I'm now going to call the Wednesday September 3rd, 2025 meeting of the North County Commission to order. I'm going to read the executive order on remote participation on th on March 28th, 2025.
Governor Healey signed into law House Bill 62, an act relative to certain CO 19 measures adopted during a state of emergency, which includes a 2-year extension, the option for public bodies to hold remote meetings by suspending
certain provisions of the NAS open meeting law, Mass General Law, Chapter 30A, sections 18 through 25. That action was effective immediately extending the current option for remote meetings through June 30th, 2027. Thank you. If
you could all join me in flag to the flag of the United States of America, to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, liberty, justice for all. Thank you. Roll call vote. Commission. I
am present. Commissioner Collins, Commissioner Shay is present. No executive session today. Number four, minutes of the regular session meeting of August 27th and the executive session meeting held on August 13th.
Both for you. Uh I had a concern in Yeah, I did. I didn't get a chance to forward that to you, but there were a couple of I thought for a typo or something different. Can we uh the minutes of um
August 13th? I'll move for approval to be held. Executive session will be held. All right. August 13 minutes. Seconded. Yeah. Yeah. To be held until such time as the chair certifi. No way. What's your concern? I said we
can hold it. It was only a couple of things. So, it's just a couple of minor things and of course I don't have a minister in front of me so I can't point those out to you but there were just some minor uh things I thought should be corrected. I see it.
Yeah, I'll be glad to. Yeah. So, uh in the open session doing something really No, we'll let it go. We'll let it go. Okay. All right. We'll let it go. We'll move approval. Approval of the August 27th, 2025
regular session meeting minutes. Yeah. Second motion made second on the August 27th meeting. All in favor? It is a vote. Number five, appointments 1 p.m. report from the weights and
measures division. William Mullen and William Buckley, assistant county director. That one makes our phone sponsor. Nice. Gentlemen, commissioners for you. We're good.
Thank you. Hand out. Okay, pleasure to be here. Good afternoon. Afternoon. This is my second annual report, I suppose, with you gentlemen. Um, briefly, uh, as you know, I believe the
weights and measures program is going quite well. Um, couple highlights, I suppose, is, um, we've added, as you know, a a deputy sealer, uh, hired in October 24th, Gregory Pasano. He um successfully passed both his written and
field exams and was um designated as the deputy county sealer on May 15th of this year. Um we are expanding as you know we're close to um to having denim with
us forward to that. Um, as a result of that, thanks to your generosity, we've acquired a second vehicle, which is the uh 2025 Ford Maverick, which is working out quite well. Um, actually getting a cap put on that, I believe, tomorrow.
And then stand down and municipal graphics lettering and then some emergency lighting. Um so just as a quick overview what we've done is uh what I've done and my team um we've submitted the annual reports to the state division of standards on
behalf of all the towns. Um we've done over 50 gas stations which is like 785 meters. Um 152 small scales, 421 what we consider regular scales.
um 130 larger scales from 1,000 to 120,000 lb capacity. Um 30 oil trucks, 32 price scanner verifications, and we've investigated and resolved nine consumer links
here. Um, moving forward, we're looking to add towns such as Dover to our service area, and we're working with the towns to kind of implement a one county, one price model for uniform inspection fees,
trying to get everyone on board. Some of the fees have not been addressed since, I think, Ron Reagan's president. So, it's been a while. It's a while. Yeah. Anthem told us the other day they didn't even know if they had these. And back in
the the 80s, I think the last time they looked at was it oil trucks for for any regular. We don't know. We don't know if we can charge people. We don't even know we have. I mean, it's crazy when you think about it. We'll go out to a test a pharmacy. So, we drive out there. We have time.
You have a kit that costs over $1,800 and it costs $3 to test the test the scale. Like that's what the town's like three bucks. It's, you know, you can't even issue an invoice for $3, but you have to wait for them to adjust the fees.
