witnesses pg 8 8-22-24
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Witnesses sought
PUTNAM — The Putnam Police Department is looking for anyone who may have witnessed an accident Aug. 13 on Front Street.
Police Chief Christopher D. Ferace said the police and Putnam EMS responded to a 2-car motor vehicle crash.
He said the operator of a 2019 Nissan Altima was turning off South Main Street onto Front Street eastbound and lost control of her vehicle colliding with a 2010 Honda Pilot traveling westbound on Front Street. The operators of both vehicles were transported to Day Kimball Hospital by Putnam EMS for non-life-threatening injuries.
The operator of the Nissan Altima, Rubyanne Rose, 19, of Thayer Street, Putnam, was issued an infraction for failure to drive right. The operator of the Honda, Stanley Coffee, 54, of Groton, was issued an infraction for operating without a license.
Anyone who may have witnessed the accident is encouraged to contact Officer Nick Ustin at (860) 928-6565.
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working pg 1 8-29-24
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By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
PUTNAM --- At a recent town meeting townspeople threw down the gauntlet – help EMS. Last week the town took up the challenge and is at work on solutions for the EMS facilities problem.
Town Administrator Elaine Sistare said selectmen voted unanimously to spend $14,700 of America Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for a facility study on the EMS building on Church Street. She expects the contract to be signed this week and a report should be ready in four to six week.
The facilities study would cover programming, schematics, and scope, she said. “What do they need? What do they have? Cost estimates, etc.” she said.
That information will go to the new EMS Facilities Upgrade Ad Hoc Committee. Mayor Barney Seney, Deputy Mayor Roy Simmons and Selectman Gloria Marion will be studying long/short term upgrades to the Church Street facility. They will be receiving help/advice from EMS Chief Administrator Tammy Scpyrka and Fire Marshal and Emergency Management Director Scott Belleville. Sistare said the Water Pollution Control Authority and Building Inspector Chad Sessums will also be asked for their input.
Sistare said she is on parallel paths --- investigating the interim solution of renting or buying a temporary building for EMS and another path, continuing toward permanent upgrade.
Much of the path choice hangs on the facilities study.
A decision will be made by the end of the year, she said because, per the federal government deadline, all ARPA funds must be “committed” (signed contract) by Dec. 31. She said the town still has $60,000 to $80,000 in uncommitted ARPA funding.
In addition to the help for the EMS facilities, selectmen also unanimously approved spending up to $600,000 in ARPA funding for the purchase of 800-MHz radios. $350,000 of that would go to the Putnam Police Department/dispatch and the rest would go to the Putnam Fire Department, EMS, Emergency Management and the Highway Department.
The East Putnam Fire Department recently received town approval for about $81,000 of ARPA funding to upgrade the long pre-existing radio infrastructure and to buy four 800-MHz radios which are capable of operating on the State Police system. East Putnam has already received full permission from the State Police to operate on their system. The 800-MHz radios take about six to nine months to come in.
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nothing pg 1 8-29-24
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By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
PUTNAM — How to inspire future voters? An “I Voted” Sticker design contest.
Christine Bright, town clerk, created the contest for Putnam students. It’s open to any middle school or high school student — public, private or home-schooled. It starts Sept. 1 and entries can be submitted right up until the deadline, by 4:30 p.m. Sept. 30.
Competitors will design a logo for an “I Voted” 2-inch sticker (and to be used as digital graphics) for use during the Nov. 5 general election.
Bright said she was inspired when she went into the voting booth as a kid in elementary school. She said she got to flip the switches and pull the handle to close the curtain. “I couldn’t wait until I was 18 to vote. I wanted kids to look forward to participating as well,” she said.
So she had been searching for ideas to get “our future voters interested and involved in the democratic process.”
She said “I had taken classes this summer towards my master clerk certification at Plymouth State University and during an elections roundtable I attended, mention was made of a similar contest held in Rhode Island during the pandemic. I researched similar contests around the country and came up with this event for Putnam.”
Putnam Town Hall employees will select the top three designs from the middle school entries and the top three from the high school entries. Then selectmen will vote on the winning artwork from each category.
The winners will be announced at the Oct. 7 selectmen’s meeting. The stickers will be distributed during the Nov. 5 general election to all voters in the town of Putnam. Winning entries will become property of the town. The town clerk’s office is authorized to use the entrant’s name, grade, school and at least one photograph and/or video of the entrant for any legal use including publicity.
Some contest rules:
Stickers must be nonpartisan and may not promote any party, candidate or political issue. No copyrighted images may be included. By submitting an entry, you acknowledge that your artwork is your original work. It is recommended that entrants do not use only one color or your artwork could be considered partisan.
Entries and release forms must be submitted no later than 4:30 p.m. Sept. 30 to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. The entry can be submitted as a photo, PDF or JPEG. Or the entries and release forms may be mailed to Putnam Town Clerk, 200 School St., Putnam, CT 06260.
An entry must be created on the Design Contest Template and a signed contest release form must be completed, signed and sent in with the entry. Entry forms and the sticker contest template may be downloaded from putnamct.us/departments/town-clerk. Any questions can be directed to Bright at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by calling 860-963-6807.
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cool pg 1 8-29-24
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Cool Reward
The reward at the end of the 1-mile NOW Superhero Bubble Run was ... a mountain of bubbles. This is the third year for the run and 40-plus kids took part with the winner clocking in at 8 minutes, 20 seconds. This run is one of the run-up runs for the Tackle (the Trail) Jr. More photos on page 4. Expanded photo array Wed. night on our FB page: Putnam Town Crier & Northeast Ledger. Linda Lemmon photo.
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