History of Dedham, Massachusetts, 2000–present

Town Meeting created a School Building/ Rehabilitation Committee (SBRC) in 2000.[6] 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.[7] The 130,000 square feet (12,000 m²) Certified Green School cost $22,353,209.[8] They 1847 Charles and Mary Shaw House, which was then being used as the school administration's offices, had to be razed to make room for it.[9][10]

In 2012 a new 61,000 square feet (5,700 m²) Avery Elementary School was opened at a cost of $19,285,949.[11] Like, the Middle School, it was designed by the firm of Dore and Whittier.[11] In 2015 the SBRC was considering where to build a new Early Childhood Education Center.[12]

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/ Rehabilitation 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.[13] It will be the first pre-school and kindergarten facility in the state financed with money from the state.[13]

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.[14][15] The Town had already spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in due diligence when Town Meeting rejected the plan.[15]

At the 2014 Annual Town Meeting it was voted instead to purchase the 33,000 square feet (3,100 m²)[15] Ames Schoolhouse for $5.85 million and renovate it to be used as a Town Hall and Senior Center.[16] An additional $1 million was appropriated to relocate the tenants of the schoolhouse,[15] which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.[17] Town Meeting Representatives and other supporters of a Senior Center, a building discussed and debated for more than 30 years,[15] "wooed and applauded loudly,"[18] and were dancing in the aisles after the article passed.[19]

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.[20][nb 1] On June 19 and 20, 2020, most departments moved from the old town hall into the Ames Schoolhouse.[21]

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.[15] 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.

On March 5, 2021, a ceremonial groundbreaking took place for the new building.[22] The new building at 26 Bryant Street was opened for the first time on March 12, 2023.[23] The public was invited to take tours following the ribbon cutting.[23] The Dedham Square Planning Committee voted to recommend the old police headquarters be demolished and a new town green be built on the site in December 2021.[23] A six-person working group was created to oversee the project in April 2022.[24]

On November 9, 2020, the Town of Dedham renamed a 1.3 acre park as the William B. Gould Memorial Park.[25] The park was formally dedicated on September 23, 2021 before a crowd of more than 100.[26][27][28] The park on Mother Brook is about .5 miles from Gould's home on Milton Street.[27] A committee was established to erect a sculpture of him on the site by Memorial Day 2023, the 100th anniversary of Gould's death.[27][29][28] The names of four finalists, all artists of color, were announced at the dedication.[27]

In March 2012 the Board of Selectmen created a Charter Advisory Committee to review the Town's governing document and to recommend changes.[30] The committee consisted of Thomas R. Polito, Jr., Joseph Pascarella, Kevin Mawe, Jay Donahue, Brian Keaney, Cherylann Sheehan, and Camille Zahka,[31] and met more than 25 times before presenting their findings to the Selectmen in August 2013.[30] 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.[32]

In 2020 a new Charter Committee was appointed. It included Chairman Carmen Dello Iacono, Michelle Apuzzio, Gemma Martin, Andrew Haley, Lance Hartford, Michele Heffernan, and Tom Ryan.

Two seats for three year terms available.

Two seats for three year terms available.

One seat for a full three year term available.

Two seats for three year terms available.

Two seats for three year terms available.

One seat for a full three year term available.

Two seats for three year terms available.

Two seats for three year terms available.

One seat for a full three-year term available.

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

Two seats for full three year terms were available.

Two seats for full three year terms were available.

One seat for a full three-year term available.

Two seats for full three year terms were available.

Two seats for full three year terms were available.

One seat for a full three-year term was available.

Two seats for full three year terms were available.

Two seats for full three year terms were available.