FinCom Chairman William F. Collins Stirs Controversy with Shift on School Budget Restoration-August 11, 1978

Finance Commission Chairman William F. Collins triggered immediate division and consternation—even among his own colleagues—when he publicly announced that a majority of the finance commission now intends to substantially support the restoration of school budget funds ahead of an upcoming special town meeting.

Speaking on behalf of fellow commissioners Joseph R. Adakonis and E. Peter Bamber, Collins indicated that a majority of the FinCom feels compelled by public responsibility to back a significant portion of the $363,000 supplemental appropriation requested by the school committee. The announcement signaled a potential thawing of tensions between the school committee and the FinCom ahead of the scheduled August 28 special town meeting, where voters will decide whether to reverse portions of an earlier $618,000 slash to the school operating budget.

However, the dramatic declaration caught fellow finance commissioners Allan D. Howard and William C. Phipps entirely off guard, as Collins made the statement without consulting them. Voicing sharp opposition, Howard stated, “In my mind, to this date, nothing has changed,” explaining that he lacked data from the school department to substantiate the $363,000 request and demanding a “show of good faith” regarding personnel reductions. Phipps echoed the sentiment bluntly, declaring, “He’s not speaking for the commission and not speaking for me… As far as I’m concerned the annual town meeting is over and they have $618,000 less than they asked for.” Meanwhile, Richard T. King, president of the Norwood Teachers Association—the union that spearheaded a taxpayer lawsuit demanding full budget restoration—noted that Collins’ policy shift would have no immediate impact on the ongoing court action, which will remain active until town meeting day.

The political fallout extended directly into an ongoing school committee recall effort. John W. Hayes, leader of the successful petition drive that forced a recall election against targeted school committeemen, reacted with fury to the FinCom’s pivot. “This change of heart makes no sense to me and will raise the eyebrows of many Norwood taxpayers,” Hayes remarked, expressing utter astonishment at the board’s maneuvering. School Committeeman Richard W. Kief, one of the officials targeted by the recall for initially resisting the full budget cuts, found Collins’ statement encouraging but noted that the timing would do little to halt the upcoming special recall election. Kief defended his previous opposition to the cuts, arguing that slashing budgets late in June without adequate long-term educational planning was irresponsible. With the August 28 town meeting rapidly approaching, town officials and taxpayers alike brace for a high-stakes showdown over school financing and accountability.

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