Voice of America: Norwood Moves Beyond Blue Collar Economy

An article on the Voice of America website recounts Norwood’s financial comeback from the devastation of the 1987 closing of the GM plant to today’s mixed use business community. Not only are Mayor Tom Williams and former local UAW president Ron Rankin quoted, but veteran Enquirer reporter Steve Kemme also shares his observations of how the City coped with losing 35% of its tax revenue, a time when he says, "A lot of people wondered if Norwood could survive as a city. A lot of people wondered if Norwood could continue with any level of services.”

He praises City leaders in this excerpt:

Kemme attributes much of Norwood's success to strong leadership. The reporter notes that while politics are usually adversarial, when GM pulled out, local political parties buried their differences and worked together. "That unity of purpose certainly is very important and they were fortunate enough to have leaders at that time who had a plan, a strong vision and stuck with it."

Do any of our readers remember the days during the GM era Mayor Williams describes when “on the weekends you couldn't walk down Montgomery Road. It was all crowded with people shopping" or “you didn't even have to set out your garbage cans. They would have someone come around in the middle of the night and set 'em out!”?