John B. Kennedy (politician)
{{Infobox Politician (general)
|image =
|imagesize =
| name = John B. Kennedy
| birth_date = 1900 or 1901
| birth_place =
| death_date = January 26, 1983 (aged 82)
| death_place = Laconia, New Hampshire
|restingplace =
| nationality =
| website =
| occupation = City Administrator
Politician
| residence =
| party = Democrat
| spouse =
| alma_mater = Wentworth Institute
Franklin Union Technical Institute
| title1 = Saugus, Massachusetts Town Manager
| term_start1 = 1958
| term_end1 = 1960
| predecessor1 = Daniel E. McLean
| successor1 = John O. Stinson
| title2 = Medford, Massachusetts City Manager
| term_start2 = 1957
| term_end2 = 1958
| predecessor2 = James Shurtleff
| successor2 = Edward J. Conroy
| title3 = Norwood, Massachusetts Town Manager
| term_start3 = 1951
| term_end3 = 1957
| predecessor3 =
| successor3 =
}}
John Boyle Kennedy{{cite news|title=MASSACHUSETTS: A Good Kennedy Year|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,869729,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071022231834/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,869729,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 22, 2007|access-date=16 July 2011|newspaper=Time|date=August 8, 1960}} (died January 26, 1983, in Laconia, New Hampshire{{cite news|title=John Kennedy, 82; Retired Town Manager|newspaper=Boston Globe|date=January 28, 1983}}) was an American city manager and politician. He was City Manager of Medford, Massachusetts, and Town Manager of Norwood, Massachusetts, and Saugus, Massachusetts. He was a candidate for Treasurer and Receiver-General of Massachusetts in 1960.
Early life and career
Kennedy graduated from Winthrop High School in 1918 and went on to earn degrees from Wentworth Institute and Franklin Union Technical Institute. He also completed course in municipal government at Boston University.{{cite news|title=John B. Kennedy Voted City Manager By Medford Council|newspaper=Boston Daily Globe|date=January 4, 1957}}
Kennedy's career in municipal management began in Winthrop, Massachusetts, where he served as water commissioner and business manager. In 1949, he and seven other water superintendents agreed to form the Massachusetts Water Works Association, a corporation that would gather and disseminate information to insure an adequate supply of drinking water. Kennedy served as the corporation's first Secretary.{{cite web|title=about mwwa|url=http://mwwa.memberclicks.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=15&Itemid=75|work=mwwa|publisher=Massachusetts Water Works Association|access-date=16 July 2011}}
Norwood Town Manager
After ten years as water commissioner, Kennedy left Winthrop to become Town Manager of Norwood, Massachusetts. In 1954, after a series of assaults on women in town, which included the murder of 15-year-old Geraldine Annese, Kennedy declared a state of emergency.{{cite news|title=Boy Held For Girl Murder|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article27255784|access-date=16 July 2011|newspaper=Associated Press|date=November 8, 1954}}
Medford City Manager
From 1957 to 1958, Kennedy served as City Manager of Medford, Massachusetts.{{cite book|title=Medford on the Mystic|year=1980|publisher=The Medford Historical Society|location=Medford, MA|url=http://www.medfordhistorical.org/emergingcity.php|author=Carl Seaburg and Alan Seaburg|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090707020044/http://www.medfordhistorical.org/emergingcity.php|archive-date=2009-07-07}} In January 1958, two members of the Medford City Council requested that Kennedy resign. City Councilor and Kennedy's predecessor as City Manager James Shurtleff told Kennedy that six of the seven members of the City Council would vote in favor of removing him if he chose not to resign.{{cite news|title=Medford City Manager Mulls Request to Resign|newspaper=The Christian Science Monitor|date=January 28, 1958}} On January 29, he announced that he would not resign.{{cite news|title=City Manager Refuses to Quit Job in Medford|newspaper=Boston Daily Globe|date=January 30, 1958}} On March 30, 1958, the City Council voted to suspend Kennedy, despite the fact that the crowd of over 400 was mostly pro-Kennedy.{{cite news|title=Medford Council Suspends Kennedy as 400 Support Him|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/boston/access/2068089312.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121107111022/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/boston/access/2068089312.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 7, 2012|access-date=16 July 2011|newspaper=Boston Daily Globe|date=March 30, 1958}} On April 8, the city council voted for to 4 to 3 to fire Kennedy, who the council accused of 19 charges, including being appointed unethically by the previous council, failing to "provide executive leadership", failing to "show reasonable understanding of municipal finance", and establishing an "unsound" tax rate.{{cite news|title=Kennedy Faces List Of Medford Charges|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/csmonitor_historic/access/202146272.html?dids=202146272:202146272&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI|access-date=16 July 2011|newspaper=The Christian Science Monitor|date=April 2, 1958|archive-date=7 November 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121107111050/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/csmonitor_historic/access/202146272.html?dids=202146272:202146272&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|title=Medford Manager Kennedy Is Fired, Says Charges 'Lies'|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/boston/access/2068139482.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI|access-date=16 July 2011|newspaper=Boston Daily Globe|date=April 9, 1958|archive-date=7 November 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121107111145/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/boston/access/2068139482.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|title=Medford Manager Ousted|newspaper=The Christian Science Monitor|date=April 9, 1958}}
Saugus Town Manager
In May 1958, Kennedy was named Town Manager of Saugus, Massachusetts. He succeeded Daniel E. McLean,{{cite journal|title=The American City|date=July 1958|volume=73|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LYwiAQAAMAAJ&q=%22John+B.+Kennedy%22|last1=Grant |first1=Arthur Hastings |last2=Buttenheim |first2=Harold Sinley }} who resigned to become Chairman of the Massachusetts Republican State Committee.
In 1960, Kennedy ran for Treasurer and Receiver-General of Massachusetts. He finished third in the Democratic primary behind John T. Driscoll and Patrick F. McDonough.{{cite book |title=Massachusetts Election Statistics 1960 |pages=179 | url=https://archive.org/stream/electionstatisti19591960mass#page/178/mode/2up}}
On September 11, 1960, the Saugus Board of Selectmen requested Kennedy's resignation.{{cite news|title=Saugus Board Asks Manager For Resignation|newspaper=Boston Globe|date=September 12, 1961}} Kennedy did not resign and at the next meeting, the Selectmen voted 4 to 1 to fire Kennedy. Kennedy's dismissal came one month after three new Selectmen were elected in a special recall election (all of whom voted to remove Kennedy).{{cite news|title=Selectmen in Saugus Vote To Fire Manager|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/boston/access/1906104682.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121107111206/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/boston/access/1906104682.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 7, 2012|access-date=16 July 2011|newspaper=Boston Globe|date=September 19, 1961}} One of the reasons for firing Kennedy, according to Selectman Frederick Wagner, was the manager's decision to put curbing on the sidewalk in front of his Taylor Street home instead of on a sidewalk where children more frequently walked.{{cite news|last=Powers|first=Richard|title=Saugus Overthrow: Residents Tired Of 15 Years of Political Infighting|newspaper=Boston Globe|date=August 27, 1961}}
Later life and death
Kennedy later worked for Whitman & Howard, an engineering firm located in Boston, until his retirement at the age of 70. He died on January 26, 1983, at the St. Francis Home for the Aged in Laconia, New Hampshire. He was 82 years old.
References
{{Reflist|2}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kennedy, John B.}}
Category:Town managers of Saugus, Massachusetts
Category:Massachusetts Democrats
Category:Politicians from Winthrop, Massachusetts
Category:People from Laconia, New Hampshire
Category:Wentworth Institute of Technology alumni
Category:City managers of Medford, Massachusetts