. It's not just our little server. Um when we came here you were taking over the IT department, I think we pleaded with you folks in December of that year about the IBM

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server and how integral it was to not only our operation, but the entire county. So, I don't think this is like hey, Eureka. I mean, is it like the Eureka fax machine or copiers going out of service?

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Not really. It isn't. So, that's just I I do want to put the appropriate um emphasis on that server to the entire county. Um once I'm prepared to talk on that now, I

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the register has other requests. I you know, I won't belabor that. Um we did request legal um counsel has kind of upped the stress points on this deposing uh staff members

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at the registry. Um or attempting to depose us. Again, I don't think anyone here, attorneys, not attorneys, wants to give testimony without representation. Um It was anticipated that I'd give

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testimony during the recent union arbitration. And Peter Sumner spent over an hour preparing me. I think any staff member at the registry wants similar preparation if we're going to be deposed. Um that's just a matter of fairness.

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Um the other matters you know, I'm sorry didn't follow exactly what um supplemental funds have been recommended by the director. I I do want to say the 3,000 for printing is not enough.

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>> [snorts] >> You know, we are anywhere from 50 to 80 million dollar revenue stream for the county, for the state. Um and we should be able to finish our printing needs and requirements within

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the year. Last year we had to kick it out to the following year. Um we're too big of a business to be doing that. Our books are our disaster recovery, very simple. Um when everything else fails, we have the books

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and especially if our IBM goes down, we do need those books. Um very simple, incorruptible form of data. Um 299 there is not enough to finish the year. The values are a little bit lower

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than the register's letter at the end of March, but that 299 group also covers all the data, storage of the data. So, we have we have images stored on microfilm that go to Iron Mountain, but we have the weekly

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data backups from the IBM and stored at Iron Mountain. This not enough. We don't have a month's worth of money left. Um Yeah, and the other things you know, I I know they're spending money for

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uh I guess IT needs at the registry, but we're also buying toner and things like that. There's not enough to finish the year. Um and uh I I I I can't really add any more. I think there are funding sources

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and the register's letter has gone into that already. We have money left in group one. Um we have deeds excise from last year, 1.8 million. And as of Friday, I will have delivered

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um a total of 1.4 million of registry's share of deeds excise. So, and there's unspent mandate money. So, I you know, I think we have to you know, put the money into the registry and I I

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would I would definitely it is concerning now with with the IBM storage. Um but you know, all of these things I yeah, I really didn't have enough time to unpack all of the ramifications of this, but there's

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not enough money to finish the year. Um so, I would appreciate your consideration for these. Okay, any questions? Um yeah, I I don't have any questions to I don't have questions. I just have responses to some of the things. The first >> Joe, do you have any questions of

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Migliore? No. Okay, Richard. No, it's uh I think we we we've we've kind of uh skirted around the elephant in the room and we know we have some differences uh that have been going on for a while Migliore and that's not it's not

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personal. It's not uh and this is unfortunate >> Starting to feel that way when I get a position notice at the It is it is it should not be that way. I'm looking at it professionally. I'm looking at it as a commissioner I think. Uh I see that we're parking

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This is money. Let me call my name. No. Actually Joe is calling. Oh, coffin. I I I I commend our director because he's always forward thinking. He's always looking ahead. And he's he's trying to put us in the best

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position position we can be. On the other hand, I see the fact that you got our IT director telling us you got something going out of service. I don't feel comfortable with that. I really don't. I don't feel comfortable talking to the consumer saying we're the registry of

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deeds in Norfolk County and we have something that's going to be at risk. How can we stand by that? How can we? So, I think I'd like to make a proposal here that we will suggest strongly that register Donald contact the tech fund as

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soon as possible [clears throat] and to seek money as soon as possible to be used for that in some way. It's It's a process commissioner. It's a process and that's money that we have sent to that tech fund. >> I understood. It could be pay me now,

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pay me later, but that would be something that would really help us. We we help help that would help us. Rather [clears throat] than the deeds excise. I can't say anything about that cuz it's kind of it's not tied up in a lawsuit at the moment. That's kind of the problem. That That's the problem

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with that. On the other hand, I'd like to look at the registry of deeds request here and when the time comes when it's appropriate, I want to move some funds out of the surplus we have into that column there uh for the registry of

