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Acting maintenance supervisor outlines ongoing courthouse projects, staffing and winter prep
Summary
Acting maintenance supervisor Chuck Cushing told Norfolk County commissioners on Nov. 19 that his team is managing multiple building projects — including bathroom renovations, HVAC work and smoke-detector replacements — and is preparing for winter; commissioners approved a small budget transfer to cover plumbing costs.
Acting maintenance supervisor Chuck Cushing told the Norfolk County Commission on Nov. 19 that his 24-person department is juggling multiple facility projects, key staffing absences and preparations for winter.
"Of the 24 members of the department, we have one on workers' comp, one on FMLA, who is having a baby today, one on an accommodated workload, and in addition we have the one open position that we've been interviewing for," Cushing said during his presentation, thanking colleagues who have helped him get up to speed.
Cushing described work under way at several county sites: adjustments to court audiovisual setups at Superior Court ahead of a Dec. 1 trial; persistent HVAC problems at the Quincy Court building and ARPA-funded HVAC units already installed in the rentham District Court; bathroom renovations where sheetrock and FRP paneling are being installed and plumbing fixtures and partitions are expected to follow. "The first bathroom will be done by Thanksgiving," he said.
He also reported an ongoing basement plumbing excavation planned in Wrentham, DigSafe mark-outs and conduit locating for lighting and drainage at the district parking lot, and completion of a building management system (BMS) upgrade at Dedham District Court. A smoke-detector replacement at the Registry of Deeds is scheduled for December and is expected to take place outside normal business hours.
Commissioners pressed Cushing on timelines and costs for paving and patching at a parking lot with potholes; Cushing said survey work and architectural outreach are scheduled for the spring, and that temporary winter patching was considered but found costly.
The commission approved a FY26 maintenance budget transfer to move funds into plumbing/hardware to cover the Rentham work. Director Brown presented the request as "housekeeping by our facilities department," and commissioners moved, seconded and approved it. (The transcript contains an inconsistent statement of the exact amount — $4,192 in one place and $4,001.92 in another; the motion was recorded as approved and the county finance office should be consulted for the official posted transfer amount.)
Cushing said the department has serviced snow blowers, ordered ice melt and lined up plowing contractors as part of winter readiness. He also noted forthcoming painting, carpet work and exterior repairs across county facilities in the winter and spring pipeline.
The commission did not take further action on facilities projects beyond approving the budget transfer and hearing Cushing's report. The commission moved on to other agenda items after questions and staff clarifications.
Sources: Presentation by Chuck Cushing, Acting Maintenance Supervisor; Director Brown's remarks to commissioners.