Correct. I mean, they have to be responsible. So, correct. You can suggest it, but you can't. Luckily, all the communities in our service area, we have the community of Canton and the community of Medway who both have for the area relatively high fees. So, all the other communities are
pointing to those two sort of book ends to say, well, you know, Ken's charging $25 for the scale and we're charging five. That's so what we we've done which is sort of a a recruitment tool as well for communities like Milis and and other
places who um need to do that fee study. We're doing free fee studies for them. We're giving them all the information so they know where they are as compared to all their peers and basically in a package so that their staff can can reach out to their boards. Uh we're trying to make working with us as
revenue neutral as possible for the communities and and a benefit. So, um, you have on your agenda the IMA with Denim. It's just, uh, we haven't received it back yet. They just were tweaking a few bits of wording. So, we'll put that on a successive agenda.
But, but Denim is almost completely ready to begin services. And now we're focused on Dover, Norfolk, and Planeville, which are three towns that the state does. do and North are very small in scale, but I I think we for the
meeting we had with the state a few now about six months ago, it makes more sense for us to do it than for uh folks uh for the division of standards. So that would make nine by the end of the calendar year, which is our goal, which is a pretty large part of the county in two and a half years.
So you're excited. Yeah, so any questions, gentlemen? Nice job. I think is Franklin the biggest town or is Dam going to be the biggest town? They're about the same. They're they're they're about the same looking at, you know, the number of gas stations, number
of um stores uh that actually have them will be rivaling rent them in terms of price verification inspections, which are every two years. Mhm. But um terms of scales and gas stations, they're they're kind of average.
Then has way more uh gas trucks. Yeah. Uh you I notice I noticed I come I come the back way and go through just high block and I come down what what street is that high street. There's a big
fuel oil company over there. It may be deainy. I could be wrong but there's going to be Yeah. Okay. questions commissioner for the chair. Um based upon the possibility of expanding
to maybe up to nine towns, do you feel you have the capacity to handle that or do you looking for more people or not yet at the moment? You seem to be okay. Correct. Okay, that's all I add. Great job. Thank you. Great. We also serve as sort of backup. I know
the communities of Welssley and Sharon have sealers who are closer to retirement and they've they've signal to us that we are their contingency. So they they're not looking at other options. So what now? Uh we're working closely. I'm wearing my
blue and uh yellow Noah tie from my previous uh my previous employment. Rep Rogers made me buy so many of them. That's it. Node is being currently served by a retired employee who um enjoys doing it, but that may change. And we've I'm aggressively
lobbying our friends in NO to ensure that we scoop them up. Much like Hon and and Nem and Denim, they're the closest to the county. Yeah. Uh complex. So we uh it's easiest for our staff. Very good. Excellent. All right. Time. Thank you.
Okay. Good work. Right. Double code. Thanks guys. That's number five. Number six, public comment. Each week we have a section on our agenda for public comment. People can come in and visit
and comment or people out in Fland can comment. So now is the time if anyone has any public comment. Director, did you Mr. Chair, I have to apologize. that just triggered my comment and it was
important on the minutes. It had to do with with the way it was explained in the minutes. The minutes said there was no public comment which almost looks like we didn't have it and instead I should I wanted to phrase it just to say not to be picking any but we always have
public comment but the way it was written was there was no public comment. I think I should have just been phrased there were no public comments at the meeting something like that. So do you want to amend your vote? Yeah. Could I I hate to tech that that was that triggered I knew I knew it was something about public
comment. She said there was no public comment. Okay. So we're going to go back to number two. Right. I could. Number four minutes. Thank you. Regular session meeting of August 27th. Right. Right. I move the amend amend the minutes just with the the so-called amendment of the statement. There was no
public comment to read. There were no public comments at the meeting. Uh, I'll second that revised um motion. Okay. On the revised approval of the August 27th minutes with a with a change
relative to public comment. All in favor? I Okay, we'll make that correction. Okay. Thank you. Thank you, we're back on the record here. Public comment. Last call. Seeing none, we'll go to number seven, old business. We have none. Number eight, personnel matters for consideration.