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deeds. Uh I think that's uh it's just seems fundamental fairness to give you something. I'm not going to say give you all of it, but I think we should give you something to start off in good faith and then the same time we'd appreciate if the register going

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best forward and get a hold of the Secretary of State. Again, only because we have a good amount of money that we're parking like let's trust him. I know he's going to be upset with this, but I can't worry too much about 2033. I really can't. I

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got to worry about 27. And I can't really stand here or sit here as a commissioner and say well, we're going to have a great server that's going to fall apart. We got to get this fixed up. We have to. We got to get that online there. So, um I want to meet

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in a way of compromise. Okay? And I think that might be the way to move forward and get some money from the state as well. That's my statement. All right, John. Uh just a few responses to the first assistant's comments. You're correct uh Commissioner

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Stady. Use of the deeds excise is really not on the table given legal opinion at this point and the status of the lawsuit Right. uh taken out by the registry of deeds against the commissioners now. Regarding the the tech fund cycle, I believe the first assistant misspoke based on the last tech fund application

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the register filed. It was about a 3-month turnaround between the application and the receipt of funds, which I think is pretty reasonable and would fit well with the cycle that we're looking to achieve here. So, if the register was so inclined to submit an application as you just mentioned, Commissioner, it would work. I think we would receive funds in time to resolve

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this issue be before it becomes a bigger problem. Okay. And That's all I have. Okay. That would be helpful. Yeah, I'd certainly let the register. I mean, it's the register's tech fund. Um and it

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But it has to come from the registers. We can't write to that fund, right? It has to come from It's the register's tech fund and certainly And they all When you look at the different money that we um Not every

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every registry gets the tech fund. Okay. Um and I I could be wrong about that, but when considering that different money files are off the table now. >> [clears throat] >> We do rely on the tech fund.

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Um for projects that we need to get done. So, you know, it Okay. Well, um what would be the next thing? I want to Well, I think John had on our agenda to

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vote the supplemental. But I I'd like to make a motion to change some of these figures here a little bit. Um I'm not No, I'm not going to go with the motion as presented. I want to I want to move some money from that

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400,000 to into the registry of deeds with the following numbers. Should I make that a motion? What that Would you be comfortable with that or you are John, explain to me how that would work. If you If um If I

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I think you some numbers and then that would decrease the amount that would be put into the What the what the commissioner is suggesting, Commissioner Shay, [clears throat] um Commissioner Collins, is instead of putting some number of the 400,000 into stabilization, he's going to suggest some number less than that and then take

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the balance and move it to some dedicated funds within the registry. Right. Cuz the registry have other means to fill those needs. I mean, this Again, I wanted to strongly strongly emphasize, notwithstanding the first assistant's uh report to you, the analysis done of

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where these accounts stand at this point, fiscal year '26, Yeah. projected through the end of FY '26 and based on historical spending shows they have adequate funds to cover those expenses through the end of the year. We funded the items you see before you based on

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what is known to be deficiencies. The others, they have resources or historical spending to achieve end-of-year spending. So, they can make it. That That was our financial analysis done by this office. Correct. And have they made it in the past? Beg your pardon? Have they made it in the past? Made it, what do you mean? Have they

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Have they made So, they've been able to This is all discretionary spending. If they have, you know, have It's not discretionary. It is discretionary spending by the definition of financial rules, Margie. It is not salary or contractual obligations.

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And as a result, if they didn't have sufficient funds, for example, to send one extra box or buy one extra box, they don't do that. But that's That's what we looked at is how they spend the money over the last several years and in this case the analysis showed this request was grossly overstated. They have

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sufficient funds in the categories where we recommended no additional money and then we supplemented the items as you see before you. And I wanted to make one other remark. The first assistant made an erroneous statement that the IBM server is not just for Brown Tech and according to our

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chief information officer, that is not true. The server that is before you, the $215,000 server, is for the registry only. That's according to the chief information officer. >> correct. >> Thank you. The money

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that is derived, the revenue sources that are derived from that server serve all of us here. Pays your salaries, my salary. >> doubt. No doubt. So, it's, you know, I can see what you're getting at. I understand. Yeah, that's a very limited >> Well, we're saying saying it carefully.

