A second wave of recall petitions has been filed against a group of four Norwood school committee members, setting the stage for potential further upheaval on the board. The latest recall drive targets committee members Rudith Berkowitz, William E. Egan, Joseph M. Pentowski, and Joan H. Cuff for their refusal to restore school budget cuts.
Once Town Clerk Bartley W. Connolly completes the certification of roughly 300 signatures obtained for each petition, the Board of Selectmen will be required by the town charter to schedule a recall election between 25 and 35 days later. However, Connolly noted that selectmen might be permitted under the charter to delay the vote by up to 60 days if another town election coincides with that window—noting the possibility of a forthcoming special election to fill the selectman vacancy left by the recent passing of Selectman Joe Wall.
Dual Recall Efforts Over Budget Dispute
This second filing follows an earlier recall drive targeting the remaining three members of the school committee—Chairman Henry W. Diggs, Richard W. Kief, and John H. Chisholm—whose recall election is already scheduled for September 5. Both recall efforts were spearheaded by town meeting members citing fiscal irresponsibility after the committee rejected a $618,000 reduction to the school budget during the annual town meeting.
Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger
More…
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Norwood Junior High School Building Committee Reviews Five Replacement Plans-July 27, 1971
The Norwood building committee reviewed five alternate architectural plans for a new junior high school while exploring federal disaster aid.
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Meeting Ignores School Pleas, Cuts Budget By $126,558-June 15, 1971
A fierce debate over encumbered funds and municipal parity dominates a marathon Norwood Town Meeting session over the town budget.
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Board Agrees on Postponement of School Renovation Article-June 8, 1971
A multi-million dollar architectural estimate nearly doubles expected costs for the burned-out Junior High South, prompting town leaders to delay action.
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School Committee Reverses Votes-June 3, 1971
In 1970, the Norwood School Committee reversed two earlier decisions after strong parent turnout, restoring Shattuck School students to Junior High North and adopting a mid‑year “flip‑flop” double‑session schedule while addressing civic center polling and a hospital parking dispute.
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Norwood Pupils To Attend Double Sessions After $2M Fire-January 25, 1971
Blaze at junior high ‘was set’ Seven hundred fifty pupils from Norwood South Junior High School, which was gutted by a $2 million general alarm fire Saturday night, will start double sessions with the pupils at North Junior High later this week. Norwood Fire Chief Irving J. Dobson said yesterday, after a preliminary investigation: “The…
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Bells Are Ringin’-July 3, 1970
The Norwood School Committee overhauled its student transportation system and faced an $8,000 wave of structural school vandalism in July 1970
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School Board Stops Metco And Book Lists-June 18, 1970
A tie vote defeats a local high school Metco expansion while the school committee votes to completely abolish student reading lists
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Boards Press for Expanded Community Use of School Gymnasiums-August 14, 1969
Citing taxpayer ownership and a lack of indoor recreational space, Norwood selectmen and Charles C. Saraca urged the school committee to open school gyms to the public.
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Strikes And Weather Delay North Junior High School Construction-June 17, 1969
Superintendent Warns Of Possible Double-Session Classes If Washington Street Facility Openings Fail A steel strike at the end of last summer halted installation of metal decking for the roof and delayed the roofer. Snow and freezing weather further hampered the project before the roof could be completed at the new school site. Without a roof,…
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Norwood Oasis in Tension Era-June 8, 1968
Henry Diggs, Irma Diggs, Jacqueline Diggs, Judith Diggs, printer, teacher, School Committee, Boy Scouts, Girl Scout Council, Norwood Junior High School, Metco, Norwood Ministerial Ass., Springfield College, Lesley College, physical education teacher, substitute teacher, politics, schools, elections, local history, jun-8, 1968, 1960s
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