Ice-cold Reception-July 18, 1991

John Fitzpatrick, a school administrator from Foxboro , had been selling his chocolate ice cream at the town’s Summerfest concerts on the common for several weeks. However, he claimed that the Norwood Arts Council demanded he pay $70 for the privilege of selling his ice cream at the events.

Fitzpatrick maintained that he had all the necessary legal permits to sell ice cream on the common, having paid $127 to the state and $125 to the town of Foxboro , where he resides, for vendor licenses. He argued that Norwood did not require any additional licenses, making the arts council’s demand for $10 per show for the seven-concert music series unreasonable.

The president of the arts council, Robert Donnelly, denied any wrongdoing, stating that his nonprofit group merely asked Fitzpatrick for a donation. However, Fitzpatrick wrote to selectmen this week, claiming that the arts council was trying to intimidate him. He alleged that council members called police at last week’s concert and tried to shut down his business.

Donnelly and another member of the council, Paula Pelaggi, disputed Fitzpatrick’s claims, saying they only asked police to check his permits. The situation escalated when Fitzpatrick claimed that the arts council had been meeting privately after concerts at Carla’s Restaurant and decided to ask him for the $10 fee after one such meeting.

The state’s Open Meeting Law requires all public boards to post notice of their meetings 48 hours in advance and to hold them in municipal buildings. Donnelly argued that the post-concert gatherings were informal social events and did not violate the law, as they did not discuss business and a majority of voting members was never present at the restaurant gatherings.

The controversy surrounding Fitzpatrick’s ice cream sales sparked debate among local residents and officials. Jerry Miller, the town’s recreation director, expressed concerns that allowing vendors to sell on the common could lead to chaos, with multiple vendors competing for space. He suggested that the town should establish clear guidelines for vendors selling on the common.

On Common Ground, a downtown merchant, had offered to donate proceeds from ice cream sales during last night’s concert by The Bards to the arts council. However, because On Common Ground lacked vending permits, owner Jami Osborne could only sell ice cream from her storefront on Central Street.

Fitzpatrick stated that he would have been happy to donate some money to Summerfest if approached differently but not when it was demanded. He plans to buy $10 in raffle tickets from the arts council as a gesture of goodwill, but council members seem unwilling to forgive and forget.

The dispute between Fitzpatrick and the Norwood Arts Council highlights the complexities of community events and the need for clear communication among organizers, vendors, and local officials. As the controversy continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how the town will address the issue and ensure that future Summerfest concerts are enjoyable for all involved.

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