PRST STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID Norwood, MA Permit #7
Postal Customer Local
Vol. 6 No. 2
DPW Building: A Little Late, Under Budget
Our Town Our History by
August 1, 2015
Free to Every Home and Business Every Month
Donna Lane
By Rebecca Keister
There are so many local gems throughout the Town of Norwood, Norwood Local Town Pages is proud to pay tribute to this flourishing community. In this informative series, we will highlight a landmark, local historian or place and give its origination/historical background. The History of the George H. Morse House 1285 Washington Street The George H. Morse House was built circa 1868 in what was then South Dedham, and four years later became the Town of Norwood. The Morse family lived in the Ezra Morse House, built circa 1678, located on the property, until the George H. Morse House was built, at which time the Ezra Morse House was torn down. Ed Kniolek, a member of the Morse House Restoration Committee, said this site, known as Morse Hill, is the original property settled by Ezra Morse. It was home to seven generations of Ezra’s family, ending with George, who was an auctioneer, a farmer, and one of the Town’s
rive You D x it fi it we
first selectmen. In the 1837 Historical Address to the citizens of the Town of Dedham upon the “Second Centennial Anniversary” of its incorporation, Samuel F. Haven wrote about sorely needed corn mills, the establishment of a new mill by Ezra Morse, and conveyed complaints by another mill owner that Morse’s dam obstructed the water needed for his mill. “In 1674, a committee was chosen to regulate the water at the upper dam. Complaints being renewed, in 1677, the town resolved to do nothing
HISTORY continued on page 2
Norwood’s new Department of Public Works building should be completed by late summer, a little behind schedule, but also a little under budget. “It’s incredibly exciting,” said Department of Public Works Director Mark Ryan. “There’s been a lot of hard work by a lot of people. This is a state-of-the-art facility that will serve the town for many, many years.” Originally scheduled to open in July, the new DPW building and yard now is projected to be available for staff move-in this September. As of July 31, expenditures totaled $14.5 million of the $16.8 million budget, which was approved by town meeting in February. The DPW has spent only 2 percent of that money on contingency plans, including material changes. Ryan said a normal projection for contingency spending is anywhere from 5 percent to 8 percent of a budget. Part of Ryan’s excitement stems from the fact that Norwood’s DPW has been pushing for a new facility for nearly 30 years. Getting
DPW continued on page 7
PLEASANT ST AUTO FOREIGN & DOMESTIC SERVICE AND SALES
781-769-0077
www.pleasantstauto.com • OPEN SATURDAYS
1081 Pleasant St • Norwood
8 Fleet Maintenance Specialists
G
farther about it. So the matter stood till May, 1699, when it was thought advisable to remove Morse’s dam, and let the water run in its ancient channel. As a compensation for this measure, which seems to have been suggested by the owner himself, a grant of forty acres was made to Ezra Morse, ‘near Neponsit river, at the old saw mill, or at Everett’s Plain, where he may find it most to his satisfaction; provided that the town may be
here – with the project nearing completion – has involved years of advocating the need to town officials, scouring for an appropriate location and gaining approval to borrow the necessary funds. “This has been a long time coming,” Ryan said. “Were just so very fortunate that town meeting approved it. I want to say a big thank you to Town Meeting and everyone who supported this. The men and women who work here are grateful and are as excited as I am.” Ryan said a blizzard-filled winter over the 2014-2015 season pushed the construction schedule behind about a month, but that work under Compass Project Management has proceeded smoothly. The project was constructed in three phases. The first phase– construction of a building at 37 Lenox St., was completed in August, 2014. The second phase– work on the building at the Winter Street landfill, was completed in December, 2014.
INTERNAL MEDICINE, PEDIATRICS & 28 SPECIALTIES
WE WELCOME NEW PATIENTS
Stay Healthy All Summer! Two Locations - 1177 Providence Hwy (Rte 1 S), Norwood
781-329-1400
Register for Our Next FREE Gift of Planning Seminar
Funeral Home
www.gilloolyfuneralhome.com
One Lyons Street, Dedham
DedhamMedical.com
illooly
126 Walpole Street, Norwood, MA 02062 Phone: (781) 762-0174 • Fax: (781) 762-2818 Gilloolyfuneralhome@gmail.com
•
Frederick J. Wobrock - Managing Director A Service Family Affiliate of AFFS and Service Corporation International 206 Winter Street, Fall River, MA 02720 • 508-676-2454
August 8 & September 19 at 1 p.m. Please RSVP to (781) 762-0174 by August 6 (for 8/8) and by September 17 (for 9/19)