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HomeMy WebLinkAboutFormer City Clerk Mary Norton-1975/1989/1994 k 3 - -;>',. , ' ma MIMI _ ... : ......:.:..:,.:,:.:,..1..t,..1,.v ,,...::„..... . . .. . iirs4 'i i`` is i< Lax i ti�� y���. n 6. 3s'jr .t a •4. s x ,.'` Ys g ¢::.:',!**:!::.:0;%-:.(04.1P.'" a e a . ,5 y ,ar i . { x n � i 35 s s � r ` a S r Kk Z y k nom'. { s ':;.,-' ^ a C 0 © J e. R Al "-,- A K A 'n ,, 1)A, n ;1- .. y 0 �. .....� `C C 4`.. !0/ o ' A> (ID vaq n I A _. N• :A n , and cn En i co 0,, cs. (o - Is big news ,Norton recal growth in Winte r Springs By RALPH BORMET Staff Writer WINTER SPRINGS—From a The fire department was manned Norton started working for the by volunteers. The city conned small, incorporated village with h a city in January 1970. She had people in 1959 to a town with a >' (not commission) met once a population of 1,100 in 1972 to the moved here in 1964 with her hus- month.So did the municipal court. band William. who retired from a mon was in the days prior to con- expanding city thof at t Winter residents career in the U.S. Air Force.after This today,it seems that Winter Springs solidating municipal courts into a his last assignment had taken them countywide court. hubalways rb aycoeen a quiet,At least at to Chile. suburban pommunity. At least that ••Back then.Winter Springs was "There were no street lights Nthe impression given by Mary back then," Norton said. "As a Norton, the city clerk. country. said Norton. She matter of fact, SR 434 was two Pressed to give the most worked part time, from 9 a.m. to lanes.' unusual, funniest, saddest, famous noon, Monday through Friday. Cliff Jordan was the mayor at the or outrageous occurrence in her "There was just myself and the time. There was no city-manager Winter Springs, as city clerk in police chief." form of government. Norton said Winter quietly Springs, Norton paused. Norton told of how the police that the first mayoral election had then quietly replied, "Sheelah just occurred in 1966. George Ryan. I think she was the biggest chief and his wife manned a 1 dispatch radio at their home 24 tiller had won rst it. Da is only city the cit 's news." hours a day. For the few who may not know The entire City Hall consisted of j manager, became her boss in who Ryan is, she is the Winter 1979. Springs resident.who won the one large room rented from the It was shortly after Norton Florida Land Co.'s water depart- started working that Land largest single jackpot in the ment at the corner of N. Fairfax Co. began a building Florida lorida and slightly-more-than-one-year more in Florida:ne y$55 Ave. and SR 434. the began of such subdii h million.of Lotto in Fl $55 million. sions as The Highlands, The Ter Norton, a shy and soft-spoken races and the Highlands, (now Winter Ter- woman, continued, "I can't think Springs) Golf Course. Other of anything exceptional that hap I into the developers soon jumped pened here." fray. A flury of zoning change re Well,perhaps the annexation of quests showered the city,said Nor- the Tuscawilla development in Oc- ton so that by the end of 1970, tober 1971 qualifies as the next I'd come (to work) in the after biggest en thing they added u the city. ,e. noon" oftentimes as well as the "When they added Tuscawilla, mornings: the city doubled in size!" said ,�; The following year, her office Norton. .f. closing time was changed from With the approval of a city ,. , charter referendum the following noon to 4 p.m. daily. Today, she works from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. year, what had been known since Winter Springs first fire chief 1959 as Village of North Orlando was hired in 1973, Norton said. became the city of Winter Springs. was hired there are Norton longer Part of the reason for the change firefighter volunteers. Instead, a was the confusion the old name staff of 31 professional fire/rescue caused out of towners and. Ex-Mayor Troy Piland workers serves the city. especially, out-of-staters, when City government has grown given driving directions: they from two employees in Norton's would accidently get diverted to Orlando, which is not even in the same county. Also,the city's mail too often got diverted to