Norwood Selectmen Decline Seats on Private Westover Estates Development Committee-August 1, 1947

Unwilling To Name Officials To Special Westover Group

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Pointing out that it is inconsistent with the best interests of the people of the town for either an elected or appointed official of the town government to serve on a committee for the private development of the real estate, irrespective of what possible future benefits may be derived to the town by such development, General Manager Edward C. Monahan informed George F. Willett that the Norwood Board of Selectmen declined his request to appoint the Chairman of the Board or the General Manager to a special multi-town committee for the development of Westover Estates.

In a letter dated July 1947 following a formal board meeting on July 22, General Manager Edward C. Monahan conveyed the selectmen’s official response to George F. Willett‘s July 8 proposal. George F. Willett had sought to establish a working committee representing Norwood, Westwood, and Walpole, comprising the chairman of each town’s board, Westwood’s planning board chairman, Walpole’s town engineer, and Norwood’s general manager.

However, the Norwood Selectmen determined that such appointments would place public officials in an untenable dual role: “It is the sense of the Board of Selectmen that the appointment of such town officials to this special committee would put such officials in the most undesirable duplicate position of being interests on the one hand ill the development of the property and on the other hand as public officials 11 protecting the best interest of the Town.”

Furthermore, the board noted that “As members of a committee for a private development which by its very nature would cause them to do business with the Town, officials would be subjected to the opinions of other members of the committee and thus put in an impossible position insofar as their primary duties as public officials of Norwood arc concerned.”

Despite declining official seats on the private development committee, the board emphasized their willingness to cooperate on concrete proposals, stating, “The Selectmen want you to know that they, the General Manager and all other responsible officials of the Town of Norwood are prepared to cooperate with you to the fullest extent in connection with any concrete proposals made by you with respect to the development of Westover The Select men want you to know that they are sincerely interested in and fully applaud your efforts to bring to Norwood this anticipated excellent real estate development.”

Here is the full text of the letter:

“Reference Is made to your letter of July 8, 1947 requesting that the Chairman of the Norwood Board of Selectmen and the General Manager be appointed to a special committee to represent the towns of Westwood. Walpole and Norwood and consisting of the Chairman .of each board together with the Chairman of the Planning Board for Westwood, the Town Engineer of Walpole and in the case of Norwood, the General Manager

“The purpose of this special group according to your letter would be to function as a working committee in connection with the development of Westover.

“Please be advised that the Selectmen, after having given full consideration to your suggestion at their meeting on July 22, 1947 indicated their unwillingness to appoint either the Chairman of the Board or the General Manager to this special committee on the grounds that it is inconsistent with the best interests of the people 0! the Town for either an elected or appointed official of the Town Government to serve on a committee for the private development 0. real estate irrespective of what possible future benefits may be derived to the Town by such development.

“It is the sense of the Board of Selectmen that the appointment of such town officials to this special committee would put such officials in the most undesirable duplicate position of being interests on the one hand ill the development of the property and on the other hand as public officials 11 protecting the best interest of the Town.

“As members of a committee for a private development which by its very nature would cause them to do business with the Town, officials would be subjected to the opinions of other members of the committee and thus put in an impossible position insofar as their primary duties as public officials of Norwood arc concerned.

“The Selectmen want you to know that they, the General Manager and all other responsible officials of the Town of Norwood are prepared to cooperate with you to the fullest extent in connection with any concrete proposals made by you with respect to the development of Westover The Select men want you to know that they are sincerely interested in and fully applaud your efforts to bring to Norwood this anticipated excellent real estate development.

Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Norwood Messenger