Commissioner Dy. Yes, sir. Mr. Chairman, I move the following to North County Agricultural High School. Uh, first move approval of the resignation of Marian Wat as an instructor uh effective date 8125. So
move second. I think her name is Mariah. Oh, Mariah. Forgive me. Forgive me. Mariah. Okay. All in favor? You are correct. It is. Next, I move the north resignation of Arlene Peterson as a special ed uh procedural assistant at the right stated
effective date 8525. Second move. Motion made and seconded. All in favor? I vote next at the registry of deeds. U note we move approval of notice retirement of Edward Wheeler as second assistant to register deeds at the rate stated effective date
9525. So moved. Second. Um yeah, that's right. Yeah. Second commission motion made second on retirement bed. All in favor is a vote. Next and other I move approval of the notice of address change for Jennifer Miller as
a non union head clerk at the right stated effective date of the address change 32425. So moved. Second. Motion made and seconded. All in favor? I. Maintenance. Maintenance. We have two. I move approval of notice for regrade for James
Bradberry as the night robing utility worker. The rate stated effective date 82525. So moved. Uh second motion made seconded. All in favor I. It is a vote. Next day roing change.
Yeah. You can just say for the change drake. Okay. Yep. Yes sir. I'll move approval of the north regrade for Daniel Petri as a day robing utility worker with the rate change stated and as amended here effective date 82525 so moved
second motion made and second is all in favor I it is a vote that's it for uh next for uh that's it for personnel amend number nine paral expense warrants for approval don't have those I'd be glad to move them
you have a puppy We'll go look we have let's say Mr. Chairman, I'd move the following for approval on the warrant list of 9325. Mhm. First item approval of 269 payroll the
county the sum 153,9063. So moved. Second motion made and second to all fif second. Move approval of question 95 payroll of the school the sum $381,7353. So moved. Second motion made second did
all in favor. I third move approval of line 090126 the expense of the county the sum $570,6351 so moved second motion made seconded all in favor. It is a vote.
Next approval of line item 2603 the expense of the school the sum $17,89.96. So move second. Motion made seconded. All in favor? It is a vote. And finally, uh, Walls recreational facility credit card payment for 9225 of
approval $62,986. So moved. Second. Motion made and second. All in favor? I. That concludes the warrant. Thank you. Number 10. Department head presentation of fiscal 26 first supplementary budget requests and transfers. I'm going to
open it up by asking director briefly an explanation and then we'll go to the register of deeds first and then the school second. Thank you. Is there is there another iss coming? Uh no. Okay. Uh thank you commissioner Shay. Uh yes commissioners this afternoon uh as we
begin uh the process of building the FY26 first supplemental budget request and transfers. Department has welcomed in to express their uh request to the commissioners. Ask any questions. No votes are expected this week. Um, a week from today, I will summarize um elective
requests and bring them forward to you for consideration. Um, so uh today is the permanent opportunity to talk directly with you and I yield to this point and I'll sit back the regist I'll defer to the new guy
just okay Jeremy go. Well, I'm not planning on presenting anything. I got two very minor. Okay. To fill out already. Okay. Just came by to say hi. Okay. Yeah.
I got lost. I was down here. There you go. Good to see you. Which meeting is next week, right? Yes. See you then. Now you're up. Okay. Me. Try to avoid. I wasn't avoiding you. Pleasure to be
here. Uh Actually on on this I I had sought advice. There was an email that came over from the assistant director and and I you know had reached out seeking some advice. I know commissioner stated you communicated last night. So the first thing this morning I emailed a
letter but you know knowing how emails are not everyone could just bring the thank you for the letter over. Thank you. Thank you. Um so uh in essence that letter uh it it touched upon um in the
communication uh commissioner stated he was you know regarding the old supplemental request and that you know um without reading the letter in full that was really for the union employees and um since that request and that was back on July 28th you know uh it's my understanding the union has been all
taken care of which is great and it was my understanding that the 3% cost of living allowance uh for all the union employees have been considered by you and funded as well. So, so really that request is kind of moot. You know, you guys took care of it. Uh, but as you can
see in this letter, uh, the second paragraph, it says, "Thus accordingly, the registry request at this time relative to supplemental or relative to what they're doing and hopefully for the um, advisory board is to extend the 3% cost of living allowance. Uh, again,
I'll only speak to the registry to all registry employees." You know, the the 11 non-union registry of deeds employees in extending this allowance uh will have a cost amount of under 34,000. The exact amount amount is $33,97.92.
