Board Votes 4-1 to Protect Town Interests Against Developer’s Office Condominium Project as blue Law Video Games Approved
The Board of Selectmen have voted 4-1 to formally demand an $8,000 cash deposit from the prospective buyers of the former Winslow School to legally bind a proposed $325,500 real estate purchase.
Town Counsel Justin C. Barton strongly recommended demanding this “good faith money” to legally secure the transaction, noting it is standard procedure under any normal purchase and sales agreement. The requirement directly encourages the prospective buyer not to simply “walk away” from the deal, Barton noted. The $8,000 figure represents the exact same financial percentage previously put down by Norwood Hospital for their acquisition of the Norwood Civic Center, where the hospital deposited $50,000 against an initial $2 million purchase price. According to Barton, the attorney representing the Winslow Avenue Trust—the developer planning to convert the historic school building into professional office condominiums—has twice explicitly stated that his client would not put up a deposit.
Barton’s recommendation sparked sharp debate among board members. On a preliminary straw poll, it initially appeared that three selectmen were willing to entirely forgo the deposit, but only Chairman John F. Kinnaly maintained that stance on the final 4-1 vote. Kinnaly opposed the mandate primarily because a deposit was never explicitly outlined in the original bidding specifications distributed to developers. Furthermore, Kinnaly noted, the developing trust includes well-known, highly respected local men. However, Selectman William F. Butters argued strenuously that a deposit is standard business practice, asserting that the buyers should be treated in a strictly professional manner rather than on a personal basis. Besides, Butters noted, the final sale price is “far below” what the valuable municipal property is actually worth. “I’m never reluctant to admit a mistake,” Butters remarked when Kinnaly highlighted the omission of the deposit clause in the initial bidding terms. Kinnaly countered, “I don’t believe in sticking it to people after they cooperate… I believe in going according to Hoyle,” emphasizing his strict adherence to the original bidding specifications. Selectman Thomas A. Riolo sided with the majority, noting he believed it would pose “no hardship” for the buyers to post the $8,000.
Town Counsel Barton also raised a second formal objection to the purchase and sale agreement submitted by the developer’s attorney, James Hilliard. A rider attached to the text made the final sale subject to the developers obtaining “all municipal approvals,” rather than just the single rezoning amendment scheduled for a vote at Monday’s upcoming special town meeting. This expansive language would technically include the final occupancy permit, which is not issued until all interior renovations converting the school to office use are completed. Consequently, the buyer would not be required to pay the town a single dime until the entire project was finished. “That’s going way overboard,” Kinnaly stated, a sentiment with which Barton fully agreed. To resolve the contract differences, Kinnaly scheduled a meeting with the corporate attorneys and Building Inspector John E. Grover to determine whether additional Zoning Board of Appeals action would be required for the office conversion following a successful rezoning vote by town meeting. In Barton’s legal opinion, the town meeting vote alone would suffice.
In other municipal business, selectmen voted 4-1 to approve the annual Norwood Jaycees carnival, to be held on commercial property situated at Dean Street and the Route 1 access road directly behind the Honolulu Restaurant. Selectman Butters cast the lone dissenting vote, citing immediate concern for nearby residential homeowners. The board also rejected, in a 3-2 vote, a proposal to take any preliminary steps toward regionalizing firefighting services with four neighboring towns, such as establishing a joint emergency communications dispatch desk.
Additionally, the Headquarters Cafe in South Norwood will successfully receive the two electronic video games management had requested. Selectmen voted 3-2 to grant the amusement license, following a request by Selectman Riolo to reconsider a 2-2 tie vote from the previous week. Riolo had been absent for that earlier session. The five-member board remains deeply philosophically divided regarding the licensing of traditional pinball machines and the newer, coin-operated amusement machines known as video computer games. Riolo noted he could favor them depending entirely on location, stating that a barroom setting was not objectionable to him.
Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger
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