A deadlocked board vote abruptly blocked a municipal effort to lift remaining emergency water conservation curbs across Norwood.
Board Debate Over Metropolitan District Commission Guidelines
Selectmen Walter J. Dempsey and John A. Abdallah jointly proposed lifting the ongoing municipal ban on the use of lawn-sprinkling devices and hoses for automobile washing, arguing that an “emergency situation” no longer existed and that a return to normal operating procedures was overdue. The board had previously rescinded restrictions on outdoor water usage for water-fed air conditioning units.
However, Board Chairman Harry B. Butters and Selectman Martin Lydon fiercely opposed the motion, resulting in a 2-2 tie vote that caused the measure to fail on the floor (with the fifth board member, Charles L. Rich, absent). Chairman Butters maintained that lifting the ban was premature and ill-advised because the town’s primary wholesale water supplier, the Metropolitan District Commission (MDC), had not yet officially withdrawn or mitigated the severe restrictions implemented earlier that summer.
Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger
More…
-
Average Water and Sewer Bill in Norwood to Increase by Three Dollars Monthly-August 12, 1993
Norwood water and sewer bills will rise 8.8 percent, adding $3 monthly to average bills due to Boston Harbor cleanup costs and lower consumption.
-
Tie Vote Blocks Elimination of Town Water Restrictions in Norwood-September 8, 1971
A 2-2 tie vote by Norwood selectmen keeps lawn-sprinkling and car-washing water bans in place, pending formal guidance from the Metropolitan District Commission.
-
Representative David Ahearn Opposes Boston Edison Company Electricity Rate Hike-July 29, 1970
Representative David Ahearn led opposition against a Boston Edison Company rate hike that threatened Norwood residents with $300,000 in added costs.
-
Residents Oppose Planned Electricity Lines-July 29, 1953
Norwood residents protested a $2.3-million high-voltage power line proposal at a selectmen’s meeting, raising concerns over property values and eminent domain.
Discover more from Norwood Historical Society
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.