So, I guess I'm just here, you know, to to give my priority, which is that that all all the registry workers be compensated. Uh and and that was my request. Then I guess my question to each of you is uh you know one part of the registry team
which was the union workers they got paid and in the interest of fairness uh which has always been the case here uh relative to salaries when is the other part of the registry team working going to get paid and we got the email I didn't know what the gist of it that's
why I was reaching out was you know I didn't want to silence to be deemed that uh you know uh all the employees deserve pay uh and should get paid So, I don't know if anyone has any questions or
anything questions. Well, I think that's uh we intend to act on all people in the county. Well, that's under Sure. It's under consideration. Oh, yeah. It's um I mean, we have one hold out, right? And we were hoping to
bring them aboard before, but it appears it didn't go on arbitration so far. We'll probably bring out the 3% up before their arbitration is done. So, okay. It'll be done in a timely manner. Yeah. Oh, all right. Because I I I mean, you people make the decisions, but I
certainly have um some feelings on, you know, the union that's holding it up is a fourperson union. And by my math, there's 45 non-union employees. when you consider the county uh I think I think out of that 45 we have 11 and the county has 34
so um you know you're going to just just juggle fairness but right some of the fairness I think should be you know should four people hold up 45 I I'll speak for the registry but there's 45 non-union people um
considering all the department so I can appreciate you uh looking out for the people in your department and that's the up front department on our side. We're trying to also utilize what we can to get all the contracts lined up. That was I couldn't really convey to you
yesterday. As I said, that's where we're at. But there's I don't think there's any intention to neglect any it's just a matter of timing. That's all. Well, you know, Commissioner Collins, we probably remember there was a similar circumstance with myself and
Commissioner Gillis, and there's different approaches on how to handle that one. And if anyone's interested, we can could talk later. But the other way you could look at it in response is, again, I'm not going to speak for the maintenance union. I know they've
settled in the maintenance department, but I'll speak for the registry. The registry union has settled, right? So the people that manage the registry and it's one theme it should be done you know done all right I appreciate that I do but that's just on that particular item right does that have to be formally voted to transfer
the money go well I mean non-union people no here the what director uh Mr. O'Donnell is saying in his letter, do we have to take any kind of action on that next week? The only supplementals would all be part of the
process next week, right? Okay. All right. All right. Great. It'll be there. Yeah. All right. Thanks for making appreciate it. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Margaret. Thank you. All set for that next week uh event here
that say the governor is coming. Come on over. Yeah. Yeah. Good. All right. Take care. Thank you. I didn't want to bring it up, but I suppose I am now. That makes me think of the school. Yeah. Makes me think of the school and how we're doing our negotiation. Since you're here,
I can confirm to you that uh the teachers union and the support staff unions have both ratified their contract their contract. So, uh we're working on getting an executive summary before the trustees and commissioners for the meeting on the 11th. Okay. So, we're hoping to have it up ready for about that.
Okay. Well, that'll be helpful because you're a big chunk of this tool. Yeah. Off the top of your head, do you know how many non-union employees you have now with the new union? We have only down maybe nine 10 something. Not part of it. The second it went from 40 to 10.
Okay. Okay. And all all but one of those has a contract. Only one. Okay. All right. Well, that'll be nice. And then we'll be down to one group. They go to they go to arbitration. Did they go Did they file for I'll bring you up to date on that just a
second. That's just okay. They're the leader. No, that's all right. Okay, that was quick. Thank you. So, I gave you my agenda, right? Number 11 will go to table. Yeah, give my agenda back.