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We're very careful what I'm saying, but we can't access that great revenue that's coming in because of the lawsuit. We're tied up, where which is unfortunate. >> I I understand that. And I respect that. Yeah. And I, you know, hope hopefully it's not a

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cataclysmic choice here or so. I I you know, I appreciate your consideration, your willingness to look at it. All right. So, I I I don't think it's going to I'm going to suggest Mr. Acting Chair, I'm going to suggest

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that we, instead of banking $400,000, we bank 350,000. And then we divvy up $50,000 for the registry of deeds. I hope I got this in the right way. I hope I have this right. Maybe I have

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I've overstated it. But I wanted to take care of on supplemental the legal fees, 5,000, for printing and binding, 5,000, for stationary, 5,000. That's I'm probably wrong.

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And supplies and materials, 5,000. That gives you 20. So, I could be wrong. I wanted to look at those something else there. Oh, and is there a way to use the 30,000 for something you need to maintain that You can't do that. I don't need it. What

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No, for that that the computer problem we're talking about. >> No, I got the the maintenance is covered. Okay. All right. All right. Well, then okay. I'm going to just Let me modify that even better, then. All right. So, I'll just say I would add 5,000 for legal, printing and binding,

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stationary, and supplies, which is a total of 20,000. We're still banking $380,000. It's a little bit of good faith in return to have also some contact with Secretary of State

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and maybe get this other problem solved. That's my motion on that actually presented the the budget as presented by our director. Um So, there's a motion on the table, Joe. Um what What are your thoughts on the motion?

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Well, don't don't we need to finish the other agenda and then amend that a motion if Richard wants to make a a >> You're right. You're right. You're right. Okay. So, you're right. You're right. Let me Let me Let me

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Let me ask, are we missing anything? I mean, So, we vote the No. He's right. Vote the recommendations and then we can revise it later. >> Uh no, procedurally on the motion as presented to us, where it said to transfer some of 400, if you >> [clears throat]

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>> My thought would be 380. And then I have to just designate where it would go. Technically, Joe's right. He's right. I jumped the gun a little bit. I'm just letting you know where I felt. That's all. I was trying to No, I I like I like your broadcasting as well.

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However, let's I'm I'm listening to you, and You're right. He's right. He is the acting chair. I'm just a voice piece for you, Joe. >> [laughter] >> I know. Just a voice piece today. What's the voice? Um

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So, So, uh I guess it would be if there any other questions on the supplemental. >> Are there any other questions on the supplemental? Yes. Okay. Anything else you want to And And John, it's your opinion that there other monies within the registry budget to fund their needs to get them through '23 in the year. No, I didn't say that. I

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said based on historical spending, the way the subs are loaded, they have sufficient revenue or allocated funds to make do through the end of the year based on historical spending. We augment the two accounts where we thought they needed additional revenue. I showed it. If we don't take action on it today,

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could they take a supplemental to us next month? No. Well, they could, yeah, because you could put it before the advisory board on May 15th. Yeah, cuz we're back before the advisory board on May 15th. Good. Do you want to push that part out? I don't know where the revenue would come

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from unless you Here because we're we're well we're banking supposedly a motion. Yep. You're clearing up FY '26 because so >> the extra money. What do we have and bank it. Which I I endorse. I like the idea. I I understand totally the idea of

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planning ahead. I get it. >> [clears throat] >> But I'm also trying to balance needs now, the future. All right, Richard. What about What if we did 380 and kept 20 aside and we address it next month? I'm okay with that. Joe, could you live with that? Yes.

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>> Yeah. We're fine with that. John, could you live with that? Oh, I I yield to you, gentlemen. Whatever your Whatever your pleasure. All right. So, >> we do 375? Then we get 25,000, which we can talk about. Yeah, that's fine. And then we'll then we'll address the 25 grand next next month. Okay.

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>> Okay, great. Okay. All right. All right. So, um So, there's nothing else to talk about here. And you you've had your questions tomorrow. I had my day in court. >> Your day in court. Very good. Very well put. Very well, counselor. Also, I think a motion Now, would a

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motion be appropriate, Joe? I believe so. Yeah. All right. So, what I'm going to do, uh move Peter, if you want me to do it. Yeah. I move to transfer the sum of 375,000 dollars

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from funds to cleared surplus at the close of fiscal 25 to the county stabilization fund. So moved. Joe second. Joe second, yes. Okay, um uh roll call vote, Joe? Yes. Yes.

