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By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
PUTNAM — She began her job in 2009. She retired Jan. 3, 2023.
And in between, she helped build Putnam — and northeast Connecticut.
Delpha Very began working for the town of Putnam, part time, in 2007 as a grants writer. When the town’s economic development director moved on to a job in Arkansas, she became Economic and Community Development director and Putnam Redevelopment Agency director.
She knows both sides having been, in Woodstock, a business owner and a former first selectman.
She said: “I have always been a true believer that ‘Economic Development has no borders’ and this has been an adage I use often. When any town welcomes any business into their community, their success overflows into neighboring towns through restaurants, retail, community engagement, events, night life activities, trail systems, and job creation.”
She added: “When trying recruit new business to our community, the first question they ask is ‘What incentives are you offering?’ and this is the opportunity to actually sell your community on its strengths, why they should seriously consider Putnam as their business home. More importantly, our mission is to assist and nurture the businesses we already have in our town in helping them sustain and grow where they are.”
She said her advice for small rural communities is “always have your eye on the prize and to make sure that we forever believe that ‘change is good’ in keeping up with the trends of change so we continue to be in the forefront of what is coming and be prepared for it.”
The new director is Carly DeLuca.
She’s been busy.
She counts as some of her accomplishments: “Infrastructure developments…Farmers Market Pavilion, Phase I and II additions to the River Trail, Regional YMCA, StoryWalk, Community Garden, Historic Mill Redevelopment, Downtown Revitalization and 88 Main St Façade, Parking and Buildout Studies, Design Guidelines Development, Wayfinding Implementation, Implementation of the 1st Blight Ordinance, Palo Property Environmental Clean-up, and all properties have been sold in the original Industrial Park.” She has been active in the development of the high tech park off Kennedy Drive.
Asked what her proudest accomplishment is she said The Lofts at Cargill Falls Mill.
And the biggest challenge? Hands down the repercussions from the pandemic. “The greatest challenge during my tenure has clearly been the repercussions of the pandemic: businesses lost revenue; loss of core staff or entire staffing; lack of childcare options; forced shuttering; home schooling challenges; lost wages, etc. Unfortunately, we are still feeling the aftermath of the pandemic and need to plan for the changes that are a result. Nationally, my profession is asking the same questions…specifically, how do we redesign our buildings and empty spaces left from vacancies of office space and closed businesses? What will be needed for the future? Will vehicular patterns change with more people working from home? Is it best for career advancement to be working from home, or in a more ‘think-tank’ environment?”
She said that Putnam will continue to thrive if it continues to attract and recruit all sectors of businesses such as high tech, targeted manufacturing, retail. Diversity is tops. “Keeping a diverse portfolio.”
In addition Putnam has a vigorous — and diversified — downtown. Where once there were antique stores side by side by side, then empty buildings side by side by side, now downtown is” blessed with the cross-section of shops in our small footprint” including a yarn shop, toy store, two adorable boutiques, a home décor shop, comic book store, restaurants, art gallery, antique stores, gelato, bakeries, brewery, a community theater, design business, bars, banks, performing arts, pottery shop, hair dressers, and even, near Union Square, a museum — the Gertrude C. Warner Box Car Museum housed in an old rail car.
“Our downtown area alive with small retail shops, restaurants, and live music venues will keep people interested in being here.” The Putnam Business Association and Putnam Recreation Department draw thousands of people all year long with events.
She added: “Our business community has been one of our greatest supporters in making Putnam a strong and giving community, and for that, we are forever grateful.”
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