Number 11 is the uh Mi I'm way about bringing town of data on for weights and measures not quite ready. So, we'll table that. We have a motion to table number 11. Okay. motion on the table. Yeah. Second
number 12, procurement department report on bid openings and contact rewards. We have none this this month, this day, this week and the 12 or 13 report of the county director.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. A few items. Just a reminder um a week from today I'll bring before you a summarized request for the first supplemental for 26 transfers supplemental and capital east. Um broadly speaking I think I've indicated to the commissioners that due
to some favorability with some revenue um we do project a capital budget in FY26. Um in addition to the supplemental we'll also of course do our conventionary uh transfers. Um and then finally, as the commissioners may recall, upon the
receipt of the so-called Quinsey money, we established a capital fund um into which capital funds are deposited and withdrawn. Um you'll be seeing a request to fund certain court related expenses only from that particular account. Um as
I've mentioned to you before, I believe it is in my FY206 budget close presentation back in the spring. And I strongly encourage the commissioners to use that account exclusively for court related expenses because what we spend we get reimbursed
for. Money goes right back in to that fund. So um you'll see a more comprehensive review of what that entails um next Wednesday. Um following next Wednesday on the 17th we'll have our first advisory board meeting at the
agricultural school. It'll be um it'll it'll we will have a finance committee meeting. I believe it's in 5 or 5:30 prior to that. So um pretty much the same script that we've had for the last years. Um Commissioner St. uh Shay just mentioned uh one union. It's the
engineers union. Uh we are slated to u meet with an arbitrator this Friday. Um we got scheduled at 1:30. So we'll see how far we can get um relative to where we left off um with the engineers at our last meeting in early cheating. Um and then finally, um a few
weeks ago, Assistant Director Buckley and I took a site visit to Rentham District Court. We met with um the court clerk, Pamela Gin Fernandez, um and took a tour of conditions of this of the facility. Um we had some work to
do. Um we initiated a plan of action following our meeting. and just wanted to let the commissioners know that I'll read the following email from the court clerk magistrate um addressed to me. Good morning. It was a pleasure to be with you last week at Rem District Court. I've already seen some
improvements with custodial staff and the condition of the courthouse. Um I've not met the plumber yet, but it's my understanding he's already been by and obsessed with employee bathrooms and bathrooms on the second floor. On behalf of the clerk's office, thank you for your attention to these matters. Um so it was important to know commissioners
that in addition to custodial work there was some trades work that needs to be done as you know that building that many of them have aged and we plan to invest um more funds in plumbing um as well as um some outside work which you'll hear on our capital request next next week
for some repointing in the front step. So um putting more attention into that facility to make it shine. So, want to thank the facility workers who did a great job bringing it back up and uh we'll continue our visits to the other uh county courouses over the next several months. That is all I have. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Thank you. Any questions of the county director of the state? If I could. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. So, Brenton Court, as you know, the oldest court that we have Brooklyn. Yeah, I think Brooklyn is in the well,
no district was um 30s, I think. I'll get you the dates. I'd like to know that. Sure. Of course, we know Superior is the oldest. I mean, Renom just seems he just the tire facility, you know, it's just
they they've all got similar um infrastructure challenges. Um whether it's roofs, HVAC, ripped up units, windows, heating systems, cooling, those will always be perpetual issues. But, you know, when you look at like Brooklyn for example, there's a Koopa. There's a
coupon. Almost all of them over the years would replaced or fixed them because they get weathered. Um, and I think I know Brook Lines has fallen apart, so we have to do that next. It's always something going on with them. Renthams was more uh a lack of um deferred maintenance going on. Uh, there
was some omissions and we've caught up. Um, so um I think it'll start to shine again. It's it's a very attractive port. It's very scenic looking. So we intend to make it and we're going to have a capital program which you know with all due respect and we have the money that we're going to get reimbursed while we can.
