School Committee and FinCom Clash Over School Bus Budget and Business Manager Practices-August 26, 1976

Long-standing tensions between the Norwood Finance Commission and the School Committee flared up during a contentious joint meeting last night, as members exchanged sharp words over a school department request for a $16,271 reserve fund transfer to finance the upcoming school year’s field trips.

The clash centered on school transportation appropriations totaling $297,245. A bid submitted by Norwood’s Sansone Motors, Inc. came in at $295,000 for standard student transportation, leaving only $2,000 in the account. With $1,000 earmarked for dental clinic buses, the school department was left with a mere $1,000 for field trips—a program that cost $13,800 the previous year. Factoring in a 30 percent increase across all busing costs, School Business Manager Lawrence S. Canter prepared the $16,271 transfer request.

Financial Dispute and Tempers Flare

FinCom Chairman Joseph Adakonis challenged the figures, pointing out an apparent arithmetic error in the transportation contract prepared by Canter. Adakonis argued that correcting the calculation would reveal at least $6,500 remaining in the appropriation and criticized the department for the “same sloppy budget preparation” cited in an independent audit released last spring. Pointing directly at administrative oversight, Adakonis stated, “The school department’s problem is with the business manager, not with the finance commission.”

The remarks drew an immediate, furious response from School Committee Chairman Richard Joseph, who accused the FinCom of conducting a personal vendetta against Canter. “I’ll be damned if I’m going to come down here to hear you tearing apart the business manager. I’ll walk out first,” Joseph declared.

Much of the financial scrutiny focused on a steep increase in the mid-day kindergarten bus route, which jumped from $95 to $180 per day. Canter explained that he had questioned the bidder, learning the increase stemmed from a five-year advance bidding structure, though the FinCom demanded a more thorough accounting. Ultimately, finance board member George T. Mahoney requested that the school committee return with clarified data, and Chairman Joseph agreed to review the budget figures further.

School Committee Business: High School Lockers, Adult Lunches, and Grants

Following the heated session at Town Hall, the school committee relocated to its administration headquarters on Chapel Street to address its regular agenda, taking the following actions:

• High School Lockers: Voted to approve replacing outdated lockers at Norwood High School even though the lowest bid came in $600 over the budgeted $10,780, agreeing to transfer funds from another account.
• Cafeteria Pricing: Voted to raise the cost of adult school lunches from 75 to 90 cents to comply with state directives ensuring adult meals cover their own costs, while student meals remain subsidized.
• Special Needs Grant: Heard a presentation from Special Needs Coordinator William Deveney regarding a $13,000 state grant awarded to develop instructional materials for pre-school handicapped children.
• Commercial Filming: Voted earlier in the evening to permit Wildcat Productions, Inc.—filming commercials for the Greater Boston Chevrolet Dealers Association—to use Norwood High School as a backdrop during a Monday morning photo session. The board agreed to consult town counsel on how best to utilize the $100 fee paid to the town.

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