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Richard? Yes. Okay, I'm yes also, so that's unanimous. Now it gets tricky. Now it says here to approve the third fiscal 26 third supplemental transfer request totally. Do I keep that number still the

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same? Yes, because you're not allocating the 25,000 to the registry at this time. >> That's the value that's changed, correct? >> Okay. You're reserving the right to do that perhaps next month. >> Okay, I mean next month. Okay, all right. That that number's correct, Richard. >> All right, that number's right. So I just want to make sure that number's right. So second motion, move to approve

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the fiscal 26 third supplemental and transfer request that would total 135,000 $633.99 to be paid from funds to clear surplus at the close of fiscal year 25. So moved.

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I'll second it. Okay, um roll call Joe, yes? Yes. Richard, yes? >> Yes. And I'm yes, so that's also unanimous. All right, third. I move third motion, Peter. I move to transfer 119,000

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from account 301.6.5000.500.36.000.80. That's the superior court HVAC project to the county upper interest account which is account number 400.000.4104.00.000.00. 0.4104.00.000.00. >> [snorts] >> Put money back in upper. Joe second.

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Yes, Joe second. Okay, roll call vote, Joe, yes? Yes. Richard? Yes. I'm yes also, so that's unanimous also. All right, and fourth, I move to repurpose remaining funds in the amount of 53,000

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$944.93 from office equipment for the Norfolk County Commissioners Office which was appropriated by the advisory board at the September 2025 meeting for use in purchasing office furniture and upgrades

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county wide. There it is. There's the furniture. Joe second. I'll second it. Okay, Joe roll call, yes? Yes. Richard, yes? Yes. I'm yes, so that's also unanimous. Okay. Great. Great. All right, thank

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you. Thank you. Thank you all. >> All right, thank you, I agree. Okay, next. Um Item 11. Uh that was item 10. Uh item 11, request for civic rate at President's Golf Course by charitable tournaments.

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Richard. All right. Uh we have a list of organizations both of that promote. I would move them that we grant the charitable rate at our golf course with the following groups.

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Boston Police Patrolmen's Association Quincy North Quincy High Alumni Football Group They Re-Covered Souls of Quincy and JT's Tee Off Tournament. Those will be granted the uh Don't make me laugh. Don't Don't be granted the uh charitable

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rate for this year. Joe second. >> I'll second. I'll second it. Roll call vote, Joe? Yes. Richard, yes? >> Yes, sir. I'm yes also, so that's also um uh one more one last thing, I I apologize. Um I want to get back to I I know we just

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finished it up, but I wanted to just get back at it. So, one of the things that we talked about under item 10 in the supplemental appropriation budget transfer, um Richard, you would asked that um the regis- register reach out to the tech fund through the state.

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So, um I I think we should be writing a letter to the register asking them to do that. Oh, yeah. I thought we had I thought it was already done. All right, so you're going to make sure that that's clear. >> Well, let them I mean the the records should show that I requested John John Cronin, my director ask the register to please forward a

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letter to seek the tech fund. Okay, that's great. And Joe, are you okay with that also? Yes. Okay, so that's the roll call vote, Joe, yes? Yes. Richard, yes? Yes. I'm yes also, so John, if you don't mind if you don't mind writing a letter letters to the register to Yeah, there is a 3-month

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turnaround, you're right. It could be Let's get right to it, right? Yeah, that'd be great. That'd be great. >> All right, and so we just covered item 11. I I didn't mean to bounce all around like that. No, good. And item 12 is a report from the procurement department bid openings and contract awards.

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Um Richard is on behalf of Maureen who could not be here this afternoon. I will introduce an item to you. This is a request to fund um a contract with Mr. Joseph Diorio to provide consulting services acting as an independent contractor to the Norfolk County Assistant Treasurer's Office for the

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period commencing April 14th, 2026 and ending June 30th, 2026. Payment shall be rendered on a weekly basis of $636.36 for total compensation of the service not to exceed $7,000. Um this particular contract should

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include the provision that it may be terminated at any time by either the register Excuse me. Register of deeds, that's right. The treasurer Treasurer. or the contractor, Mr. Diorio. Okay. Um so I just wanted to make this known to you at this time. It will be funded by

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the Treasurer's Office. All right. Richard, do you want to make that motion? >> Yeah, I'll move approval for the employment of Joe Diorio as a consultant as outlined and presented by the director. Joe, you okay with that? I'll second it. This is additional

