HUNTERDON COUNTY, NJ – The Hunterdon County Commissioner Board recently received an update highlighting the activities of The Weights and Measures Division, one of the six divisions within the County Health Department.
Karen DeMarco, Director for the Health Department, provided brief comments about the work of the Division and introduced the Superintendent and Supervisor of the Division, Ricardo Elias, who provided a detailed presentation for the Commissioners.
Commissioner Director Jeff Kuhl said, “We appreciate the update from Mr. Elias on the important work of the Weights and Measures Division. Many people are unaware of the critical role performed by this unit of county government and the important part it plays in protecting the consumer health of our residents and businesses.”
Employees in Weights and Measures are working daily to ensure that every device in the county that weighs or measures anything is functioning correctly; this includes the timed vacuum cleaner at the carwash, the scales at the produce counter at the grocery store, the price scanners in the convenient store, the pill counters at the pharmacy, the gas station pumps, and home heating oil trucks making deliveries to resident homes.
The first New Jersey Office of Weights and Measures was created in 1911, by Governor Woodrow Wilson. The mission of the office was founded on maintaining equity in a competitive marketplace between consumers and businesses, protecting consumers and businesses from fraud, and verifying that consumers receive the correct amount of goods and services upon purchase.
The Hunterdon County Weights and Measures Division works closely with officials from the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs office to perform inspections, investigate complaints, and perform audits.
During 2023, the County Weights and Measures Division staff tested and inspected over 2,700 weighing and measuring devices, resulting in 272 violations discovered from various inspections and audits, and $12,757.00 received in fines from court summonses…
