Walter A. Blasenak New Town Clerk
“It smells like a wedding or a funeral,” said Walter A. Blasenak, when interviewed in his office in the Municipal Building Wednesday afternoon. It was neither, for Mr. Blasenak is very much alive even after his Monday election initiation and he is still one of Norwood’s eligible bachelors. The dozen or more bouquets responsible for the fragrance celebrated rather his induction into office on Monday as Norwood’s town clerk and accountant.
Nor did the new town official, appointed by the selectmen to succeed, James E. Pendergast, resigned, step into office on a nice, easy, ordinary day. He took up his duties on the bjg day of the year, when the town clerk spends all day at the polls supervising with the town moderator the town elections.
Mr. Blasenak comes to his new position with a thorough knowledge of the accounting end of the duties, including all town accounts and all town billing such as electric and water bills, as he spent 11 years as assistant town accountant prior to this appointment. For the past six months, he has been temporary town accountant.
Graduate of Burdett
Born in Norwood on February 2, 1906, he is a product of the local schools, class of 1924 at Norwood High, and of Burdett College, class of 1926. His first job was in the accounting department of Kendall Mills where he worked until April of 1928 when Mr. Pendergast appointed him to the assistant town accountant post.
While familiar with the accounting end of the office, Mr. Blasenak points to volumes of state statute and detail of the clerk’s end of the job as something which he will have to master. Infinite detail describes the scope of the office which employs eight people. Vital statistics, such as marriages, births, deaths; town meeting records; election routine; licenses for sportsmen; the general, appropriation and payroll ledgers; and the billing are only a few of the items under his direction.
And beside all this, by virtue of his position, Mr. Blasenak- is a member of the Board of Registrars and the Retirement Board.
The DeMolay, of which Mr. Blasenak is an advisor, and Orient Lodge, of which he is a member, were represented among the well-wishers who sent the new official flowers. He is also a member of the Knights Templar. His home is at 332 Railroad avenue, and tennis and gardening are his afterwork interests.