History of Dedham, Massachusetts, 2000–present

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The history of Dedham, Massachusetts from 2000 to present begins at the third millennium and continues to the present day. Notable events include several large commercial and residential developments, the Town's 375th anniversary, municipal building projects, and changes to the Charter.

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Development

Major developments in Dedham include the Jewish Rashi School, a $30 million building on the 162-acre campus of Hebrew SeniorLife's NewBridge on the Charles in the fall of 2010.[1] The 82,000-square-foot LEED-certified school opened in the fall of 2010 with 300 students in kindergarten through eighth grade and room to grow the population.[1] The first of the 700[1] residents of NewBridge on the Charles moved in on June 1, 2010.[2]

After Legacy Place, a shopping mall with 80 stores, restaurants, and a 15-screen movie theater opened, businesses in Dedham Square suffered.[3] Legacy Place opened in 2009, with the first movie being shown to the public on August 27, 2009.[4] The first film was Inglourious Basterds, and the first film was Shutter Island, a movie partially filmed in Dedham.[4]

There are police substations at NewBridge and at Legacy Place.[2]

Municipal building projects

Town Meeting created a School Building/ Rehabilitation Committee (SBRC) in 2000.[5] In 2006 the new Dedham Middle School was opened next door to the existing Dedham Middle School, which previously served as Dedham High School from 1915 to 1959.[6] The 130,000 square feet (12,000 m2) Certified Green School cost $22,353,209.[7]

In 2012 a new 61,000 square feet (5,700 m2) Avery Elementary School was opened at a cost of $19,285,949.[8] Like, the Middle School, it was designed by the firm of Dore and Whittier.[8] In 2015 the SBRC was considering where to build a new Early Childhood Education Center.[9]

Town Meeting rejected a $40 million proposal in November 2014 to buy a 490,000 square feet (46,000 m2) portion of the former Rust Craft Greeting Card building at 100 Rustcraft Road for use as a Town Hall, Senior Center, and Police Station.[10][11] The Town had already spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in due diligence when Town Meeting rejected the plan.[11]

At the 2014 Annual Town Meeting it was voted instead to purchase the 33,000 square feet (3,100 m2)[11] Ames Schoolhouse for $5.85 million and renovate it to be used as a Town Hall and Senior Center.[12] An additional $1 million was appropriated to relocate the tenants of the schoolhouse,[11] which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.[13] The price to renovate the building ballooned from $10.6 million to $14.1 million after a more thorough inspection of the building was conducted.[14][nb 1] Town Meeting Representatives and other supporters of a Senior Center, a building discussed and debated for more than 30 years,[11] "wooed and applauded loudly,"[15] and were dancing in the aisles after the article passed.[16]

After most of the Town's administrative offices move into the Ames Schoolhouse, the Police Department was expected to renovate the old Town Hall for their use at a cost of $9.5 million.[11] Plans changed, however, to knocking down the existing Town Hall and instead building a combined public safety building for both the police and fire departments. The 2016 Annual Town Meeting spent two hours debating the construction of a new, stand-alone Early Childhood Education Center at the Dexter School. Despite a split vote of the School Building/ Rehabiliation Committee, and only one of the nine members of the Finance and Warrant Committee speaking in favor of it, the $18.9 million proposal passed with broad support.[17] It will be the first pre-school and kindergarten facility in the state financed with money from the state.[17]

Government

Charter changes

In March 2012 the Board of Selectmen created a Charter Advisory Committee to review the Town's governing document and to recommend changes.[18] The committee consisted of Thomas R. Polito, Jr., Joseph Pascarella, Kevin Mawe, Jay Donahue, Brian Keaney, Cherylann Sheehan, and Camille Zahka,[19] and met more than 25 times before presenting their findings to the Selectmen in August 2013.[18]

The Selectmen sent the recommendations on to Town Meeting, who presented them to Town Meeting. The Town Meeting approved all but one, calling for term limits. At the 2014 Town Election, voters approved five of the six amendments, with the only exception being an increase in the term of the Town Clerk from three to five years.[20]

Selectmen elections

2016

Two seats for three year terms available.

SELECTMEN[21] Pct.1 Pct.2 Pct.3 Pct.4 Pct.5 Pct.6 Pct.7 TOTAL
Blanks 211 132 75 125 132 158 139 972
THOMAS M. BONCEK 54 42 32 47 66 72 74 387
BRENDAN KEOGH 212 274 137 200 211 250 253 1537
MICHAEL L. BUTLER 199 173 117 162 172 272 182 1277
Write-ins 2 1 1 0 3 2 2 11
TOTAL 678 622 362 534 584 754 650 4184

2015

One seat for a full three year term available.