I'd like to see us aggressively take a look at rent in Brooklyn and get them up to where they should be if we can. You know, there I I couldn't agree with you more, Commissioner. And there's a larger conversations beyond today's agenda, but um frankly, when I first started, I I I advocated for um a requisition system um
to help monitor not only what work has been done through a capital lens, but also what is planned. Um and we need we need skilled individuals to manage that database. Um when I was with the state, uh facility managers use that as a tool. Uh the state is called KMA. and you put
in all of your roof work, your boiler work, um, and then you add in your scheduled um, uh, capital needs over the next five years. And that that'll be the birth of the county's 5year capital plan. We don't have those resources right now. So, we had to back away from that investment, but I do envision using
that as a tool, commissioner, to uh, requisition uh, work to be done, but also plan for those capital investments you're talking about because I think we see eye to eye on that. Okay. Second thing, if possible, and I use this very loosely given my track
record, but uh we have an advisory board meeting coming up. Uh oh, actually no. Yeah, the advisory board meeting. Either that one or the Aggie meeting. I'd like to see if I get a chance to look at the new emergency room. Sure. If someone could open the door if I can get in there. Sure. We have a dinner at
5, I believe. Yes. I try to get over if I could get over there at 4:00 4:30. Sure. somebody. Well, we're going to I think Are we having Are you going to feed us? Yeah. We can go right We'll go right upstairs and look at it. Could we do that? It's in the same building. Correct. That all right. Make that part of our schedule
just to see it. That's all. Just to see it. That'd be great. And then the last thing, thank you for that. Um the last thing that I was a little concerned about the um the budget here for the submitted by maintenance are these items that are all
must do, can do or want to do? It's a blend of each. Yeah. Um I've I've had extensive conversations with the big non um about some of these priorities. You'll notice some of some of them are very similar. Yeah, the repointing work is um something can
be done relatively quickly within a week or two um but it's urgently needed. Rentham's in very very tough shape that I and the others are all um following the caring retrial front of the registry for example was soiled um so we needed to we
need to power wash it down and at the same time we do that you'll dislodge existing interial commissioner which will make the stairs less stable and so we know that that needs to be done. So, they're all kind of in a common space. Um, there are other um concerns relative to what they're trying to achieve over
at Superior that have been a long time coming. As you know, we haven't had a capital budget in the last 2 years. So, we're looking to catch up with some of the HVAC work that needs to be done over at Superior Court as well. Okay. So, last last comment, last one. Uh, on the presidential golf course.
Yes. Um, I didn't see in particular any kind of substantial backup. just said improvement. That's a good question. So, let me explain what's going on there. So, in the past, the commission has made remember when we had a capital annual capital plan, we allocated $180,000 to
the golf course each year for miscellaneous capital maintenance needs. You know, they're always in need of improvements. Um, so we plan to put that into this year's capital plan. That particular expense was for improvements to the tennis courts. It was part of an
overage on the project that's being done through ARPA right now. So, what I've talked to Carl uh and Amy about is I'd like to take that expense once the $80,000 is appropriated by the advisory board and move it against the 80 so that we don't have to supplement separately
that go cost overrun. No. Okay. It'll come from the 80. It's effectively a capital investment. Okay. So, that's what that's all about. Furthermore, um Carl didn't put it in his ask, but he and I and Commissioner Shay have had some conversations. You'll see a request to fund a an irrigation
study for the golf course. This is something that's been discussed by Carl for years since I've been here. Um it is a long-term large capital project, but I think it's time given the age and condition of our irrigation system, which is the backbone of this recreational facility, to have a study
done, which could take 1 to two years to complete. Um, these irrigation studies are quite complex um, and they involve a lot of mechanical and engineering um, expenses. So, I've done some research. I've seen what similar surveys have cost and you'll see that next week's request as well.
Excellent. Okay, I'm set. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you. Anything else? Last call for Thank you, director. Great money. Yeah. And the 14 emergency items topics that
the chair did not originally anticipate would be. I have nothing except to mention to you that we have received the resignation of John Vignoni as assistant director of buildings and maintenance.
He's leaving us later in the month. September, October. Mid October. Mid October. We're uh John has been uh supervising due to the fact that director has been
out, but we take a look at that this week, but we we uh we received it in writing and uh we'll have more to say about John as we go on. He was with us for 19 years and three months.
We'll see some changes. Okay, last call. You have a motion to adjurnn. Uh yes on my clock I'm going to be adjourned at 137. Motion made second. All in favor I hear. Thank you very much.