Selectmen Move to Quell Bar Disturbances and Address Comprehensive Town Business at Fall Meeting-September 26, 1973

Prompted by a stern state directive from the Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission (ABCC) detailing newly expanded statutory powers, the Norwood Board of Selectmen voted 4–1 last night to initiate a rigorous crackdown on late-night bar brawls, noise complaints, and public disturbances plaguing local drinking establishments, with an immediate focus on troubled venues throughout South Norwood.

Crackdown on Bar Disturbances and Memorial Hall Summons

Operating under the provisions of a significant June 1973 state law, local licensing authorities in Norwood are now empowered to proactively curtail operating hours and mandate the hiring of paid municipal police details at the direct expense of license holders upon the very first occurrence of disorder. To ensure compliance, the board scheduled a mandatory special meeting with all Norwood bar owners for October 9 at Memorial Hall.

Selectman Walter J. Dempsey, who vowed to “read them the riot act” to curb mounting community complaints, emphasized the gravity of the situation. “I’m not kidding,” Dempsey declared. “From now on, they’d better be careful. We’ve had all kinds of complaints, and, for one reason or another, it’s obvious the police can’t cope with it.” Town Manager John P. Mogan confirmed that the statute grants selectmen wide latitude to restrict operating hours—potentially rolling closing times back as early as 8:00 p.m.—provided the action serves the public good and is preceded by a proper public hearing.

Board Chairman William F. Butters cast the sole dissenting vote regarding the Memorial Hall meeting, arguing that establishment owners should already be fully cognizant of their legal obligations without a special warning. The board ultimately instructed the town manager and town counsel to confer with Chairman Butters to iron out logistical and operational protocols for enforcing the new measures.

Airport Master Plan and Committee Recommendations

In other extensive municipal actions, the board engaged in a lengthy review of regional infrastructure and development projects:

• Airport Master Plan: Following exhaustive discussions with a citizens advisory committee, selectmen voted unanimously to formally accept the final report on the Fay, Spofford & Thorndike airport master plan, transmitting the document to the Airport Commission as an informational resource. While the advisory report recommended constructing a new northeast-southwest runway strictly conditioned on phasing out the noise-sensitive east-west airstrip, Chairman Butters and Selectman Joseph W. Wall expressed reservations regarding specific proposals. Regarding an advisory recommendation to seat representatives from surrounding communities as nonvoting members on the airport commission, selectmen remained non-committal, though Sharon representative Herbert F. Smith urged long-term continuity for the multi-town advisory body.
• Golf Range Proposal Rejected: Selectmen voted unanimously to reject a private development proposal submitted by Dedham golf developer Joseph P. Lynch, who had sought to lease 20 town-owned conservation acres off University Avenue (originally gifted by Cabot, Cabot & Forbes Co. across from the Star Market warehouse) for use as a driving range. In exchange for rent-free commercial usage, Lynch had proposed leveling and maintaining the land for “conservation-type” public recreation. Moving swiftly to explore alternative municipal options, Dempsey successfully motioned to investigate direct cost figures for cleaning up the site, removing underlying peat, and grading it into a standard grass athletic field.
• Ellis Pond Acquisition Status: The legal standing of a contentious Monday night Town Meeting vote appropriating $140,000 to purchase Ellis Pond remained uncertain. Although Town Moderator William J. Plasko ultimately ruled that a simple majority (78–40) was sufficient—overriding his initial impression that a two-thirds supermajority was required—selectmen awaited a formal legal opinion from town counsel.
• Penn Central Railroad Trestle Adjustments: Responding to vocal protests from Bornwood Drive residents, the board voted to scale back the scope of a potential municipal purchase of Penn Central railroad property extending from Dean Street to Lenox Street. Selectmen agreed to consult town counsel regarding the elimination of the Dean and Lenox Street bridges from the acquisition while leaving the elevated trestle directly behind the Bornwood residences completely untouched to preserve neighborhood privacy from the industrial district.

Additional Board Actions and Municipal Business

In routine and housekeeping matters, selectmen took several notable administrative steps:

• Denied, for the third time, an application from Sokos Pizza on Washington Street requesting a license to install tables for on-premises food service.
• Approved tenure status for Dog Officer Angelo Iodice, while noting that formal inclusion on the January town election ballot would require compliance with strict statutory deadlines.
• Received financial updates from Town Manager Mogan indicating that the town is slated to receive $82,104 in Blue Shield premium adjustments concerning municipal employee insurance.
• Instructed the boards of health and fire departments to investigate reports of unsanitary, hazardous rubbish conditions at the rear of the Star Market complex off Rock Street, demanding corrective action from property owners.
• Defeated a 3–2 motion introduced by Selectman Wall to investigate reopening Lenox Street to public vehicular traffic ahead of the impending permanent closure of the Plimpton Press. Selectman Dempsey cautioned that the board should patiently await the outcome of ongoing tax foreclosure proceedings, warning that immediate action involving eminent domain or land takings might prove entirely unnecessary if the town eventually secures the property via tax default.

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