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services during that period. All right. Yes, yeah, correct. Yeah, so roll call vote, Joe, yes? Yes, we [snorts] yes. And Richard, yes? Yes, sir. And um I'll vote yes also, so that's unanimous and we're happy that Joe hasn't gone too far. >> [laughter]

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>> Okay, finally, item 13, report of the county director. All right, it's not final, but we're getting there. Uh report of the county director number 13. Yeah. All right, see. Um thank you. First. And the first is a clarification. I believe a week or two ago I mentioned

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that the Mayflower Health Group had voted a certain health insurance increase for FY27, which is now incorporated into our proposed FY27 budget. But one of the items that the health group grappled with was uh the so-called GLP additional costs and I mentioned that beginning

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July 1st, Mayflower/Blue Cross would not be carrying this option any longer for um health care uh users and employees. Uh that statement was too broad. Um I had a couple of people contact me afterwards to find out if this particular um

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health care benefit could be provided to individuals who are not under the care of a doctor for weight loss, but rather other disease related things that this type of drug is is good for. Um I contacted um the Mayflower Health Group Treasurer who confirmed that is true.

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So, GLPs are still in play for people that would be getting um health care recommendations from their doctor for things that are not related directly to simply weight loss. Um it could be for things like diabetes and other things like that. So, I just wanted to clarify the use of the GLP services under our

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health care. Uh reminder again, and I'll try to keep this up through May 1st, the uh statement of financial interest to the State Ethics Commission for those who it applies to is due to the State Ethics Commission May 1st, 2026. Um

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I also wanted to thank um our Assistant County Director, Bill Buckley uh who again this year working with the school, in this case Superintendent uh Jeremy Gay in applying for what's known as Congressionally Directed Spending. Um this year through Senator Markey's

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office, um Bill worked with um Jeremy and the schools to provide a request to fund and I'm going to find the paper, just give me a second. Um the following items. I believe they're very close to what we've done in the past. That's a shame.

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Um Bill, do you want to take it from here because I know you have it. Um I thought I had brought it in, but they were two items, Bill? Oh, yes, yeah, uh through Mr. Chair. Um We we put in for the same I think this is the third year we have done it uh through the Congressionally

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Directed Spending portal. Uh we work closely with Senator Markey's office. They're great, his staff is incredibly helpful. The portal itself uh the federal portal is clunky and they were quite helpful. So, we put in $100,000. 50 for a comprehensive facility study

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and 50 for um solar environmental curriculum. Uh we are operating under the belief that can't get anything if you don't ask. Um this year we changed it up. In previous years we had um put [clears throat] it towards the

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agricultural line item, but we after kind of talking with the staff, we put it into the educational section of the earmarks. Uh we hope we have better luck uh with that. Um but so it's in, we made it by the deadline and we will be working with them over the next few

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months. As we know, the federal government is quite tumultuous right now, so uh we're not holding our hope, but um we did the best we could. Thanks, Bill. Um the next item I just wanted to alert uh county uh staff that the Human

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Resources Department will be conducting an enrollment. April 15th through May 15th. Um this year the open enrollment goes fully digital giving them a streamlined self-service experience that's easy to navigate anytime, anywhere. I'll build three

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pieces of kindness pull up the flyer that Maureen sent you. Um this is um an opportunity for staff to um look at what changes they can make uh relative to enrolling in a plan, adding a dependent, changing their plans uh and so forth. So

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uh each year our HR department does this as a reach out. Um it's a great service to our employees to make sure they're fully informed of all their opportunities and and benefits. So if you have any questions, please give Maureen Lyden a call here uh in the commission's office. And then finally commissioners, I just

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want to take a few minutes just to bring you up with spring upon us um give you an update on several projects um that are going on across the county. Uh these are all through our facility maintenance department. Um they've all been funded. Um some of them are various stages that

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I thought you should know where everything is kind of moving cuz there's a lot going on. We've over a dozen projects going on. Um currently the Wrentham, Brookline, and Stoughton building management study has been completed. You funded that earlier in

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the year. Uh this study will evaluate or has evaluated potential cost and scope involved with putting in this system which you've already installed in Dedham District Court to these three courts. I intend I intend to take this study and hand it to our new facility manager when

