Springfield courthouse employees grill state officials over health concerns

SPRINGFIELD -- Courthouse employees wanted definite answers to their concerns about whether or not the Roderick L. Ireland Courthouse has made -- or will make -- them sick.

Nearly 250 people attended a 1 p.m. meeting Friday in the jury pool room on the third floor, and many of those who spoke indicated they were angry because they feel like problems in the building have been ignored over the years.

The Republican on Oct. 5 reported that employees of the building on lower State Street received a memo the day before alerting staff to past and ongoing environmental testing of surfaces, water and air in the building.

Sources told The Republican that mercury and lead levels were of particular concern among employees because retired Judge William Boyle -- who is the second judge in the building to be diagnosed with Lou Gerhrig's disease -- had levels far exceeding the norm.

Read more: https://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2018/10/courthouse_employees_prove_to.html