Selectmen Defer Hearing for Town Manager Kendrick-This Day in Norwood History- September 14, 1938

Norwood Recall Action Assailed as “Politics’’

The expected airing of charges on which three members of the Board of Selectmen seek to oust Town Manager William C. Kendrick failed to materialize tonight when the Selectmen announced that their special counsel, George R. Farnum, had not had the opportunity to draw up the charges.

The Selectmen, however, attacked the movement for their recall as “a political maneuver to nullify the provisions of the town charter that the general manager shall be subject to the direction and supervision, and shall hold office at the will of the Selectmen.”

Following a closed meeting attended by Kendrick and Selectmen Sture Nelson, Herbert V. Brady and John Mutch, the Selectmen issued a statement declaring that if “certain town records, necessary to identify the charges,” are made available by the manager before the board’s regular meeting, a special meeting will be called “so that the public may be promptly informed.”

The three Selectmen had voted recently to oust Kendrick from his $5100-a-year job, but the vote was declared illegal by the town counsel because no charges had been filed. The town manager is still performing his duties.

The three Selectmen have until Thursday to act under a recall brought by town citizens. They have the alternative of resigning or of having their names go automatically onto a ballot with the names of other candidates for election.

Wed, Sep 14, 1938 – 26 · The Boston Globe (Boston, Massachusetts)