Court Updates

We urge each HCBA member to immediately email their state senator and representative today to voice their concern for the need to immediately shut down the Roderick L. Ireland Courthouse, relocate the courts that are housed in that building, and to approve funding for a new courthouse in Springfield. 

An email is most effective and we urge each of our members to send one today. For your convenience, we have drafted the below email you can use as a template.  If you don’t receive a response, please follow up with a phone call or another up email within a week voicing your concern.
 

SAMPLE MESSAGE (edit as you see fit) 

Dear _______, 

 Thank you for your time and anticipated careful consideration of the issues raised in this correspondence.  

I write this letter as a member of the Hampden County Bar Association and an Attorney (probation officer, court officer, clerk) who practices in Hampden County and regularly appears at 50 and 80 State Street in Springfield.  As you are likely aware, there has been a lot of media attention to the myriad of environmental/structural concerns raised by employees in both of these buildings.  I want to join those voices as a private citizen of Hampden County, who regularly practices in those buildings.  I want to share my concerns in entering those buildings and in asking my clients to enter those buildings.  

Much attention has been paid to the terrifying medical statistics, including the unacceptably high levels of ALS and cancer diagnosis by employees of the buildings (including three respected jurists and 2 other employees who battled ALS – 4 of which had offices in the same part of the building).  The rates of various cancer diagnosis received by employees in the building in the last 20 years is shocking.  The rates of other ailments directly tied to the environmental issues places the employees of those courthouses at the rate of approximately 95% higher than the expected average; that statistic alone is alarming.  The Hampden County Registry of Deeds has permanently relocated; the District Attorney’s office has permanently relocated; the Hampden County Bar Association has permanently relocated – all in the last year – due to the discovery of the environmental issues.  The only people remaining are the dedicated employees of these Courthouses and the citizens of Hampden County who have little choice if they wish assistance. 

Little attention, however, has been paid to the fact that the Courthouses are woefully inadequate; and certainly not on par with contemporary building spaces.  The security and space issues are raised in a letter from Judge Claudine Wyner letter dated March 9, 2022, to the Executive office of the Trial Court.  The Court’s reliance on virtual sessions, without the availability of Wifi or spaces for litigants to conduct those sessions is counterproductive; the lack of meeting space is counterproductive; the lack of handicapped accessible restrooms in Housing Court is unacceptable; the lack of appropriate centralized evidence detention in Superior Court is unacceptable; the lack of office space for employees in all Courts is unacceptable; the list is endless.  In addition, the conditions in which we are housing our most vulnerable residents, our juveniles, are offensive and unacceptable.  Due to structural issues, there is a never-ending leak in the basement of both the main court complex and the juvenile court.  Accordingly, there is moisture throughout the floors, walls and ceilings of lockup.  There are sewage issues that cause fumes and sewage to backup into lockup where people, including minors, are detained.  This is simply unacceptable and an embarrassment to this Commonwealth. 

As you know, Hampden County is the second poorest County in the Commonwealth, with 14.3 percent of our residents living in poverty; second only to Suffolk at 16.5 percent.  Hampden County has the busiest District Court and one of the busiest Superior, Probate & Family, Juvenile and Housing Courts in the Commonwealth.  Hampden County has the busiest law library in the Commonwealth, currently located in the same Court complex.  Hampden County also has one of the largest non-white populations in the Commonwealth; a total of 38.6 percent reporting as non-white, according to the US Census Bureau 2021 statistics.  This County deserves better; its residents deserve better; those dedicated State employees deserve better; our private sector deserves better.  No one should have to make a conscious decision to risk their health in order to go to work; in order to seek orders of protection; in order to secure housing; in order to seek justice – and yet, it is exactly what we do and what we ask our clients to do, day in and day out. 

I urge you to seriously consider the above and to take the steps necessary to secure the health and safety of the residents of Hampden County by supporting the relocation of the current Courthouse and building of a new structure. 

Sincerely, 

LOCAL LEGISLATORS 

2nd Hampden 

Brian Ashe Brian.Ashe@mahouse.gov 

State House 

24 Beacon St. 

Room 236 

Boston, MA, 02133 

Phone:(617) 722-2430Fax:617-722-2813 

District Office 

Phone:(413) 754-4184 

 

3rd Hampden 

Nick Boldyga Nicholas.Boldyga@mahouse.gov 

State House 

24 Beacon St. 

Room 167 

Boston, MA, 02133 

Phone:(617) 722-2810Fax:617-626-0137 

District Office 

Phone:(413) 569-3137 Ext 103Fax:413- 455-3180 

 

5th Hampden 

Patricia Duffy Patricia.Duffy@mahouse.gov 

State House 

24 Beacon St. 

Room 

Boston, MA, 02133 

Phone:(617) 722-2800 x7312 

 

6th Hampden 

Mike Finn Michael.Finn@mahouse.gov 

State House 

24 Beacon St. 

Room 274 

Boston, MA, 02133 

Phone:(617) 722-2676Fax:617-626-0189 

District Office 

Phone:413-363-1965 

(Has Visited Springfield District Court CAST Specialty Court (Drug Court) and Spoken at a Graduation Ceremony) 

 

10th Hampden 

Carlos Gonzalez Carlos.Gonzalez@mahouse.gov 

State House 

24 Beacon St. 

Room 26 

Boston, MA, 02133 

Phone:(617) 722-2080 

District Office 

Phone:(617) 722-2080 

(Has Visited Springfield District Court CAST Specialty Court (Drug Court) and Spoken at 2 Graduation Ceremonies) 

 

7th Hampden 

Jake Oliveira Jacob.Oliveira@mahouse.gov 

State House 

24 Beacon St. 

Room 

Boston, MA, 02133 

Phone:(617) 722-2800 x7317 

District Office 

Phone:(413) 206-6524 

 

4th Hampden 

Kelly Pease Kelly.Pease@mahouse.gov 

State House 

24 Beacon St. 

Room 

Boston, MA, 02133 

Phone:(617) 722-2800 x7306 

District Office 

94 N Elm St, Suite 301N 

Phone:(413) 875-8787 

 

12th Hampden 

Angelo Puppolo Angelo.Puppolo@mahouse.gov 

State House 

24 Beacon St. 

Room 122 

Boston, MA, 02133 

Phone:(617) 722-2006Fax:617-722-2848 

District Office 

Phone:413-596-4333 

(Has Visited Springfield District Court CAST Specialty Court (Drug Court) 

 

9th Hampden 

Orlando Ramos Orlando.Ramos@mahouse.gov 

State House 

24 Beacon St. 

Room 

Boston, MA, 02133 

Phone:(617) 722-2800 x7307 

District Office 

640 Page Blvd. suite 108 

Springfield, MA 01104 

Phone:(413) 271-7955 

 

1st Hampden 

Todd Smola Todd.Smola@mahouse.gov 

State House 

24 Beacon St. 

Room 124 

Boston, MA, 02133 

Phone:(617) 722-2100 

 

8th Hampden 

Joe Wagner (2nd Assistant Majority Leader) Joseph.Wagner@mahouse.gov 

State House 

24 Beacon St. 

Room 234 

Boston, MA, 02133 

Phone:(617) 722-2783 

District Office 

Phone:413-592-7857Fax:413-592-1354 

 

11th Hampden 

Bud Williams. (Retired Springfield District Court Probation Officer) Bud.Williams@mahouse.gov 

State House 

24 Beacon St. 

Room 160 

Boston, MA, 02133 

Phone:(617) 722-2304 

District Office 

Phone:(413) 316-4743 

 

State Senators 

Hampshire, Franklin and Worcester 

Jo Commerford Jo.Comerford@masenate.gov 

State House 

24 Beacon St. 

Room 413-C 

Boston, MA, 02133 

Phone:(617) 722-1532 

District Office 

Phone:(413) 367-4656 

 

Worcester, Hampden, Hampshire and Middlesex 

Anne Gobi anne.gobi@masenate.gov 

State House 

24 Beacon St. 

Room 413-A 

Boston, MA, 02133 

Phone:(617) 722-1540Fax:617-722-1078 

District Office 

Phone:(413) 324-3082 

 

Hampden 

Adam Gomez Adam.Gomez@masenate.gov 

State House 

24 Beacon St. 

Room 413-B 

Boston, MA, 02133 

Phone:(617) 722-1660 

 

Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin and Hampden 

Adam Hinds adam.hinds@masenate.gov 

State House 

24 Beacon St. 

Room 109-E 

Boston, MA, 02133 

Phone:(617) 722-1625Fax:(617) 722-1523 

District Office 

Phone:(413) 344-4561 

 

First Hampden and Hampshire 

Eric Lesser eric.lesser@masenate.gov 

State House 

24 Beacon St. 

Room 410 

Boston, MA, 02133 

Phone:(617) 722-1291Fax:617-722-1014 

District Office 

PO Box 60485 

Longmeadow, MA 01106 

Phone:413-526-6501 

(Has Visited Springfield District Court CAST Specialty Court (Drug Court) 

 

2nd Hampden and Hampshire 

John Velis john.velis@masenate.gov 

State House 

24 Beacon St. 

Room 70 

Boston, MA, 02133 

Phone:(617) 722-1415 

(Has Visited Springfield District Court CAST 

Springfield Courthouse Update: Occupational Health Assessment Reports

 

In the continuing effort to assure the health and well-being of our workforce and as an agreed condition of the settlement of litigation involving the Roderick L. Ireland Courthouse in Springfield, the Trial Court retained EFI Global-Managed Care Advisors, an internationally recognized expert in conducting occupational health assessments, to conduct an assessment of reported illnesses and health conditions of any interested Trial Court employee (past or present) in relation to reported environmental conditions in the courthouse. Please click on the following links to read the two EFI reports, which are being publicly released today.

EFI Health Assessment & Evaluation 6.1.23
EFI Health Assessment & Evaluation 11.15.23

A press conference was held on Tuesday, May 10, 2022, at 9:00 am outside of the Roderick L. Ireland Courthouse in Springfield to share news and information on the Courthouse Settlement Agreement. Click here to view the Settlement Agreement.

The Trial Court has received the attached report from the Center for Disease Control related to the health of the Roderick Ireland Courthouse.  This report was requested of the CDC by confidential individuals working at the Courthouse who had concerns related to the safety of the building.  This report will be added to the mass.gov website under the Hamden County Superior Court Environmental Reports.  Click here to view the report. If you have questions on this report, please reply to this email and we will do our best to respond to your inquiry.

Sincerely,

Chuck O’Brien, Director of FMCP

Jason Penney, Manager of Engineering Services

Massachusetts Trial Court

Facilities Management & Capital Projects

springfieldupdates@jud.state.ma.us

Hello,

We would like to notify all occupants of the Roderick Ireland Courthouse that work will be commencing on the Dehumidification project.  This DCAMM managed project involves the replacement of reheat coils throughout the building.  The reheat coils, along with other measures undertaken will help the HVAC system keep humidity levels down.  Work will begin on the 4^th floor on Tuesday 10/11 and involve selective demolition of ceiling tiles in the corridor to access the ductwork.  All work will take place outside of courthouse operating hours.  We do ask for your patience while this work is underway.  The ceilings will remain down in the areas where they are working.  Plastic will be used to seal off the ceilings.  The 4^th floor is expected to be complete in 2 weeks followed by the 3^rd floor.  We will be sending out regular updates throughout this project so everyone knows where the Contractors are working and when.  Should you have any questions, please respond to this email and we will do our best to answer them.

Thank you,

Sincerely,
Chuck O’Brien, Director of FMCP
Jason Penney, Manager of Engineering Services
Massachusetts Trial Court
Facilities Management & Capital Projects
springfieldupdates@jud.state.ma.us

Hello,

Please see below the update and scheduled onsite activities for the upcoming week of 9/5 at the Springfield Hall of Justice.

If you have any questions regarding the items below, don’t hesitate to respond to this email and we will answer your questions.

Reports Attached:

• TRC IAQ Assessment – Springfield
• Rentokil Pest Control August Report

Scheduled Activities:

• Supervisor mold training scheduled for 9/13 at Springfield HOJ
• Supply diffuser filter installation pre-bid walk through 8/31, Bids due 9/15

On-site Activities for the week of 9/5

• Mold remediation in post filter plenum and remaining locations scheduled for 9/10 & 9/11

DCAMM Related Settlement Activities:

• State Sheet Metal Inspector to be onsite Wed 9/7

Thank you,

David Cole P.E.

Deputy Director

Facilities Management & Capital Projects

3 Pemberton Square Boston

Phone 617-788-8592

Click here to view the Springfield Hall of Justice DCAMM Projects Update, received Friday, August 26, 2022.

Good afternoon,

The report below provides updates related to the Settlement Agreement.  If anyone has any questions on the tasks described below, please respond to this email and we will do our best to provide an answer.

HVAC / Mold Remediation / Air Quality

Install air supply diffuser filters on all ventilation units in the courthouse

• The Trial Court is developing an RFP based on information provided by EH&E’s filter media report to procure a vendor to install the filter fabric.  The goal is to have a vendor onboard by the end of the month.

Complete removal of all fiberglass from the fan coil units and perimeter units

• The Facilities Management Department (FMD) is approximately 95% complete in removing fiberglass from the fan coil units.  The remaining areas require substantial removal of motors and other mechanical equipment to access insulation.
• Work will continue with the remaining units in the next 2-3 weeks when the appropriate staff is available.

EH&E to review all HVAC filtration to ensure MERV-13 filters are being used in all locations where feasible

• EH&E has completed their review of all HVAC filtration.  The FMD will be addressing any deficiencies identified in this report over the next month.
• The EH&E report on MERV-13 filters was distributed in July’s monthly report.

Trial Court Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) Managers to examine carpet for water damage or mold

• EH&S Managers have completed their assessment of the carpeting for water damage or mold.  Their report has recommendations for replacement in some areas.
• The FMD will handle the replacement of carpet in the identified areas. FMD has pricing and has proceeded with purchasing the carpet.  There is a reported 6 week lead time for the new carpet tiles. The replacement carpet and will begin installation once it arrives onsite.  Schedule TBD.
• The EH&S Carpet Inspection report was distributed in July’s monthly report.

Outside vendor to conduct weekly indoor air sampling

• TRC Environmental will continue weekly air sampling each Thursday throughout the building.  A testing plan has been established identifying the staff work area locations to be tested each week.  This plan is attached.
• TRC’s latest air sampling report is also attached for reference.

Develop and Implement an Operations and Maintenance Plan for mold and fiberglass management in the Courthouse.

• EFI Global has been selected to develop an O&M plan for mold and fiberglass management.
• EFI will be onsite on Friday 8/12 to conduct a walkthrough familiarizing themselves with the building.

Outside Vendor to provide annual training and education on mold to facilities workers and building managers

• EFI Global is under contract for this task.
• Training will be conducted in August.

 

Cleaning of Building

Deep cleaning of 50 & 80 State Street around July 4^th Holiday weekend.

• ACP Facility Services will be asked to return to 50 State Street one final time to address remaining cleaning needs brought to our attention by 8/10.

Ceiling Tile Replacement

• Facilities staff continues to replace damaged or stained ceiling tiles as needed and this will be an ongoing effort.
• As part of the ceiling tile replacement effort, FMD is simultaneously correcting the cause of said stains and leaks.

Replace all failed floor drains in the courthouse

• Facilities staff plumber has completed 10 of the 15 identified “failed” floor drains.  They are waiting for additional parts to arrive to complete this task.
• Once repairs are complete, all floor drains will be video scoped.

Water and Mold Prevention and Maintenance

Roof Inspection

• Ewing Roof Consultants began their inspection on 7/26.  They have been onsite regularly to gather information for their report.
• FMD has shared information provided by Department heads and the Environmental Committee related to known roof leaks to assist in the investigation.

Window Sealants

• ABC Glass began their investigation on Friday 7/29. They have been onsite all week and plan on working over the weekend to complete their inspection of the windows on the exterior.  Once complete, they will issue a report outlining any repairs that need to occur.
• FMD has shared information provided by Department heads and the Environmental Committee related to known window leaks to assist in the investigation.

Complete replacement of damaged drywall and damaged trim

• Baystate Contracting completed their work on this task on 8/4.  The locations were detailed in the Settlement Agreement.

Pest Control Inspection

• Rentokil Pest Control has been hired to monitor the building for rodents.  They began their work in March 2022.  They perform monthly site visits and report their findings.
• We emphasize strongly that leaving food out anywhere in the courthouse defeats even the most diligent rodent control efforts.  Please do not leave food accessible to pests in your workspaces. July’s report is attached.
• We will share the July site visit report once it is received from the vendor.

 

Occupational Health Assessment and Evaluation

• The deadline for bids was Thursday 8/3/2022.  Unfortunately, no bids were received.  FMD and the Procurement office contacted vendors who showed initial interest but never bid to understand why no proposal was submitted.  The feedback was that they didn’t have enough time to prepare their bids.  The Procurement Office will re-post the RFP to allow vendors additional time to prepare bids for this task.
• A selection committee to review the bids has been formed that includes representatives from the Ireland Courthouse.

DCAMM Update on Settlement Tasks

• There are several DCAMM related activities scheduled in the coming weeks.  Once DCAMM has completed their monthly update, we will share it with you.

Attached Reports and Surveys

1. TRC Environmental air testing location plan
2. TRC Environmental air quality report

Have a nice weekend.

Jason Penney, Manager of Engineering Services
Massachusetts Trial Court
Office of Court Management
Suffolk County Courthouse
3 Pemberton Sq., Suite 207
Boston, MA 02108
O: (617)788-8596
C: (781)531-5503

To Ireland Courthouse Employees and Occupants:

The Trial Court’s Facilities Team and Court Leadership want to ensure that all employees and occupants of the Roderick Ireland Courthouse (“Courthouse”) have an opportunity to submit any concerns they may have about the deep cleaning conducted by commercial cleaning contractor ACP Facilities Services (“ACP) during the extended July 4^th weekend.  The Trial Court also wants to outline all the supplemental cleaning that ACP has conducted since completing the initial cleaning on July 5 to address employee concerns.

The Trial Court will arrange for ACP to return to the Courthouse to address any cleaning concerns brought to the attention of the Facilities staff that have not yet been addressed.  The Trial Court and counsel representing the Plaintiffs in the Coakley-Rivera v. Carey matter jointly request that all concerns related to the deep cleaning be brought to the attention of the Facilities Team on or before Wednesday, August 10, 2022 at Springfieldupdates@jud.state.ma.us.  ACP will return to the courthouse one final time to address these concerns, at which time the deep cleaning will be considered complete. 

            Below and attached are a detailed account of the scope of work already performed by ACP, the dates on which ACP performed this work, and the punchlist of employee complaints that ACP and the Facilities staff have already addressed.

Deep Cleaning Scope of Work

ACP was one of three qualified bidders that responded to a Request for Quotes (RFQ) distributed to vendors on Statewide Contract FAC114.   The RFQ set forth a detailed scope of work to be completed as part of the deep cleaning.  That scope of work mirrored language from the Settlement Agreement entered into in the Coakley-Rivera v. Carey matter, which set forth specific requirements for the deep cleaning.  ACP’s proposal included all elements of the scope of work.   The scope of work can be found on page 2 of the RFQ (see attached RFQ).

 

July 4^th Weekend Deep Cleaning

ACP began their work on the evening of Thursday, June 30 by moving all needed equipment to the site and further surveying the work to be done.  The major cleaning began on Friday, July 1.  They began on the 4^th floor and the plan worked their way down.  Their work consisted of performing all the tasks laid out in the RFQ.  ACP worked through Tuesday, July 5 to finish their work as scheduled.  

 

Subsequent Cleaning Conducted by ACP After July 5

After the deep cleaning was completed on Tuesday, July 5, Facilities staff performed a walk-through of the Courthouse and identified areas that needed additional attention.  ACP immediately deployed staff to address those areas. The Courthouse re-opened on Wednesday, July 6, and ACP was onsite to address areas of concern identified by Courthouse employees. ACP spent a full day conducting additional cleaning in areas such as the Law Library, the Superior Court Clerk’s Office, and the Superior Court Probation office based on employee feedback.  On Friday, July 8, members of ACP and the Facilities staff walked the entire building and spoke directly with employees, including available department heads or office managers, to see and hear their concerns related to the cleaning.  Based on those conversations, Facilities and ACP created a punchlist of items and areas requiring additional cleaning (see attached punchlist for a complete list of all the additional areas of concern that ACP addressed).  Based on this punchlist, Facilities requested that ACP conduct a supplemental cleaning to address each item on the list. The supplemental cleaning took place over the weekend of July 16-17.  In addition to cleaning the areas specified on the punchlist, ACP cleaned areas adjacent areas to ensure that nothing was overlooked.  On Monday, July 18, Facilities staff revisited each area of concern on the punchlist to verify that ACP had in fact addressed all concerns. 

The Trial Court and counsel representing the Plaintiffs in the Coakley-Rivera v. Carey matter request that courthouse employees and occupants bring aNY AND ALL ADDITIONAL concerns related to the deep cleaning to the attention of the Facilities Team on or before WEDNESDAY, August 10, 2022 at the following email:  Springfieldupdates@jud.state.ma.us

Chuck O’Brien, Director of FMCP
Jason Penney, Manager of Engineering Services
Massachusetts Trial Court
Facilities Management & Capital Projects
springfieldupdates@jud.state.ma.us

Good morning,

I’m writing to inform you about the deep cleaning the Facilities group is lining up for the Springfield Hall of Justice.  The procurement process is underway and vendors are scheduled to come out to visit the site this Friday May 27^th at 10:00AM.  Facilities staff will escort the vendors through the building to give them a magnitude of the scope of the project and provide competitive pricing.  The schedule for completing this work is over the 4^th of July weekend.  Work can start the evening of Thursday June 30^th and continue through Tuesday July 5^th.

• Please clear your desks and other work surfaces of papers and personal affects you do not want touched.
• Remove as many items as possible from the floors throughout your work areas.
• If your office has a breakroom with a refrigerator, please remove all food containers.

The scope of cleaning is clearly outlined in the Settlement Agreement and is as follows:

The deep clean shall include, but not be limited to, a deep cleaning of all carpets within the Courthouse; using high tech HEPA filter vacuums to sanitize office monitors, desks, and keyboards; cleaning light fixtures and switches; cleaning back of office electronics and appliances; disinfecting the kitchens, bathrooms and toilets; cleaning interior windows; wiping of office partitions, dispensers, doors and tile rails; mopping the floors; wiping down bathroom doors and handles; dusting window blinds; cleaning and disinfecting sinks; dusting and wiping all hand railings; emptying and relining wastebaskets; removing cobwebs from the ceiling and other surfaces; cleaning glass surfaces throughout the Courthouse.

If anyone has any questions regarding the deep cleaning, you may forward them to this email address.

Thank you,
Chuck O’Brien, Director of FMCP
Jason Penney, Manager of Engineering Services
Massachusetts Trial Court
Facilities Management & Capital Projects
springfieldupdates@jud.state.ma.us

Click here to review the Springfield District Court Allocation from Hon. Kevin V. Maltby, First Justice, Clerk Magistrate John S. Gay, Chief of Probation, Daniel J. Delaney. (June 14, 2022)

Mass.gov message:

 

Springfield courthouses (at 50 and 80 State Street) will be closed Friday, July 1st through Tuesday, July 5^th for deep cleaning. The courthouses will reopen for business on Wednesday, July 6^th.

During the closures, please note the following information for emergency matters:

• Springfield District Court
  • All Abuse Prevention Petitions and Mental Health matters will be addressed at the Chicopee District Court.
  • All non-summonsed criminal arraignments and “Dangerousness” Hearings will be addressed at the Westfield District Court.
  • All matters scheduled for Trial Readiness (7/1) will be convened virtually, as usual.

 

• Western Housing Court -Springfield Session emergency matters will be handled out of the Western Housing Court - Greenfield Session.
• Springfield Juvenile Court emergency matters will be handled out of the Holyoke Juvenile Court.
• Probate and Family Court
  • Any person requiring emergency court assistance regarding a Hampden County Probate and Family Court case, should call 413-310-5720 or 413-310-5721 during usual business hours to speak with Register of Probate Rosemary Saccomani.
  • Any person requiring emergency court assistance involving a matter that has not yet been filed with the Hampden County Probate and Family Court, should contact the Hampshire County Probate and Family Court at the aforementioned numbers.
  • Anyone with an existing case that has an emergency may utilize the same phone numbers.

• Superior Court
  • Click here to view the notice from Laura S. Gentile, Esq., Hampden County Clerk of Courts.

 

Hello,

Please see below for information regarding onsite work for the upcoming week at the Springfield Hall of Justice.  If you have any questions regarding the items below, don’t hesitate to respond to this email and we will answer your question.

Planned on-site activities for the week of August 1st:

Trial Court On-site Settlement Activities

• Roof Inspection:  Ewing Roof Consultants will continue their investigation of the roof today 7/29 and next week to gather additional information for their inspection report.
• Window Leak Investigation: ABC Glass will be onsite this coming Monday 8/1 to begin their inspection of the existing windows.  The bulk of this work will be conducted on lifts on the exterior of the building.
• Ceiling Tiles: Facilities staff will continue to replace stained ceiling tiles throughout the building as needed on an ongoing basis.
• Floor Drains: Facilities staff plumber will continue work on examining all floor drains and making needed repairs or replacements.
• Damaged drywall replacement:  Baystate Contracting will continue their work replacing damaged drywall.  Special attention will be placed to clean-up at the completion of work each evening.
• Indoor Air Sampling:  TRC Environmental will be onsite to conduct weekly air monitoring on Thursday.

DCAMM Related Settlement Activities

• DCAMM is hoping to have a preconstruction meeting for their dehumidification project slated for the Roderick Ireland Courthouse towards the end of next week.  More details will be provided when the project is getting closer to starting.
• DCAMM has provided their July monthly update to the Settlement Coordinator, Judge Payne.  Their letter is attached. (Click here.)

Have a nice weekend.

Sincerely,
Chuck O’Brien, Director of FMCP
Jason Penney, Manager of Engineering Services
Massachusetts Trial Court
Facilities Management & Capital Projects
springfieldupdates@jud.state.ma.us

 

Monthly Update on Settlement Agreement Commitments – July 2022

Good afternoon,

Please see the report below with updates related to the Settlement Agreement.  If anyone has any questions related to the tasks described below, please respond to this email and we will do our best to provide an answer.

HVAC / Mold Remediation / Air Quality

Install air supply diffuser filters on all ventilation units in the Courthouse

• EH&E has completed their field work and provided a report identifying the correct filter media to use in the air supply diffusers.  Their report is attached.
• The Trial Court is developing a RFP with this information to procure a vendor to install the filter fabric.

Complete removal of all fiberglass from the fan coil units and perimeter units

• The Facilities Management Department (FMD) is approximately 95% complete in removing fiberglass from the fan coil units. The remaining areas require substantial removal of motors and other mechanical equipment to access insulation
• The remaining Fan Coil Units with fiberglass are in the D.A.’s office, as well as the Registry of Deeds which is currently unoccupied and will be removed by our own facilities staff.

Provide and install additional HEPA air cleaners in the courthouse

• FMD has deployed all the necessary air purifiers to ensure total coverage of the building.
• The attached floor plans show the locations of all HEPA air cleaners.

EH&E to review all HVAC filtration to ensure MERV-13 filters are being used in all locations where feasible

• EH&E has completed their review of all HVAC filtration.  The FMD will be addressing any deficiencies identified in this report over the next month.  The report is attached.

Trial Court Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) Managers to examine carpet for water damage or mold

• EH&S managers have completed their assessment of the carpeting for water damage or mold.  Their report has recommendations for replacement in some areas.  These areas are being reviewed by Facilities to determine the best course of action for replacement.  The report is attached.

Outside vendor to conduct weekly indoor air sampling

• Axiom Environmental has completed their contract for air sampling through June.
• TRC Environmental has won the contract for weekly air sampling beginning in July.
• Weekly air sampling will take place each Thursday throughout the building.  A testing plan has been established identifying the staff work area locations to be tested each week.  This plan is attached.
• TRC’s latest air sampling report is attached for reference.

Develop and Implement an Operations and Maintenance Plan for mold and fiberglass management in the Courthouse

• EFI Global has been selected to develop an Operations and Maintenance plan for mold and fiberglass management.
• We anticipate a contract being in place by the middle of next week.  Once in place, they will commence work.

Outside vendor to provide annual training and education on mold to facilities workers and building managers

• EFI Global will be contracted to provide training and education on mold to facilities workers and building managers.
• This training will be scheduled by the end of the summer.

 

Cleaning of Building

Deep Cleaning of 50 & 80 State Street around July 4^th holiday weekend

• ACP Facility Services has completed a deep cleaning of 50 & 80 State Street.  They were onsite as scheduled around the July 4^th
• On Friday 7/15 representatives of ACP Facility Services and Trial Court Facilities staff met with dept. heads or onsite staff if dept. heads were unavailable to develop a punch list of areas that needed additional attention.  ACP then came back over the weekend of 7/16 to address these areas of concern.

Ceiling Tile Replacement

• Facilities staff continues to replace damaged or stained ceiling tiles as needed and this will be an ongoing effort.

Replace all failed floor drains in the Courthouse

• Facilities staff plumber continues to work on identified floor drains to make them fully operable. Once complete, FMD will video scope the lines to confirm appropriate repairs were made.

Water and Mold Prevention and Maintenance

Roof Inspection

• Ewing Roof Consultants is under contract to Investigate the roof for leaks, cracks and tears.  They will be onsite on 7/26 to begin their investigation.
• FMD has reached out to Department Heads and the Environmental Committee to gather any pertinent information regarding roof leaks as outlined in the Settlement Agreement.

Window Sealants

• ABC Glass is scheduled to begin their investigation on Friday 7/29.  Once complete, they will issue a report outlining any repairs that need to occur.  They will then make the necessary repairs and submit a final report.
• FMD has reached out to Department Heads and the Environmental Committee to gather any pertinent information regarding leaks as outlined in the Settlement Agreement.

Complete Replacement of damaged drywall and damaged trim

• Baystate Contracting has begun replacement of damaged drywall and damaged trim in areas identified in the Settlement Agreement on 7/18.  They will continue their work until completion.

Plumbing and Sewage

Inspect sewer line backup and provide report

• The sewer line backup has been repaired.  FMD is preparing a report to distribute.  As reported above, we plan to video the drain line and provide a report based on that video.

Pest Control Inspection

• Rentokil Pest Control has been hired to monitor the building for rodents.  They began work in March 2022. They have visited the site monthly and reported findings.
• An email has been sent to all HOJ occupants requesting their assistance in limiting the amount of exposed food at the request and suggestion of Rentokil Pest Control.
• June’s report is attached to this update.

Occupational Health Assessment and Evaluation

• A RFP was posted on 7/8 to acquire a vendor to perform this work.  The deadline for bids is 8/3.
• A selection committee to review the bids has been formed that includes representatives from the Ireland Courthouse.

DCAMM Update on Settlement Tasks

• DCAMM is currently working on their update pertaining to their Settlement Agreement tasks.  Once complete, we will forward their updates to you.

Attached Reports and Surveys

1. Air Supply Diffuser Report
2. HEPA Air Purifier Floor Plan Locations
3. EH&E MERV 13 Inspection Report
4. EH&S Carpet Inspection Report
5. Air testing location plan
6. TRC Environmental air quality report
7. Rentokil June 2022 Site Visit Report

Chuck O’Brien, Director of FMCP
Jason Penney, Manager of Engineering Services
Massachusetts Trial Court
Facilities Management & Capital Projects
springfieldupdates@jud.state.ma.us

Planned on-site activities for the week of June 27^th:

Trial Court On-site Settlement Activities

• Ceiling Tiles: Facilities staff will continue to replace stained ceiling tiles throughout the building.
• Floor Drains: Facilities staff plumber will continue work on examining all floor drains and making needed repairs or replacements.
• Filter Fabric at Diffuser Locations: EH&E will be onsite Thursday 6/30 to test fit multiple types of filter media to determine the best performing option.  Once the correct filter is selected, a Contractor will install them throughout the building.

DCAMM Related Settlement Activities

• There are no scheduled onsite activities planned by DCAMM this week

Questions Received Regarding Deep Cleaning of 50 and 80 State Street

Q: Will the vendors be CORI checked prior to entering the building?

A: Yes.  All vendors will be required to pass a CORI check to enter the building during the cleaning.  Additionally, there will be Court Officers and Facilities Staff onsite to provide escorts and supervision throughout the entire deep cleaning.

Q: Should the desk drawers be cleaned out prior to the deep cleaning?

A: No.  The cleaners will not be cleaning individual’s desk drawers.

 

Sincerely,

Chuck O’Brien, Director of FMCP
Jason Penney, Manager of Engineering Services
Massachusetts Trial Court
Facilities Management & Capital Projects
springfieldupdates@jud.state.ma.us

Monthly Update on Settlement Agreement Commitments - June 2022 (Received Tuesday, June 14, 2022)

A lot of work has commenced on the many commitments laid out in the Settlement Agreement. A weekly update is provided to the occupants and stakeholders of the Ireland Courthouse that outlines on-site activities planned for the upcoming week. This more detailed monthly update shares more information relative to the tasks outlined in the settlement.

HVAC / Mold Remediation / Air Quality
Install air supply diffuser filters on all ventilation units in the Courthouse

• EH&E will submit a proposal for investigating the appropriate filter to use throughout the courthouse.
• NEL Corp, which successfully performed this work for the Trial Court in the past, will provide updated pricing to install filters once it is determined.

Complete removal of all fiberglass from the fan coil units and perimeter units

• FMD is approx. 95% complete regarding removing fiberglass in the fan coil units. Regular maintenance is also happening on these units so they may still be worked on the following week.

Provide and install additional HEPA air cleaners in the courthouse

• Following an in-depth analysis of the locations of previously deployed air purifiers, the Facilities Management Department (FMD) is in process of acquiring additional air purifiers from Trial Court inventory to ensure complete coverage throughout the building.
• Locations of existing HEPA air purifiers are shown on the attached floor plans.

EH&E to review all HVAC filtration to ensure MERV-13 filters are being used in all locations where feasible

The contract was executed on 6/6. FMD currently working with EH&E to schedule inspection.

Trial Court Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) Managers to examine carpet for water damage or mold

• EH&S managers will be onsite regularly starting Thursday 6/2 to begin investigation

Outside vendor to conduct weekly indoor air sampling

• Axiom Environmental will conduct weekly air sampling through June; previously conducting biweekly sampling.
• A new Request for Proposals will be issued to contract a vendor to conduct weekly air sampling through the end of the year. The Request for Proposals is being developed.

Develop and Implement an Operations and Maintenance Plan for mold and fiberglass management in the Courthouse

•  EH&S Manager, Mike Lane is developing a scope of work to procure a vendor to draft O&M plan. This may take a couple of weeks, prior to being posted for a vendor.

Outside vendor to provide annual training and education on mold to facilities workers and building managers

• EH&S Manager will work with EFI Global to set up a training plan.

Cleaning of Building

Deep Cleaning of 50 & 80 State Street around July 4th holiday weekend

• A RFP was advertised on 6/8 for this work.  Bids are due on 6/15.

Ceiling Tile Replacement

• Facilities staff has completed an inventory of the entire building to identify stained and/or damaged ceiling tiles and has begun replacement. Attached spreadsheet lists damaged ceiling tiles.

