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By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
PUTNAM — The town's Municipal Complex is closing in on finishing the finer details.
While the complex’s “décor” committee is decorating for the holidays, plenty of outstanding projects are being ticked off the list, according to Town Administrator Elaine Sistare.
Library: The custom children’s librarian desk was installed this week and December is the best estimate for the end pieces and the “canopy” (top piece) of the shelving. The end pieces that face the modern tree mural wall will have three-dimensional tree designs that echo the mural, according to Library Director Priscilla Colwell. Additional children’s library tables and chairs are in place now.
Sistare said the architect is working on a plan to add more lighting in the children’s section of the library. Additional lighting was installed above the new children’s librarian desk.
The children’s librarian desk was first in line for custom furniture. Now that that is installed, Sistare said the conference table and credenza for the second floor community room are in production and are six to eight weeks away. The table is called “the boat table” because it is a huge oval.
Aspinock: Display cases and bulletin boards for the Aspinock Historical Society space are months out as they were ordered recently.
General: In a “few more weeks,” Sistare said, four inside doors are due in, replacing missing or temporary doors. The glass walls (i.e. between an office and the corridor) are now all in.
Library Roof: Up on the library roof, this week work was finished to secure the membrane. That roof was created to allow the town the option of adding solar panels, Sistare said. However since July 2020, the solar farm at the old landfill has allowed the town “credits” for the elementary school, the old town hall, the old library, the highway department and one of the Water Pollution Control Authority’s sites. The old town hall and old library credits are now transferred to the Municipal Complex (which includes the library). Silktown Roofing, which was the roofer for the complex project, this week put “rubber battens” over the seams on the membrane roof covering so the seams, not being held down by solar panels, will stay down. Having Silktown do the work keeps the town’s warranty intact. Sistare said the town still has the option of adding solar panels, if needed. That roof also has short lightning rods all the way around it and, according to Mayor Barney Seney, also has a water leak detection system.
Grand Foyer: In the grand foyer the town’s seal now graces the wall at the bottom of the grand staircase. It’s on a clear background and is installed a few inches from the wall, making it almost three dimensional. Across the foyer is the commemorative plaque from the Building Committee.
Flagpoles: Within the next week or so, two additional flagpoles will arrive, Sistare said. The existing flagpole carries the U.S. flag. One of the new flagpoles will carry the State of Connecticut flag and the other one will have a town flag with the town’s logo on it. Down the line, in 2022, Sistare said, the town may explore creating a new town flag, perhaps a contest.
Website: On the more ethereal side, the town’s website was completely redone. The only thing that didn’t change was the website address (www.putnamct.us). “It’s much more user friendly,” said Sistare. It is linked to the town’s Facebook page, too. Interactive categories include government, resident services, departments, business, education, happening now, Facebook, Twitter and “How do I …” The town will continue using Zoom for town board and commission hybrid meetings.
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