Governor’s Council

The Massachusetts Governor’s Council, also known as the Executive Council, provides advice and consent on gubernatorial appointments, pardons and commutations, and warrants for the state treasury. It is composed of eight individuals elected from their respective districts, and the Lieutenant Governor who serves ex officio. Needham is in Governor’s Council District 2. The term of office is two years.

The Council meets weekly to record advice and consent on warrants for the state treasury, pardons and commutations, and recording advice and consent to gubernatorial appointments such as judges, clerk-magistrates, public administrators, members of the Parole Board, Appellate Tax Board, Industrial Accident Board and Industrial Accident Reviewing Board, notaries, and justices of the peace.

Vacant – District 2

Norfolk County Offices

The Town of Needham is within Norfolk County, which is one of 14 counties in the state. Norfolk is one of five counties that maintains its county government as a separate government body. Throughout history, most functions of county governments (including operation of courts and road maintenance) had been taken over by the state, and many county governments were abolished.

District Attorney, Register of Probate, Clerk of Courts, and Sheriff are elected by voters in Norfolk County, but they are funded by the state budget and work for state government. Register of Deeds is a somewhat autonomous office. Each county still has a Sheriff’s Department which operates jails and correctional facilities and service of process within the county.

The elected offices that are part of the incorporated Norfolk County government include County Commissioners and County Treasurer. These elected officials work within the Norfolk County government.

Norfolk County District Attorney

With a staff of approximately 130 employees, the District Attorney’s Office works with court personnel and the law enforcement community every day to prosecute approximately 20,000 cases a year. These cases involve homicide, sexual assault, domestic violence, robbery, drug sales and possession, fraud, theft, driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs, and many other offenses. Under Massachusetts law, all criminal cases brought to prosecution must be handled by the Office of the District Attorney or the Office of the Massachusetts Attorney General. The term of office is four years.

Michael Morrissey
45 Shawmut Road, Canton, MA 02021
Phone: 781-830-4800
Website: http://www.nfkda.com/

Norfolk County Sheriff

The Norfolk County Sheriff is a state office (within the Department of Corrections) elected by the voters of Norfolk County. It was moved from a county office to a state office in 2010. The principal responsibility of the Norfolk County Sheriff is management and operation of the Norfolk County House of Correction in Dedham. Because House of Correction sentences are generally not more than 2 1/2 years, community reentry and prevention of recidivism is an important part of this public safety work. The Department has approximately 350 employees and an annual budget in the range of $35 million. Inmate population ranges from approximately 400 to 700. The Sheriff’s office is also responsible for much of the service of civil process within the County. The term of office is six years.

Patrick McDermott
200 West St. P.O Box 149
Dedham, Massachusetts, 02027
Phone: (781) 329-3705
Email: info@norfolksheriffma.org

Norfolk County Register of Probate and Family Court

The Norfolk County Register of Probate is a state office within the Judicial Branch. The Register of Probate is effectively the Clerk of Courts for the Probate and Family Court within the county. Responsibilities include records and case management, assisting the justices in court, and working with the involved parties. The Probate and Family Court Department has jurisdiction over family-related and probate matters, such as divorce, paternity, child support, custody, parenting time, adoption, termination of parental rights, and abuse prevention. It also handles wills, estates, trusts, guardianships, conservatorships, and changes of name. The Register of Probate is a state office within the Judicial Branch, and the term of office is six years.

Colleen Brierley
35 Shawmut Road, Canton, MA 02021
Phone: (781) 830-1200
Email: norfolkprobate@jud.state.ma.us

Norfolk County Clerk of Courts

The Clerk of Courts for the Norfolk County Superior Court has responsibilities that include records and case management, assisting the justices in court, and working with the involved parties. The Clerk of Courts is a state office within the Judicial Branch, and the term of office is six years.

