Record Five-Hour Town Meeting slashes $500,000 in Capital Requests to Curb Random Spending
Heading warnings of mounting financial burdens, a special town meeting last night spent only $14,090 of a possible $508,957
The body decisively killed warrant articles seeking about $230,000 for a high school addition and an additional $210,000 to rebuild the Pleasant Street bridge. The five-hour session completed action on all 25 warrant articles and adjourned at 1:14 a.m. Many present considered it the longest town meeting in Norwood‘s history.
The strict warnings to curb municipal spending came mostly from George T. Mahoney, chairman of the Finance Commission, who told the 130 members present: “We have no bright future… we cannot go on spending at this random rate.” George T. Mahoney also noted that Tuesday’s setting of the tax rate effectively prevented major capital expenditures, including advanced school planning lines. The Finance Commission had recommended total expenditures of $13,090. The meeting added just $1,000 to that baseline and strictly followed 16 of 17 financial board recommendations.
The single departure from the commission’s conservative ledger was a $1,000 compromise appropriation for drain construction to allow access to a proposed League field located next to Endean Park. The original article, which was not supported by the finance board, sought $17,000 to construct a full roadway and a dedicated water-line to the athletic field; that larger measure lost on the floor by an 80 to 50 margin. Another recreation item killed during the fiscal purge was a $3,500 request to bankroll preliminary plans and specifications for a municipally owned ice skating rink, which failed on a swift voice vote.
Furthermore, the town meeting refused to restore $21,800 that had been cut from the school administrators’ salaries back in March. However, the members completely reversed a 1968 zoning decision, voting to rezone 4.5 acres of land at Route 1, Neponset Street, and Nahatan Street to grant Carl A. Johnson a brand new commercial location for his Norwood Cadillac Co. dealership.
Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger
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Norwood Prepares Recreation Center Expansion, New Junior High Plans, and Governor John A. Volpe Visit-October 14, 1966
Norwood architects finalize plans for a recreation center addition and junior high school revisions ahead of a November town meeting, while Governor Volpe prepares to visit.
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State Approval “Virtually Assured” for Two New Norwood Schools as Building Commission Reviews Plans-October 6, 1966
State officials declare approval of two new Norwood schools virtually assured, while Peabody School celebrates its tenth nursing graduation and local PTAs hold fall meetings.
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$4.5 Million Senior High School Proposed to Address Norwood Enrollment Growth-October 26, 1965
Proposing a $4.5 million project for a new 2,000-student senior high school, School Committee member William Egan outlined a facility conversion plan to handle expanding local enrollments.
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Norwood School Study Group Pushes for New Elementary and Junior High Schools-October 8, 1965
Norwood school study committee pushes for town meeting approval of a new elementary school and junior high school, while debating a senior high addition.
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Superintendent Coakley Tells PTA Council That $4 Million in New School Construction Is Mandatory-September 10, 1965
Dr. Philip O. Coakley tells the PTA Council that $4 million in new school construction—including a new elementary and junior high—is mandatory to handle over-capacity enrollment.
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Oldham Building Committee Awaits Construction Deadlines as Planning Board Weighs Town Map Revisions-August 31, 1964
As summer drew to a close in 1964, tensions mounted on two municipal fronts in Norwood: the Oldham Building Committee prepared to weigh potential legal action against a lagging prime contractor, while the Planning Board met to overhaul official town maps to align with newly adopted zoning bylaws. Oldham School Completion Deadlines and Contractor Dispute…
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Local Firm Designing Additions To Balch & Cleveland Schools-August 5, 1964
This Day In Norwood History-August 5, 1964-Local Firm Designing Both School Additions
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Oldham School Drainage Repairs Scheduled For Completion-June 24, 1964
Corrective Measures Target Long-Standing Controversy At Elementary Site Corrective measures designed to resolve persisting drainage problems at the Oldham Elementary School are scheduled to be completed by the end of this week. The ongoing drainage difficulties at the new school site had been the subject of a long controversy in discussions of the Oldham School…
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School Study Committee Recommends 16-Room Elementary School-October 4, 1963
The School Study Committee votes 5-4 to recommend a new 16-room elementary school and unanimously backs a Balch School addition for the upcoming special town meeting.
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Oldham School Committee to Review Contractor Deadlines-September 12, 1964
The Oldham School Committee meets to evaluate construction deadlines as Norwood public schools open for the academic year, while selectmen delay a store food license.
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