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he or he he or she is hired uh to act on uh and evaluate whether or not we take the next steps of seeking funding for that. Uh the Registry of Deeds fire alarm has been completed. We've completed the miscellaneous air upgrades um that were funded by ARPA, a $228,000 project. That has finally been completed across the

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system. The Wrentham District Court restroom has been completed. Um in progress right now we have a number of projects. The Wrentham District Court, the Dedham Superior Court, and the Registry of Deeds front stairs, the granite stairs, will be

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going through a repointing process. They're going to start um they were supposed to start yesterday um on Wrentham and then make their way and as weather permits uh to those other locations. Um as you can see the commission's office renovation is underway. Um the final phase um we're

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waiting the delivery and installation of the cubicles and the installation of carpet and that'll complete the work here. Uh Dedham Superior Court requires um a lift uh to install um a mini split system and that is scheduled for April 15th.

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The Dedham District Court parking lot across the street um a contract has been awarded to Pare Associates. I believe you signed off on that a week ago. They're studying and will produce a project product, excuse me, that'll be used for bidding that particular project uh likely is I think Commissioner Stady

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targeted this summer. Um so that's underway. The Dedham District Court building management system is complete. We're waiting for the final uh signing um and deployment of the system. I've had a conversation with Chick Cushing about um making sure we establish

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benchmarks on how the utility is being used to monitor um all consumptions of uh heating, cooling, electricity, and other diagnostic things so we can evaluate whether or not this tool is saving us money as we envision in envision. This was always the proof of

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concept and depending upon the results of this project, that's what the next facility manager will evaluate um on whether or not we recommend proceeding to Wrentham, Stoughton, and Brookline. Um the Brookline District Court was a project I think you approved back in

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September. We're waiting for the judge to pick the color. Simple as that. We're ready to go as soon as that is done, we'll install it. The Blue House across the street, you funded um a $20,000 replacement of the back porch which is currently not in use because it's too dangerous to use. Um today you

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supplemented that with an additional 6,500 so that we can have an evaluated study done by an architect on how to build a new one and hand it off to a contractor to get it done. Um and so finally the Blue House stairs remain the only item that is being planned. The rest of everything I mentioned is either underway or

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completed. It's a busy spring for our facility folks as they also get the grounds ready um over the next several weeks um with mulch and pivot from winter to spring so that's all I have. Thank you, Commissioner Hollins. Okay. Next item is uh 14 emergency items

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topics that the chair did not reasonably anticipate would be discussed. Does anyone have anything to bring up? Uh Richard, sorry. Yeah. Uh I have a question for the county director. Excellent report. Uh can you explain why we're returning the HVAC money to

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ARPA? What was it? Just we didn't want to do it or couldn't do it or so what happened there? So the the Dedham Superior Court, we were moving ahead with a uh an air exchange or an outside air handler project Mhm. that was going to be exceedingly expensive. It was

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tipping over $2 million by the time we got the study back. Mhm. Uh the available resources through ARPA to achieve that were at that point fully allotted so we didn't have the bandwidth to do that. >> Okay. Um we instead decided from a facility standpoint to invest our resources into the building management

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infrastructure. Um down the road, can't rule out improving the air quality and bringing in outside air, but for now we're going to keep the existing infrastructure and begin to diagnose how it's performing whether or not it's optimized. Okay, thank you. Uh second question. Is that good? Uh so I noticed

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a wide array of courts mentioned. I didn't hear the one close to home. Is Stoughton District Court in line for anything? Yes, I mentioned that. Did you mention Stoughton? Yeah. Oh, my bad. Wrentham, Brookline, and Stoughton are all uh have all received a building management study. This is the BMS

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system. Okay, they have. Okay. All right, last question. Final one. Where are we in terms of the new maintenance person that was Um it's I'm meeting with the judge this afternoon to go through resumes. Okay. I mean I think Chuck is doing a great job, but No, we're very happy. Very happy. Okay,

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that's all I have. Okay. So All right, Joe, do you have anything else to add or you good? Nope, I'm all set. Thank you. And when do we have the Aggie tonight? We have the Aggie tonight at 6:00. Uh Richard, do you want to um make a motion? Yep. Uh Mr. Chair, I move we

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adjourn at 2:38. I'll second that motion. Okay. Uh roll call vote. Joe? Yes. Yes. Richard? Yes. >> Yes, sir. And I also uh vote yes. Thank you everyone for coming today. Um we'll see you next week. Take care.