Orlando. "It was too confusing," Norton said. The other reason for choos- ing the new name was that the newly annexed Tuscawilla �i D / a development was owned by The U (o Winter Springs Development Co. first year,to about 130 employees this road and never meet another today. The police department has car.' computerized communications Asked what attracted her to the equipment to service its 35 of- job and what has kept her there all ficers, and it is certainly not these years, Norton softly replied, housed at the police chief's home, "It was interesting. It's always but at the new $1.6 million city been interesting. I've just enjoyed hall/public safety building, the people and watching the city dedicated in 1985. grow.' Looking out her office window Finally, asked what keeps from City Hall to the traffic buzz- attracting new residents to the ci- ing up and SR 434, Norton ty,she said, "I think it's just a nice reminisced that in her first years on place to live. It's country. It's the job, "You could drive down peaceful; quiet." � ca6a � v... cI2 s . A", 01 " -; , 1, ':?) „,/, - ... A ..„, ... , ' Z3J 11 , • ... , ,/,'.,ik")...' .,.., tzi ,.?, / i ik 11 1 '''''''')1* ,',t 4 •' 3 ., .." :?*.'t ,i. I r •''*.‘14 ' ' ' :: . . ( .2" --. i 0 1 , ', ..-,:-.• , "':- .4%. o., `..-, - , / 4 f,'";.% .i , .,',•7., " ',J.' '•-.,„ ..0 CC- I . ..5. f.fl C'X I U-. •— i I,;'•',..•?,`,,,*', ."' - , <,:. , •z . ,Si go Q.--).`• 0.` 4 s , ,,■ 411 $ ..., , i...: \\ I ... 0, co cr) •-• c.i. t N 1 4) to 13 0* ';'"• ' I 1.c :' •-t • ' —. `Cornerstone' clerk clocks out for good ❑Winter Springs City "I don't think anybody sur- passes Mary Norton calls passes Mary Norton," he said. 1'y "The city revolves around her be- it quits after 24 years. cause of her knowledge." When Norton came to Winter By Will Wellons - Springs, the town had two paid employees — herself and the po- THE SENTINEL STAFF lice chief.The town had 1,100 resi- dents. WINTER SPRINGS—For near- And Norton's job was part-time a quarter of a century, City — three hours a day and one Jerk Mary Norton has heard council meeting a month. In addi- #host all the political spats, argu tion to the city records, Norton rents and pon- had to keep track tifications in this of court records. c"ity. Now the town Through it all has more than 200 she has kept a employees and smile on her face, 24,000 residents. taken down what The c o u n c i l commissioners meets at least have said, and twice a month has never gotten and Norton has a in the middle of deputy clerk and any skirmish. 4. other staff to lend After Friday, ' . ' a hand. Norton, 63, will "I would have leave the notes, ,17;';... never dreamed records and de- y' that I would be- bates to some- come a city body else. She is clerk," said Nor- retiring after 24 ton. She worked years — the long- as a secretary be- est tenure of any fore she became city employee. the city clerk in As she says her 1970. : goodbyes, people . Times changed. are lining up to • ... ; I Norton did not al- leap praise on ways go along. orton. Computers may City Manager be fixtures in and former Police most offices, but chief John Govor- not in Norton's. uhk called her She relies on a "the cornerstone DENNIS WALL/SENTINEL typewriter for of the city." Mary Norton has been a minutes and offs- City Council Winter Springs fixture. cial city letters. member John "She just gets Ferring was distraught when Nor- the job done," Torcaso said. "She ton decided earlier this year to call does not need any fancy equip- it a career. He joked at a council ment." ,/D meeting that if she left,he was go- Keeping the records is her job, �7` ing to leave too. but it's the people that she will "She is the sweetest, friendliest miss."I have enjoyed it.I have met person in the city of Winter so many nice people,"she said. Springs," Ferring said. "She has Norton has no specific plans for never said a cross word, and she her retirement other than "to take treats everybody with respect." life easy" and spend more time John Torcaso who spent 18 with her family. years working with Norton as a One thing she said she won't mayor and commissioner called miss is the long Monday nights. her terrific. "I think I'll go to bed early."