Norwood RMV Branch Slated to Reopen Following Public Outcry Over Sudden Closure-August 20, 1981

The local office of the Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) in Norwood is on track to reopen as early as mid-September, according to state public safety officials. The branch was among six statewide abruptly shuttered on July 31 by Governor Edward J. King as an economy measure, sparking immediate and intense public backlash.

“People in Norwood and all over the place told us they would rather have just one 90-year-old lady behind the counter than have to drive far to get to the Registry. They’d rather stand in line for two hours at Norwood than drive from Dedham all the way to Quincy,” a top RMV official remarked. “King realized it’s almost impossible to take away a service once you’ve given it to people.”

Charles Manning, press secretary for Public Safety Secretary George Luciano, indicated that the Norwood office could resume operations “some time just after Labor Day,” pending ongoing labor negotiations regarding personnel adjustments. Manning noted that the reopened branch will operate with a leaner staff, and previous employees may be reassigned to other branches or face layoffs.

Governor King originally threatened to shutter 14 of the state’s 37 RMV locations before executing closures in Norwood, Greenfield, Roslindale, Taunton, Chicopee, and Orleans. The Norwood branch was viewed as a prime candidate for restoration due to its low operating overhead; originally opened on December 19, 1978, in the local National Guard Armory, the satellite office operated rent-free as an extension of the Quincy branch and expanded its operating hours from 12 to 21 hours per week in 1979.

Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger