The County of Norfolk

About Norfolk County

Norfolk County consists of twenty-eight (28) eastern Massachusetts communities, mostly located to the South and West of Boston. The County was incorporated as a regional governmental entity in 1793, and has its county seat at the town of Dedham.

Regional government has evolved differently in each of Massachusetts' fourteen counties, and that process continues. Presently, some regional government functions are performed directy by County government, while other services are essentially state government programs with the county area as a service territory. Other regional departments, such as the District Attorney's office, are under supervision of officers directly elected by the voters.

Programs and services currently under the jursidiction of Norfolk County include:

Registry of Deeds	County Engineering Department
Norfolk County Agricultural High School	Trial Court Facilities Management
Wollaston Recreational Facility	Appellate Tax Jurisdiction
County Treasurer 's Office	Some Statutory Jurisdiction over Roads
RSVP (Retired and Senior Volunteer Programs)	County Land Conservation & Open Space Management

The executive authority of Norfolk County is vested in an elected County Commission. The three Commissioners are elected county-wide for four-year terms with only one permitted from any one city or town.

The County's legislative branch is its Advisory Board, which represents the cities and towns in budget, capital planning, and other matters. Representatives are appointed annually (by the selectmen, mayor, or manager, depending on the community's form of government), and have a weighted voted based on community property valuation, which is also the basis of the annual county tax assessment.

Other county revenues include a share of Registry of Deeds receipts, reimbursement Court facilities maintainence expenses, and state and federal funding of individual county programs.

Norfolk County Commissioners
614 High Street, Dedham, MA 02027-0310
Telephone: 781-461-6105
Email: info@norfolkcounty.org

Americans with Disabilities Act Notice

In accordance with the requirements of title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 ("ADA"), the County of Norfolk will not discriminate against qualified individuals with disabilities on the basis of disability in its services, programs, or activities. This website attempts specifically to comply with ADA website accessibility standards. If you have difficulty accessing the site or have any comments or feedback, please contact the County Commissioners' office by mail, telephone, or email.