John Shea Appointed Full-Time Norwood Firefighter-August 24, 1977

The Board of Selectmen voted unanimously last night to appoint Shea as a full-time, permanent firefighter, even as board members expressed lingering uncertainty regarding civil service age requirements for the fire department.

Shea had previously served five months as a police patrolman—earning an impressive score of 97 out of 100 on his civil service exam—before it was discovered that he had applied at age 33, making him one year over the state age limit. Despite that prior disqualification, selectmen endorsed his appointment to the fire department, where he had already begun working as a firefighter since Sunday. Selectman Joseph Curran championed the hire, noting, “Mr. Shea is highly qualified.”

Legislative Exemptions and Next Steps

To resolve potential legal vulnerabilities regarding his eligibility, town officials explored pursuing a special legislative exemption. Selectmen initially hoped State Representative Gregory Sullivan would sponsor a bill exempting Shea from civil service age restrictions, and selectman Walter Dempsey suggested petitioning the governor directly if needed. However, Rep. Sullivan stated that he could not independently file such a bill through the legislature without town meeting backing, noting that selectmen could instead petition the governor or seek approval at a special town meeting scheduled for September or October.

When reached for comment at the fire station, Shea indicated that he was “still undecided” on whether to push for a formal exemption bill or take his case to the upcoming town meeting. In the meantime, he will continue serving as a full-time firefighter while town officials sort out the procedural guidelines.

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