Although it was not made available to the public until more than a month after the annual town meeting, the massive 1972 annual town report provided a record 526 pages of statistics and reports, accompanied by an additional 54-page memento chronicling the town’s centennial year.
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According to Assistant Town Manager John J. McAuliffe, the total cost for printing 1,500 volumes reached $6,800—roughly $1,300 more than the previous year’s report. While widely regarded as the most attractive and comprehensive issue to date, its production faced hurdles: the first fifty advance copies delivered by the printer, Norwood Printing Co., were poorly bound and literally fell apart, forcing officials to return them before receiving properly bound replacements.
The report’s substantial size was largely driven by a special centennial layout featuring photographs and texts from opening interfaith services, the centennial banquet, and the dedications of Aaron Guild Park and the town square anniversary marker, compiled by a special committee consisting of Centennial Committee Chairman A. Franklin Swift Jr., Honorary Chairman Walter A. Blasenak, and Selectman Charles L. Rich. However, budget-minded town leaders moved quickly to address future printing costs. Town Manager John P. Mogan suggested economizing tremendously by cutting out extraneous material, pointing to extensive demographic records such as 1,498 births (noting that 1,137 were nonresidents born at Norwood Hospital), 349 marriages, and 609 deaths, remarking, I can’t see why the general public is interested in such statistics since they are readily available at the town hall.
To tackle the issue, a special study committee was formed at the suggestion of Selectman Charles L. Rich. The committee—comprising Charles L. Rich, town manager secretary Inez Galiazzi, Assistant Town Manager John J. McAuliffe, and Town Assessors Chairman James J. Drummey—held its initial meeting to review annual reports from other municipalities and determine how to reduce future page counts and overall costs while fulfilling statutory requirements to include departmental reports, board updates, and town meeting election records.
Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger
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Senate budget gives towns $2.4M in aid-June 23, 1981
A bipartisan legislative front forms to secure critical financial relief for regional town treasuries facing immediate cutbacks.
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Police Overtime Pay Causes Flap-June 17, 1981
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Civic Center Future Up For Vote-June 15, 1981
A high-stakes special town meeting agenda features a multi-million dollar Civic Center relocation choice and the $325,250 sale of Winslow School.
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Housing Authority Candidate Screening Halted-June 16, 1978
League Watchdogs and District Attorney Block Closed Maintenance Interviews A sweeping attempt to accelerate administrative appointments inside the local municipal infrastructure collapsed under legal scrutiny last night. The Norwood Housing Authority was forced to completely abort a scheduled slate of 20 confidential candidate interviews for its vacant maintenance supervisor role after legal monitors formally warned…
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Selectmen Outraged by FinCom Veto of Youth Summer Job Program Funding-June 26, 1974
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Norwood FinCom’s Elias Refuses To Resign Amid Recall Threats-June 22, 1974
| A political standoff gridlocks the Finance Commission as a newly elected official breaks rank and drops out of municipal sessions
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Dog Officer Row Unsettled-June 19, 1974
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Delayed Computer Billing Receipts Spark Optimistic Tax Forecasts-June 18, 1974
Selectmen and assessors leverage delayed electric receipts and cherry sheet funds to keep tax rates at 39.
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Meeting Ignores School Pleas, Cuts Budget By $126,558-June 15, 1971
A fierce debate over encumbered funds and municipal parity dominates a marathon Norwood Town Meeting session over the town budget.
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