Walter F. Timilty
650 High Street, Dedham, MA 02026
Phone: (781) 326-1600
Email: Norfolk.clerksoffice@jud.state.ma.us

Norfolk County Register of Deeds

The Registry of Deeds is the principal office for real property records in Norfolk County. The Registry receives and records hundreds of thousands of documents each year, and is a basic resource for title examiners, mortgage lenders, municipalities, homeowners, and others with a need for secure, accurate, and accessible land record information.

The Registry is a County office operated under the supervision of the Register of Deeds, an elected County official. By virtue of his office, the Register of Deeds is also an Assistant Recorder of the Massachusetts Land Court. Transactions recorded in the Land Court section of the Registry deal with registered land, the title to which is insured by the Commonwealth.

Registry operations are effectively self-supporting, and generate significant surplus revenues which support the operations of county government and contribute to the State’s general revenue. The term of office is six years.

William P. O’Donnell
649 High Street
Dedham, MA 02026
781-461-6101
Email: registerodonnell@norfolkdeeds.org
Website: https://www.norfolkdeeds.org/

Norfolk County Commissioners

The three-member Commission is the executive board of Norfolk County’s incorporated Country government. The Commissioners are, ex officio, members of the seven member Board of Trustees of the Norfolk County Agricultural High School. The term of office is four years, with staggered terms.

Joseph P. Shea, Quincy
Peter H. Collins, Milton
Richard Staiti, Canton
Website: https://www.norfolkcounty.org/county-administration/commissioners-office

Norfolk County Treasurer

The Norfolk County Treasurer is responsible for custody and management of the funds of Norfolk County’s incorporated County government, including departments directly under the County Commissioners, and the autonomous Registry of Deeds and County Agricultural High School. The Treasurer is also Chair of the County Retirement Board. The Norfolk County Retirement System (NCRS) has approximately 40 member units, including towns, housing authorities, and special districts. With approximately 9,000 active and retiree members, NCRS has approximately $950 million in assets towards long term funding obligations of $1.5 billion.

The County Treasurer is an elected official serving a six-year term.

James Timilty (Michael Bellotti Treasurer-elect)
614 High Street
P.O. Box 346, Dedham, MA 02026
Phone: 781-461-6110
email:  jtimilty@norfolkcounty.org

Thanks to Needham Select Board member Daniel P. Matthews for providing information on the county offices.

See State Government Structure and Contacts for State Officials

Governor

Maura Healey (Democrat)

Lieutenant Governor

Kim Driscoll (Democrat)

Treasurer

Deb Goldberg (Democrat)

Secretary of the Commonwealth

William Galvin (Democrat)

Attorney General

Andrea Campbell (Democrat)

Auditor

Diana DiZolglio (Democrat)

State Senators

Rebecca L. Rausch (Democrat)
(Norfolk, Bristol and Middlesex District, which includes Needham precincts A, B, C, I, and J)
(email Becca.Rausch@masenate.gov)

Representative in General Court

Denise C. Garlick (Democrat)
(13th Norfolk District)
(email denise.garlick@mahouse.gov)

U. S. Senators

Elizabeth Warren

Contact Senator Warren

Washington, D.C.
317 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
(202) 224-4543

Boston
2400 JFK Federal Building
15 New Sudbury Street
Boston, MA 02203
(617) 565-3170

Springfield
1550 Main Street, Suite 406
Springfield, MA 01103
(413) 788-2690

Edward J. Markey

Contact Senator Markey

Washington, D.C.
255 Dirksen Senate
Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
(202) 224-2742

Boston
975 JFK Federal Building
15 New Sudbury Street
Boston, MA 02203
(617) 565-8519

U. S. House of Representatives

Jake Auchincloss

Fourth Congressional District
Contact Representative Auchincloss

Washington, D.C.
1524 Longworth House Office Building
Washington,  DC 20515
(202) 225-5931

Attleboro
8 North Main St., Suite 200
Attleboro,  MA 02703
(508) 431-1110

Newton
29 Crafts Street, Suite 375
Newton,  MA 02458
(617) 332-3333