Town Meeting Approves Precinct Voting Plan and Polaroid Utilities Funding-September 10, 1968

Concluding a protracted special session, town meeting members voted final approval to establish a new six-district precinct voting system in Norwood and authorized $105,000 to complete water and sewer line infrastructure servicing the Polaroid Corp. complex on Upland Road.

Precinct Voting Plan and Polling Locations

Under the new precinct ruling, which takes effect in January, Norwood voters will be divided across six districts and nine designated polling locations:

• Precincts 1 & 2: Oldham School
• Precincts 3 & 5: Norwood Junior High School
• Precinct 4: Cleveland School
• Precincts 6 & 7: Balch School
• Precinct 8: Callahan School
• Precinct 9: Prescott School

Selectman John A. Abdallah, a principal architect of the districting plan, urged adoption to cope with burgeoning voter enrollment and eliminate severe congestion at the traditional voting site at the Norwood Armory on Nahatan Street, which he noted had become “nearly impassable.” Finance Committee Chairman Joseph W. Wall estimated the conversion would add minimal cost, noting that each town election runs between $3,500 and $5,000. The precinct plan carried by a 55–35 vote.

Polaroid Utility Funding and Additional Town Actions

Town meeting also approved a $105,000 appropriation to finalize water ($75,000) and sewer ($30,000) line construction to the Polaroid complex, bringing total utility expenditures for the site to $275,000 since 1965. Of the new funds, $55,000 will be transferred from the excess and deficiency account, with the remaining $50,000 borrowed over five years.

In other business, the assembly:

• Established a 75-foot buffer zone for manufacturing districts—backed by planning board member William Bamber—requiring the outer 50 feet to be maintained in a park-like setback.
• Defeated two controversial zoning articles proposing to change residential land between East Cross and Dean streets to manufacturing use, following opposition from member Robert Fitzsimmons and attorney Justin Barton.
• Approved a $20 fine for motorists leaving vehicles unattended on private ways that obstruct fire department equipment, specifically targeting traffic congestion in the Windsor Gardens complex.

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