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Category: News

Then
This is the silo at Troll Knoll farm on Joy Road in Woodstock in September 2011 before it was moved to the Woodstock Fairgrounds. Putnam Town Crier file photos.


& Now
After the move to the fairgrounds, in 2012.

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Category: News

caption:

The Palmer Arboretum behind the Woodstock Historical Society building, off Rt. 169. Linda Lemmon photo.


By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
WOODSTOCK --- Once an impenetrable jungle, the Palmer Arboretum is turning into an emerald.
Bill Brower, chairman of the arboretum's board, will proudly lead two free tours at 10 a.m. and at 12:30 p.m. May 11. And he has much to show off.
When the arboretum was rediscovered in the 1970s, a machete was more likely the gardening tool of choice. The arboretum, founded by Minnie Palmer Dean in 1914, has come a long way.
The volunteer group has gotten a master plan from a UConn Landscape Design Department class and has implemented the first part of the design with an observation platform completed last fall by Eagle Scout Ben Gormley.
Clearing of the wild spring section, which is almost a quarter of the arboretum's area, was done by Matthew Sheldon, Brower said. Leaving nothing to waste, Sheldon also created seating at the arboretum from some of the tree trunks.
Arboretum officials also fixed a long-standing drainage problem with the installation of a state-of-the art rain garden, using a grant supervised by the Eastern Connecticut Conservation District. Jean Pillo of the district and David Faist of Faist Engineering designed the garden which draws rainwater and runoff from the parking lot and nearby hilly land into a larger drainage system. Judith Gries and Marian Hallowell picked the native plants for the garden. The project was implemented with hardscape and manpower from the Woodstock Town Highway Department under John Navarro, Brower said.
The arboretum has also benefitted by the volunteer work of three arborists who donate their time and expertise to prune, diagnose and treat the 100-year-old original plantings. Brower thanked Hart's Tree Service, Lindon's Tree Service and Dennis Panu Arborists and Sheldon's Tree Service.
But the arboretum isn't resting on its laurels. Brower said the group is working with Deborah Lee, the head of the Master Gardener program at UConn, to help implement additional parts of the master plan. That involves the expansion and design of the shade garden of native wildflowers and helping to choose a variety of groundcovers to eventually eliminate some weeding. The Woodstock Area Garden Club has also been generous, he said, with plants and memorial donations.
Brower said the arboretum is a town of Woodstock property and depends on the kindness of volunteers.
If you would like to lend a hand, call Brower at 860-974-2770. Donations may also be made to the Friends of the Arboretum c/o of the Woodstock Town Hall.

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PHS rehab
starts with
pursuit of
funding
By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
PUTNAM ---  School officials hope to see a shovel in the ground  for the renovation of Putnam High School by the end of the school year in 2014.
Voters recently approved the pursuit of funding for the "renovate as new" project on the more-than-50-year-old high school building. The total cost of the project would be $36.5 million; however after state reimbursements, the cost of the project would be around $16.5 million, according to school superintendent William Hull. That $16.5 million figure includes lots of contingency.
The project includes a full-sized gym, science lab upgrades, the whole building becoming ADA compliant, energy-efficiency projects that will save money, a brand new library media center, bringing the Putnam Alternative Learning School back into the high school, moving the Board of Education/school offices into the building, modernizing classrooms and adding a Medical Pathways course of study and more. The modernized classrooms will afford the high school the opportunity to "cluster classes" more to make for an efficient teaching environment. The Medical Pathways will be basically a "school within a school," he said. It will offer higher level math and science courses and will also offer internships and job shadowing. Hull said the program has connections with Day Kimball Hospital and other providers. It's an area looking to expand and grow, he added.
After years of study, the building committee determined that renovating the current high school as new made the most sense.
Hull said school officials know the state reimbursement rate for the project will be 73 percent. "We're not 100 percent sure of the rate next year," he said, so officials will be filing the reimbursement application before June 30, the end of the state fiscal year.
He hopes to file with the state at the beginning of June and thinks the town may hear back by the end of July. He added the town is also working with state legislators, including State Senator Donald E. Williams Jr., Senate president; and Daniel S. Rovero, state representative for the 51st district. "We're pursuing additional funding for the Medical Pathways program," he said. Other towns have added that program at their schools and have had success getting some funding for it.
Hull said the building committee has done yeoman's work and the committee and the Board of Education have exhibited a constant collaborative effort.
Following the state thumbs up, officials would like to hire an architect by fall. Plans would be created after that, following by a shovel in the ground at the end of school, 2014. Construction would take 18 to 24 months, he said and a process called "phasing" would be used. That involves closing wings of the school for demolition and renovation, with safety walls between students and staff and the construction work. People would move around the building and it's possible portable classrooms would be brought in. The building will be kept open in a safe manner, he said.
Hull said "We are grateful to Putnam residents for seeing the future and giving us a vote of confidence."

 

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PSA's
Brooks
signs
By Ron P. Coderre
Putnam Science Academy is sending a fourth member of its 2012-2013 team to a four-year college with the announcement by athletic director and basketball coach Tom Espinosa that Paul Brooks will be attending Worcester State University in September.
Dayshon Smith is attending Division I University of Dayton and Jemal Mosley will be playing at Division II University of New Haven.  In February, Jonte Rutty committed to Division I Georgian Court University in Lakewood, N.J.  Ugur Hortum, the 6-foot, 11-inch center from Istanbul, Turkey, is headed to Lewis and Clark Community College a Division I Junior College in Illinois.
Paul Brooks, who hails from Arlington, Mass., attended PSA as a post graduate student.  During the past season his basketball skills improved with every game and in every aspect of the game.  The 6-9 center-forward became a rebounding force for the 22-8 Mustangs.  He led the team with seven caroms per contest, while averaging eight points a contest.  His 64 percent field goal percentage and 43 blocked shots were also best on the team.  He was selected to the all star team in the Northeast Prep Tournament, which was held at the conclusion of the season.
“Paul (Brooks) worked hard all season.  From day one through our final contest there was considerable improvement in all aspects of his game.  He’s definitely a sleeper and should fit in well at Worcester State, where his height will definitely help the team,” said Espinosa.
Espinosa should know what he’s speaking about when assessing Brooks’ future on the hardwood.  Espinosa is a graduate of Worcester State, where he was basketball captain his junior and senior seasons.  He knows the Lancers system and talent and said Brooks will be an impact player there someday in the near future.
In the final analysis, Brooks narrowed his choices down to two Division III schools, Salem State and Worcester before making his decision.  Throughout the season he was looked at by more than 20 Division II and III colleges.
He’s the second Putnam Science Academy Mustang to attend Worcester State University, following in the footsteps of another postgraduate Michael Gittens who played for the Lancers.