School Committee Awards New Transportation Contracts-July 16, 1981

On July 16, 1981, the Norwood School Committee successfully awarded new three-year school bus contracts, marking a peaceful and efficient conclusion to a process that had been fraught with budgetary conflict only a year prior. Following the recommendation of School Superintendent Louis J. Taris, the committee awarded the contract for transporting special needs students to Yellow Cab of Norwood. The cost for this service was structured at $174,654 annually if six vehicles were utilized, scaling up to $195,930 if eight vehicles were required. Although Sansone Motors of Norwood and Kiessling School Transportation of Walpole also submitted bids for the special needs contract, Yellow Cab of Norwood ultimately secured the agreement.

In a separate decision, the committee awarded the three-year contract for regular student transportation to Sansone Motors of Norwood at an annual cost of $281,509. This agreement was particularly notable as it marked the 44th consecutive year that Sansone Motors of Norwood had maintained this specific contract, a partnership stretching back to 1937. As the sole bidder for the regular transportation contract, Sansone Motors of Norwood provided a proposal that School Superintendent Louis J. Taris deemed entirely satisfactory. Business Manager John F. Monahan indicated that the committee had prudently budgeted $194,000 for special needs transportation, consistent with the spending levels from 1980. While the committee acknowledged that minor fund transfers from other line items might be necessary should costs exceed initial projections, they were confident that any shortfall would be minimal.

The success of the 1981 bidding process was a stark contrast to the 1980 experience, during which the committee had faced severe budget constraints that necessitated the reduction of vehicle counts and the staggering of school openings to reach a viable agreement with Yellow Cab of Norwood. Much of the credit for the smooth execution of the 1981 contracts was attributed to School Superintendent Louis J. Taris. Earlier in the planning phase, School Superintendent Louis J. Taris had actively rejected a proposal for the town to purchase or lease its own fleet of buses and hire its own drivers. While proponents of that plan argued it could lead to long-term savings, School Superintendent Louis J. Taris expressed concerns that such a shift would invite the unionization of drivers, potentially creating new collective bargaining units and leading to significantly higher salary obligations for the NORWOOD school system.

Following the vote, Committee Member Richard Joseph publicly commended School Superintendent Louis J. Taris and the administration for their thorough preparation and negotiation. The resolution of the transportation issue provided the NORWOOD School Committee with a stable foundation as they prepared for the 1981-1982 school year. By budgeting with greater accuracy and engaging established, reputable contractors, the committee successfully balanced the provision of essential services with fiscal responsibility. The peaceful awarding of these contracts served as a model for future school committees, establishing a milestone of administrative stability in the history of the NORWOOD school transportation system.

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