Retiring Norwood Town Manager John P. Mogan Tight-Lipped Regarding Resignation-August 30, 1976

Maintaining a gentlemanly decorum in the wake of his unexpected resignation announcement, 55-year-old Town Manager John P. Mogan is declining to cite specific grievances behind his departure. “The decision is professionally correct, but I do not think it should be a public issue,” Mogan stated, adding that he is stepping down out of genuine concern for Norwood—a town he called “a pretty wonderful place.”

Mogan’s resignation was formally read to a special town meeting on Monday by Selectmen Chairman Martin J. Lydon. In his statements, the outgoing administrator confessed feelings of professional frustration over unaccomplished goals and acknowledged fundamental disagreements with certain board policies, concluding it was simply “time to move on.” A Norwood native with a background in engineering and construction who previously served as Walpole’s town administrator, Mogan noted he may ultimately leave his hometown if a local position within commuting distance does not open up, remarking, “After all, if a town gets five years out of a town manager, that is good.”

Selectmen Express Surprise

Available members of the Board of Selectmen—Chairman Lydon, Walter J. Dempsey, and Mary J. Fox—expressed complete surprise at the announcement during separate interviews yesterday, uniformly denying that the departure was anticipated, solicited, or sparked by undue board pressure. (Selectman Joseph F. Curran is currently on vacation).

While acknowledging normal working disagreements, the selectmen praised Mogan’s tenure:

• Martin J. Lydon:“There have been times when we disagreed… but if John Mogan feels he needs a change, I have to respect that.”
• Mary J. Fox: Pointed to the grueling demands of the position—noting Mogan once reported working 72-hour weeks—and suggested the heavy administrative load may have made delegation difficult.
• Walter J. Dempsey: Described himself as generally pleased with Mogan’s performance, observing, “It is not an easy job because he has 32,000 bosses, including the selectmen.”

The board does not plan to discuss a replacement for the $34,000-plus chief administrative post until Tuesday, and there is no strict deadline for Mogan’s final departure, as he has pledged full cooperation during the transition.

Looking Back at Accomplishments

Reflecting on his tenure, Mogan expressed pride in several major municipal milestones achieved under his leadership:

• Water Resource Development: Highlighting the reactivation of the Ellis wellfield off Route 1 and a systematic leak-detection survey as his proudest achievements.
• Infrastructure & Roads: Launching a comprehensive highway construction program to pave new roads in a town that had seen virtually no new road building in 60 years.
• University Avenue Expansion: Spearheading industrial development in the University Avenue area to help alleviate traffic congestion on Neponset Street.

Reflecting on the realities of municipal administration, Mogan admitted that navigating local politics was the toughest part of the job. “I have to treat everyone who comes in exactly the same, no matter who is speaking for him,” he said.

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