Replace all failed floor drains in the Courthouse

• Facilities staff plumber has identified 15 drains that need work and has begun to make them fully operable. We plan to video the drain line in June and provide a report in July based on that video.

Window Sealants

• ABC Glass has submitted a proposal to begin their inspection of the window leaks and sealants. The contract should be executed by 6/10. Once the contract is in place, the work will be scheduled.

Complete Replacement of damaged drywall and damaged trim

• A RFP for this work will be advertised on Wednesday 6/15.

Plumbing and Sewage

Inspect sewer line backup and provide report

• The sewer line backup has been repaired.  FMD is preparing a report to distribute.  As reported above, we plan to video the drain line and provide a report based on that video.

Pest Control Inspection

• Rentokil Pest Control has been hired to monitor the building for rodents.  They began work in March 2022. They have visited the site monthly and reported findings.
• May’s report is attached to this update.

Occupational Health Assessment and Evaluation

• The procurement process is underway.  FMD is defining the scope of work for this task. It will involve consultants, as well as input from the Attorney General’s Office to ensure we correctly capture the intent of the task.

DCAMM Update on Settlement Tasks

• DCAMM’s Deputy General Counsel provided an update to our settlement coordinator Judge Payne regarding DCAMM’s activities relative to the Springfield Hall of Justice.  This correspondence is attached.

Attached Reports and Surveys

Air Purifier Floor Plan Existing
Ceiling tile survey
Floor drain survey
Rentokil May 2022 Site Visit Report
DCAMM June Assessment and Feasibility Update—Springfield Courthouse

Thank you,

Chuck O’Brien, Director of FMCP
Jason Penney, Manager of Engineering Services
Massachusetts Trial Court
Facilities Management & Capital Projects
springfieldupdates@jud.state.ma.us

Springfield Hall of Justice Weekly Update (Received Friday, June 3, 2022)

A lot of progress was achieved this past week kicking off many of the tasks outlined in the Settlement Agreement.  Next week will be no different.  Please see below the upcoming onsite activities that are scheduled to take place.  A separate notification will be sent out that will provide additional detail of work taking place behind the scenes as part of a monthly update.  Don’t hesitate to reply to this email if you have any questions.

Planned on-site activities for the week of June 6^th: 

Trial Court On-site Settlement Activities

• Fan coil units:  All fiberglass should be removed by B-G Mechanical Contractors Inc. by Friday, 6/4. The contractor may be onsite during the week of 6/6 to perform maintenance on the fan coil units.
• Ceiling Tiles: Facilities staff will continue to replace stained ceiling tiles throughout the building.
• Floor Drains: Facilities staff plumber will continue work on examining all floor drains and making needed repairs or replacements.
• Carpets: The Trial Court Environmental Health & Safety Manager will be on-site working on a survey of carpeting identified in EH&E’s 2022 report, as well as the additional areas outlined in the Settlement Agreement.
• Window Seals: There is a tentative plan for ABC Glass to begin an investigation on the window sealants on Saturday, 6/11, pending finalization of the contract with them.

DCAMM Dehumidification Project On-site Activities

• A pre-bid walkthrough is scheduled for Tuesday, 6/7, for prospective bidders to see the building. All contractors will go through security and be escorted at all times.

Sincerely,
Chuck O’Brien, Director of FMCP
Jason Penney, Manager of Engineering Services
Massachusetts Trial Court
Facilities Management & Capital Projects
springfieldupdates@jud.state.ma.us

Good Afternoon,

As Chief Justice Locke and Court Administrator Bello stated in this morning’s communication, a message will go out each Friday to provide notice of the upcoming week’s activities that will take place onsite at the Springfield Hall of Justice.  This is the first such email making you aware of scheduled activities.  There is currently a lot of work underway behind the scenes by way of procurement and reaching out to contractors.  A more detailed overview on these efforts will be sent monthly.  The intent of this update is to provide you all with information you should be aware of related to work in the building.  If anyone has any questions or concerns, we want to work with you to ensure you are well informed.  Please direct any questions to this email address and they will be responded to promptly.

Planned onsite activities for the week of May 30^th:

Settlement Agreement Activities

• Fan coil units: B-G Mechanical with their subcontractor will be on-site replacing old fiberglass insulation with new epoxy-based insulation on the 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th floors. Work will be completed overnight with the exception of a few offices where an occupant will be away and has given permission for the work to be done in their absence.  Individual office air units are shut down while the work is performed, so there is no air circulation while the work is underway. This project will be completed by June 4^th.
• Facilities staff will continue to survey the building for damaged ceiling tiles.  We anticipate the replacement of ceiling tiles to begin mid-week.
• Facilities staff plumber will commence work on failed floor drains.  This work entails removing any blockages or replacement where necessary.
• The Trial Court’s Environmental Health & Safety Manger will go on site to begin his survey of the carpet identified in EH&E’s 2022 report as well as the additional areas outlined in the Settlement Agreement.

Onsite Dehumidification Project

• This project is currently out to bid and there are no on-site activities scheduled as yet.

Sincerely,
Chuck O’Brien, Director of FMCP
Jason Penney, Manager of Engineering Services
Massachusetts Trial Court
Facilities Management & Capital Projects
springfieldupdates@jud.state.ma.us