Norwood 2022 Candidate Profile: Bob Donnelly, Board of Selectmen

NORWOOD, MA - Norwood voters have a big choice to make as they vote to fill two seats on the Board of Selectmen on Monday, April 4.

There are three candidates vying for those slots, including incumbent Allan Howard. Amanda Grow ran against Howard in the special election in January and is vice president of the Norwood League of Women Voters. Bob Donnelly, a long-time Town Meeting member and member of the Finance Commission, also is seeking a seat.
To help voters get to know each candidate, Norwood Patch sent all candidates a questionnaire to probe their thoughts on issues in town. Here's what Donnelly had to say.

Age as of Election Day: 67

Position sought: Board of Selectmen

Family: Wife: Michelle St. Pierre; Daughter: Erin Donnelly

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

Neither my wife or daughter work for the Town of Norwood. My wife works for the federal government.

Education: Master of Public Admininstration, Northeastern University and

Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice, Northeastern University

Occupation: 35 years as a Human Resources Professional recently retired

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office:

Finance Commission (current), Town Meeting (28 years; current); Personnel Board, Budget Balancing Committee, Capital Outlay Committee

Campaign website: bobdonnelly4norwood.com

Why are you seeking elective office?

The Board is in need of new perspectives and approaches to governing that a new member can bring to the table. As a member of the Finance Commission, I brought a new perspective regarding financial practices and analysis that helped Norwood improve its financial structure. I want to do the same as a member of the Board of Selectmen.

I believe that the Board needs to be more forward-looking and strategic and focus on plans and actions that ensure Norwood is able to deliver quality citizens services over the course of many years. Generally, I think Norwood focuses too narrowly on short-term plans and actions. We tend to be reactive when we should be proactive. We need to be more focused and proactive on ensuring Norwood's future; that "bright" future as envisioned by Norwood's 150th Anniversary Committee.

What is the single most pressing issue facing the board, and what do you intend to do about it?

Development. I support an initiative to develop a comprehensive, town wide master plan that will help Norwood make decisions on future proposed development (such as commercial, housing and open space), while retaining and enhancing the many aspects that stay true to our history, contribute to our local identity, and make our town a vibrant, welcoming and livable place to call home for years to come.

A town wide plan will also define the processes for considering various development proposals. This will require investment in creating a comprehensive plan, a lot of work, analysis and input from both town officials and members of the community including affected neighborhoods. This is not a unique idea. Many communities use a comprehensive master plan to take a proactive approach to community planning. I believe we can easily reach out to these communities and use our affiliation with the Metropolitan Area Planning Council to explore this approach. Communities with long-range master plans include our neighboring towns of Canton, Dedham and Westwood.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

Everyone brings a unique set of experiences and skills to the role of Selectmen. Other candidates can speak to their experiences and skills. My experience on the Finance Commission demonstrates that I do the work required to understand how town government works. From this experience, I know what is required to be fiscally responsible to the taxpayer while ensuring that Norwood Town government delivers the essential services its residents expect, need and value.

I have worked hard to establish effective working relationships with both town management and members of our elected and appointed boards and committees. The ability to build good working relationships is important in this role as you are only one of 5 votes on the board. You need to have the ability to put forward your ideas and build support for them with your peers on the board. I have a reputation for working collaboratively with people to resolve issues and put forward new ideas.

I’ve shown that I can bring ideas and new practices to the table to push Norwood forward. These are important skills to bring to the Board of Selectmen.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community?

I think the words "failed the community" are not helpful to voters as they consider their choices for the election on April 4.

Each member of the Board of Selectmen serves the Town of Norwood in a voluntary, unpaid role. They should be recognized for the significant time and effort they put forward on behalf of Norwood residents.

As I stated earlier, I want the Board to become more forward-looking and take actions that ensure a successful municipal operation for years to come. To be more focused on the future, the Board needs new perspectives and ideas such as creating strategic plans for development, long-term capital improvement, infrastructure investment and a fiscally responsible financial structure that delivers the quality citizens services residents want and expect.

To quote Norwood's 150th Anniversary Committee, Norwood does have a "rich history" and a "bright future." To ensure that bright future, the Board needs to develop plans and actions that help Norwood envision that future and take actions to ensure it.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

I want Norwood to get the best credit rating possible for the new middle school construction. This project will require a $104 million borrowing plan (if the voters approve the debt exclusion override on April 4). This would be the largest borrowing in the Town's history.

While Norwood currently has a very good credit rating, I would like to see Norwood obtain a triple A credit rating - the best rating possible for a municipality. By doing so, Norwood will save hundreds of thousands of dollars in interest costs over the 30-year borrowing period. As a member of the Finance Commission, I have been active in working with Town management to improve our reserve fund position and other financial metrics credit agencies use to assess a town's credit. We need to be in a strong financial position to advocate for a higher credit rating when we go out to bond for the middle school project.

I would also like the Town to establish a capital reserve using some of the Forbes Estate proceeds to help fund our long-term capital improvement needs. We need to be creative about funding our large, long-term capital projects. We have several large capital improvement projects coming along down the line including improving our stormwater system, improvements to our aging facilities and our 2 recreation pools which need a lot of attention. A capital reserve is a good tool for planning the financing of these large, longer-term projects.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

My 5-year term on the Finance Commission serves as evidence that I can bring new perpectives and ideas to fruition. In 2018, I presented and advocated for financial practices that were later adopted such as our long-term financial plan and an "override pledge" to control budget growth over a 5-year timeframe.

Working with town management and our fellow boards, the Finance Commission delivered a strong financial plan during the most challenging periods of recent history: the COVID 19 pandemic. I was chair of the Finance Commission in 2021, a year where Norwood successfully put forward an balanced operating budget despite the reduction in several revenue lines including state aid and local receipts. Our plan was successful in delivering balanced budgets with no cuts to services and programs.

Prior to the establishment of the Personnel Board, Norwood lacked a centralized Human Resouces Department. As the first chair of the Personnel Board, I led the effort to hire the Town's first Human Resources Director and establish a professional Human Resources Department.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

It was from my mother: "Do your homework!" The habits I developed as a young student serve me well to this day. Before I speak on any issue, I like to do the research upfront to understand all sides of an issue.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

Please go to my campaign web page to learrn more about me and the campaign: bobdonnelly4norwood.com