SELECTMEN 3yr[22] Pct.1 Pct.2 Pct.3 Pct.4 Pct.5 Pct.6 Pct.7 TOTAL TOTAL
Blanks 149 136 90 109 134 140 167 925 35.81%
JAMES A. MACDONALD 220 267 157 198 275 272 254 1,643 63.61%
Write-ins 3 1 0 1 3 5 2 15 0.58%
TOTAL 372 404 247 308 412 417 423 2,583

A separate election was called for when Carmen Dello Iacono stepped down as Selectman to becoming the Town's electrical inspector.

SELECTMEN 1yr[22] Pct.1 Pct.2 Pct.3 Pct.4 Pct.5 Pct.6 Pct.7 TOTAL TOTAL
Blanks 14 7 15 8 17 17 10 88 3.41%
STEPHEN M. BILAFER 210 89 66 104 114 171 157 911 35.27%
BRENDAN KEOGH 146 308 166 193 278 227 255 1,573 60.90%
Write-ins 2 0 0 3 3 2 1 11 0.43%
TOTAL 372 404 247 308 412 417 423 2,583

2014

Two seats for full three year terms were available.

SELECTMEN[20] Pct.1 Pct.2 Pct.3 Pct.4 Pct.5 Pct.6 Pct.7 TOTAL Pct
Blanks 183 215 170 139 226 217 245 1395 15.2%
BRENDAN KEOGH 167 422 97 188 221 198 176 1469 16.0%
MARY E. GILBERT 375 88 75 124 129 151 112 1054 11.5%
DENNIS J. TEEHAN, JR 295 196 163 261 289 292 301 1797 19.5%
CHERYL A. SCHOENFELD 186 104 130 97 157 167 264 1105 12.0%
KENNETH P. GILCHRIST 8 23 47 15 19 31 15 158 1.7%
DENNIS J. GUILFOYLE 88 236 298 220 409 330 318 1899 20.7%
DANIEL JON O'NEIL, JR 19 32 33 16 36 39 26 201 2.2%
THOMAS M. BONCEK 13 10 23 12 17 18 12 105 1.1%
WRITE-INS 2 0 2 0 3 1 1 9 0.1%
TOTAL 1336 1326 1038 1072 1506 1444 1470 9192

2013

Two seats for full three year terms were available.

SELECTMEN[23] Pct.1 Pct.2 Pct.3 Pct.4 Pct.5 Pct.6 Pct.7 TOTAL
Blanks 277 170 173 191 288 310 286 1695
CARMEN E. DELLOIACONO, JR. 232 179 154 231 256 292 286 1630
MICHAEL L. BUTLER 247 165 134 204 246 287 270 1553
Write-ins 2 4 1 2 6 5 6 26
TOTAL 758 518 462 628 796 894 848 4904

2012

One seat for a full three year term available.

SELECTMEN[24] Pct. 1 Pct. 2 Pct. 3 Pct. 4 Pct. 5 Pct. 6 Pct. 7 TOTAL Pct
Blanks 137 58 61 93 83 116 65 613 32.1%
JAMES A. MACDONALD 182 163 151 152 180 240 203 1271 66.6%
Miscellaneous Write-ins 2 1 0 4 5 6 6 24 1.3%
TOTAL 321 222 212 249 268 362 274 1908

2011

Two seats for full three year terms were available.

SELECTMEN[25] Pct.1 Pct.2 Pct.3 Pct.4 Pct.5 Pct.6 Pct.7 TOTAL PCT
Blanks 107 128 105 192 122 150 146 950 14.3%
ROBERT B. O'CONNELL 25 59 66 141 88 62 82 523 7.9%
SARAH MACDONALD 407 216 140 389 233 223 270 1,878 28.3%
GEORGE PANAGOPOULOS 224 127 98 200 158 128 220 1,155 17.4%
PAUL REYNOLDS 341 220 147 418 200 255 267 1,848 27.9%
SABINO J. CELATA 24 46 30 46 36 42 44 268 4.0%
Miscellaneous Write-ins 0 0 0 2 1 0 1 4 0.1%
TOTAL 1,128 796 586 1,388 838 860 1,030 6,626 100.0%

2010

Two seats for full three year terms were available.

SELECTMEN[26] Pct.1 Pct.2 Pct.3 Pct.4 Pct.5 Pct.6 Pct.7 TOTAL PCT
Blanks 253 133 139 210 151 141 158 1,185 18.7%
CARMEN E. DELLOIACONO, JR. 178 216 186 324 215 224 269 1,612 25.5%
MICHAEL L. BUTLER 302 196 140 379 167 199 245 1,628 25.7%
ROBERT W. DESMOND 69 74 58 127 100 65 97 590 9.3%
DEREK J. MOULTON 180 150 237 224 150 165 197 1,303 20.6%
Miscellaneous Write-ins 2 1 0 2 1 0 2 8 0.1%
TOTAL 984 770 760 1266 784 794 968 6,326 1

2009

One seat for a full three year term was available.

SELECTMEN[27] Pct.1 Pct.2 Pct.3 Pct.4 Pct.5 Pct.6 Pct.7 TOTAL %
Blanks 55 29 35 82 44 56 66 367 11.4%
SABINO J. CELATA 51 80 72 152 112 109 151 727 22.6%
JAMES A. MACDONALD 280 267 217 449 293 271 331 2108 65.5%
Miscellaneous Write-ins 2 3 0 5 1 1 3 15 0.5%
TOTAL 388 379 324 688 450 437 551 3217

2008

Two seats for full three year terms were available.

SELECTMEN[28] Pct.1 Pct.2 Pct.3 Pct.4 Pct.5 Pct.6 Pct.7 TOTAL %
Blanks 158 232 198 327 263 227 248 1653 16%
SARAH MACDONALD 571 319 237 573 348 394 465 2907 28%
THOMAS R. POLITO, JR. 135 264 212 404 303 279 306 1903 19%
RUSSELL W. POOLE 54 102 43 56 75 46 60 436 4%
PAUL REYNOLDS 617 371 272 660 424 475 482 3301 32%
Miscellaneous Write-ins 1 0 0 2 3 1 3 10 0%
TOTAL 1536 1288 962 2022 1416 1422 1564 10210 100%

2007

Two seats for full three year terms were available.

SELECTMEN[29] Pct.1 Pct.2 Pct.3 Pct.4 Pct.5 Pct.6 Pct.7 TOTAL %
Blanks 165 179 144 308 163 229 217 1405 19.6%
STEPHEN B. MACAUSLAND 101 41 22 61 51 46 70 392 5.5%
MICHAEL L. BUTLER 332 226 167 519 283 309 355 2191 30.6%
CARMEN E. DELLOIACONO, JR. 165 211 194 327 243 283 258 1681 23.5%
THOMAS R. POLITO, JR. 109 225 151 344 189 195 261 1474 20.6%
Miscellaneous Write-ins 0 0 2 11 1 2 1 17 0.2%
TOTAL 872 882 680 1570 930 1064 1162 7160

375th Anniversary

In 2011 the Town of Dedham celebrated its 375 anniversary. A steering committee was appointed by the Selectmen to coordinate a year's worth of activities marking the occasion. The Committee was composed of Marie-Louise Kehoe, Donna Greer, Nancy Baker, Mayanne Brigss, Dan Hart, Michele Heffernan, Joan Jolley, Brian Keaney, Vicky Kruckeberg, and Sarah MacDonald, with Kehoe and Greer serving as co-chairs. In September, the same month the Town was incorporated by the Great and General Court, a 375th Birthday Party was held at the Endicott Estate with over 7,500 people attending.[30] The food, rides, games, and trolley tours[nb 2] were free for Dedham residents, and non residents paid $5 a person or $20 for a family.[32]

Other events included a cocktail party at the Endicott Estate, a Ecumenical Church Service where each congregation gave their history, an essay contest for schoolchildren, and more.[30]

Awards and honors

Dedham Middle School Principal Debra Gatley was named the Massachusetts Secondary School Administrators' Association Principal of the Year in 2015.[33]

In 2012 the Town Meeting created the Public Service Recognition Committee to recognize citizens who have performed outstanding acts of service to the community.[34] In 2013 Don Gosselin was recognized before the Annual Town Meeting, and in 2014 Amy Black won the adult award and Caroline Bell won the youth award.[35] In 2015 the winner was Bill Podolski.[35]

Athletics

In 2015, Declan Harris won the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association's state wrestling championship at the 145 pound weight class, and Eric Reyes won at the 160 pound weight class. Reyes had won at 145 pounds in 2014, and at 126 pounds in 2013.[36]

Commemorating its 30th year, the James Joyce Ramble in 2013, 2014 and 2015 was the host for the USA Track & Field National Masters 10K Championship.[37]

In 2007, the Dedham High School Marauders changed their logo from a Native American to a pirate.[38] In 2015 discussions began about changing the logo again.[38]

Flag Day Parade

The 48th annual Flag Day Parade was held on June 14, 2015 with honorary Grand Marshall Bob Aldous.[39]

Notes

  1. ↑ Price listed as $14,527,544 one week later in the October 19, 2015 edition of the Dedham Times.
  2. ↑ The text of the tour is online.[31]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Warrant Article 5, Special Town Meeting, December 4, 2000
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  23. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  24. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  25. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  26. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  27. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  28. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  29. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  30. ↑ 30.0 30.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  31. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  32. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  33. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  34. ↑ Warrant Article 39, Annual Town Meeting, May 21, 2012
  35. ↑ 35.0 35.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  36. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  37. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  38. ↑ 38.0 38.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  39. ↑ Template:Ctite news
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