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Norfolk County director orders deep clean and evaluates upgrades to grand jury room; Register of Deeds disputes consultation
Summary
County Director Chen ordered a deep clean of the third‑floor Grand Jury room at the Registry of Deeds building and said the county will work with the state trial court on furniture and AV upgrades; the Register of Deeds disputed that he had been consulted.
The Norfolk County director told commissioners on Sept. 25 that the county would begin a deep cleaning of the Grand Jury room on the third floor of the Registry of Deeds building and pursue furniture and audiovisual upgrades to make the space suitable for jurors who sit long hours.
County Director Chen said he met with the district attorney’s first assistant and toured the space before grand jurors returned; he directed maintenance to “do a deep clean of the room,” including shampooing carpeting and wiping down woodwork and sills. Chen said larger improvements — tables with electrical connections, seating with casters and modesty panels, and better AV — would probably be paid for by the state trial court and that the county would coordinate with trial-court contacts, including Chris McQuaid, on scope and reimbursement.
Chen said he asked the district attorney’s office whether the grand jury might move to the planned Quincy justice center when it opens; the district attorney does not expect that in the next five years, so Chen said any improvements should be durable for a 5–10 year horizon.
The discussion followed a letter dated June 18 from the Register of Deeds to county officials and news outlets that criticized the relocation of county disaster‑recovery and records space and said the register and staff had not been consulted. Chen disputed that claim, saying county records show extensive outreach: 13 emails to the register or his staff between Oct. 25, 2024 and May 8, 2025 and four further emails between May 14 and June 4, 2025.
Chen also updated commissioners on records-management work: the county’s disaster recovery room in Walpole is ready for occupancy, and a high-density storage system is scheduled for installation the second week in July. Once storage is online, county files — including HR and procurement files now housed in multiple buildings — will be consolidated into Walpole; Chen instructed staff to pause any further expansion of Registry of Deeds operational use of the Registry building until space needs are clarified with the register.
Commissioners discussed the exchange. One commissioner said he had to correct constituents who asked why the county had not consulted the register; Chen supplied the email log to counter that claim and said he would keep commissioners informed as the county moves from initial cleaning to any furniture and AV upgrades.
Separately, Chen briefed commissioners on an ongoing cooling problem at the Quincy courthouse: compressors failed during a heat wave and the state installed a temporary 100‑ton trailer unit; county and vendor engineers told Chen that the building may require a 120–150‑ton solution to provide reliable cooling. Chen said state officials would hold another conference call that afternoon to decide a longer‑term fix and that county staff would continue to support on‑site operations.
