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TOWN REPORT COMMITTEE What is the function of a town report? There are many who believe it is a compilation of detailed finan- cial and operating data, invaluable for the guidance it gives the town meet- ing members in appraising trends and in comparing year -to -year per- formance of the various town boards, departments, and committees. Thus it also serves as an essential source document for future historians. Town Report Wins Award Executive Assistant Gray reported to the Board of Se- lectmen at their Monday even- ing meeting that Lexington has been awarded third prize for this year's issue of the Town Report, in an annual contest sponsored by the Mass. Se- lectmen's Association. Lexington Minute -Man September 21, 1967 The town report committee accepts this viewpoint, though with the observation that it tends to be of greatest value to "management" and of much less interest to the "stockholders." There are just as many people who believe that the annual report is an invaluable op- portunity for town government to communicate with all of its citizens that an informed citizenry is essential to good government tha The annual town report should be a read- able report on stewardship, emphasizing problems faced, decisions made and unsolved prob- lems still under attack. We accept this viewpoint, also, but with the observation that readability without the bone and sinew of needed detail, would be thin fare. We have sought to converge these two viewpoints by recognizing that the report must appeal to two quite different audiences. We have therefore prepared Part I for the attention of the general public and as was done last year, plan to have it delivered to every residence in town. This is intended as a "State of Lexington" message from the respective town boards, departments and committees. We have added another section, Part II, for the use of town meeting members and others interested in the detail of finance, balloting, town meeting min- utes, departmental operating details, and the like. Those citizens who wish a copy of the combined Parts I and II can obtain one at the office of the board of selectmen. The responsibility of the town report committee has been to act as coordinator but never as censor. We have allocated space and offered suggestions but the scope of each re- port and the division between photographs, charts and the written word has been the decision of the respective departments. The 1967 annual report continues the effort started with the 1966 report of gaining readability without loss of essential detail. In addition to emphasis on content, we have sought to make the report worthy of Lexington in appearance. Citizens deeply interested in town government would retain on their bookshelves, in any event, all town reports as source docu- ments. We have sought to make the 1967 report so attractively displayed that all citizens would want to retain their copy to show to out -of -town visitiors or to send to friends or rela- tives. Costs comparisons are of interest but not wholly valid. In 1965 (last year of the old type report) the 700 copies were printed on a letter press. In 1966 we typed the report. used offset printing, used fewer but larger pages and printed 10,200 copies. Naturally, cost per copy in 1966 was less than it was in 1965. The detail follows: Personal Services (Secretarial) Supplie s Printing of Report Total Cost Number of Copies Cost per Copy 1964 1965 2,73- 4.60 $2,734.60 700 $ 3.90 2,32- 3.00 $2,323.00 700 3.22 1966 1,063.47 244.84 4,235.35 $5,543.66 10,200* .544 *9500 copies of Part I and 700 copies of Part II Louis A. Zehner, Chairman Wallace B. Baylies Elizabeth H. Clarke Albert Gray, Jr. Ex- Officio 3 Alford Peckham Frank H. Totman