Norwood approves $15.5 million in FY2026 capital projects, funds ladder truck from free cash

Norwood’s special Town Meeting approved four funding motions under Article 9 on the FY2026 Capital Improvement Plan after extended presentations and public questioning.

Bob Donnelly, chair of the Capital Outlay Committee, opened the discussion and described the committee’s recommended funding buckets: roughly $5,092,000 from free cash, $5,950,000 in general fund borrowing, $4,500,000 in water-rates borrowing and a $500,000 MWRA loan for a Route 1 water-main design. Donnelly told the meeting the committee met five times and voted unanimously to support the projects and funding as presented.

Finance presenters walked the meeting through the projects included in the free-cash motion. Mr. Mazuko said the items range from paving airport safety areas (federally funded for most costs) to replacement of carpets at the Public Safety Building, kitchen equipment at the Civic Center and Senior Center, server replacement, police taser lease payments, DPW vehicle replacement, and a proposal to pay for a new ladder truck. On the ladder truck he warned of rising prices and long lead times: "the lead time is 3 to 3…