Football Field Lights Approved-August 26, 1981

Following an hour of heated debate over funding responsibilities, the Board of Selectmen voted 3–2 last night to approve a plan to relocate lighting fixtures from the former Civic Center—sold to Norwood Hospital the previous year—to Murray Field at Norwood High School.

The joint meeting was convened at the request of the School Committee to rescue the project from administrative limbo after previous deadlocks. Spearheading the initiative, High School Football Coach John Doherty and Athletic Director Arthur Gulla argued that hosting night games would significantly boost sports program revenue by drawing larger crowds than traditional Saturday afternoon contests, while also allowing other groups like the high school band to utilize the facility after dark. The team had previously played only one non-league night game per year utilizing rented lights.

Funding Debate and Split Vote

While cost estimates varied—Coach Doherty placed the expense between $15,000 and $20,000, whereas School Committee Chairman William F. Pudsey estimated $30,000 to $33,000—organizers proposed that the installation be entirely funded through night game ticket receipts and fundraising efforts by civic groups over a one- to five-year period. Under the arrangement, the municipal light department would install the equipment and hold the billing until sufficient funds were raised.

Selectmen pressed the School Committee to commit at least to ongoing maintenance costs, but the committee refused to allocate any school funds, citing budget constraints, program cuts, and teacher layoffs driven by Proposition 2 1/2.

Opposing selectmen Walter J. Dempsey and William J. Plasko voted against the project, warning that taxpayers could ultimately be left footing the bill due to a lack of guaranteed revenue. “There’s nothing in writing as to how we’ll get the money back,” Dempsey remarked, while also urging the school board to implement strict security measures to curb underage drinking and rowdiness during night events. Despite these concerns, Selectmen John F. Kinnaly, William F. Butters, and Thomas A. Riolo voted to move forward. Town Manager John J. Carroll stated that the lights could realistically be installed in time for a scheduled September 18 night matchup against Boston College High School.

Special Town Meeting Called for $2 Million Water Main Project

In other municipal business, selectmen voted to call a Special Town Meeting for September 28 to approve the launch of a major infrastructure initiative. The project involves constructing three new water mains beneath Neponset, Walpole, and Washington streets over a five- to ten-year period. Estimated at $2 million, Town Manager Carroll noted that the town stands a strong chance of securing $475,000 in state grants to offset the cost. Carroll emphasized that the new mains are urgently required to ensure adequate water pressure for firefighting in the southern and western sections of town

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