The conference table and the new custom shelfing ends in the children's library. Linda Lemmon photos.
Furniture 'holes'
filled at complex
By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
PUTNAM — The furnishings for the new Putnam Municipal Complex is just a couple brackets away from being done.
Last week the customized end pieces for some of the shelving units in the children’s library were installed. They take their playful cue from the mural in the children’s library, with some modern, cool tree designs.
The six or eight display cabinets for the Aspinock Historical Society came in but a couple of them are missing shelf brackets, according to Town Administrator Elaine Sistare.
And in the second-floor community room, at the top of the grand staircase, the 27-foot conference table was recently installed. It’s boat shaped and it’s made of solid wood. It’s 2.5 feet wide at the ends and 5.5 feet wide in the middle. It’s long enough to accommodate about 20 chairs.
Sistare said that room is now wired for Zoom meetings. The Board of Selectmen and the Board of Finance will continue to meet in the meeting room on the first floor, as it is larger. She said this upstairs community room can probably accommodate the majority of the rest of the boards. The town had hoped that it would be delivered in time for the big move-in last October but these items weren’t ready. Sistare said that the conference table actually was finished earlier but there was a defect in it and the town said, “Go ahead and make it perfect, we’ll wait.”
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Help
wanted -
times two
By Linda Lemmon
Town Editor
PUTNAM — With a second department head leaving, the town is taking the opportunity to re-evaluate the town’s needs before filling the spots.
Town Assessor Angela Sanchez resigned recently (moving) and Town Clerk Sara J. Seney recently submitted her retirement after 26 years.
Town Administrator Elaine Sistare said whether the positions continue to be full time or would become part time is under consideration.
Fortunately for the town, there is some breathing room because the assistants in both offices have been in their positions for many years and are fully capable of handling the job.
“All municipalities are financially stretched,” said Sistare, “so we’ll re-evaluate at this point.” When a position is being filled, it’s an opportune time to re-evaluate what exactly is needed. She added that residents’ needs change with time and people do business (with the town offices) differently than they did before.
“Because we’ve always done it that way,” might not necessarily be the best approach.
Seney’s retirement is effective July 8. Sistare said that gives the town some time to re-evaluate the position, get it advertised and go from there. And in the meantime the assistant town clerk, Deana Pajak, is fully certified.
In her letter to Sistare, Seney said “It is with a heavy heart that I leave this position which I have performed for the last 26 years, but I have decided the time has come for me to start my retirement and spend more time with my husband, children and beautiful grandchildren. I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone most graciously for the help, support, and opportunities I have had working for the town. It has been a remarkable journey and I have enjoyed all the time spent working with you and everyone on our team. I also need to send a heartfelt ‘thank you’ to the people of Putnam and their faith in me in electing me as their Town Clerk. It has been an honor to serve them. I look forward to supporting you in a smooth transition to my successor.” Before becoming Putnam’s town clerk, Seney worked in the Thompson Town Hall, part of the time as the assistant town clerk.
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caption, page 1:
A Lock on Love
Just some of the locks in Locked in Love that were installed after the ribbon cutting May 14. The custom locks raise money for Quiet Corner Cares, a sober house for women in Putnam. More photos on page 4. Linda Lemmon photo.
By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
PUTNAM — “This was a ‘labor of love’ no pun intended,” said Karen Osbrey, chairman of the Putnam Arts Council and the MC for the ribbon cutting for the Locked in Love fund-raiser sculpture on the River Trail.
The heart-shaped steel “tunnel” has wires running between its supports and those wishing to honor someone can purchase a lock and key for $25. The special lock is customized and then the donor can lock the lock on the sculpture’s wire grid. All the money raised goes to Quiet Corner Cares, a sober house for women in Putnam.
Osbrey said Barbara Kenyon of New England Awards and Trophies showed her a pretty little gold lock and said it might make a good fund-raiser idea. The lock spent the next four years in Osbrey’s desk. She said to herself “It needs to be for a special project.” Along comes Karl Kuhn Jr. After speaking with Jenn Brytowski he approached Osbrey saying this was a very popular idea in Europe. Osbrey said she opened her drawer, handed him the lock from Kenyon and said “this is for you, guy”.
Originally they thought of putting the locks on a fence but then thought, “We can do something better than that,” Osbrey said.
Kuhn’s daughter Hayley Kuhn came up with the idea. Seeing the effects COVID was looking to have on the marketplace, Kuhn ordered the steel early in the process.
Osbrey called Kuhn “the visionary and driving force”
Mayor Barney Seney said “This is what community is all about.”
At the end of the ceremony Kuhn said they’ve sold about 150 locks so far and that has brought in about $3,800. The website for buying a beautiful custom lock is: www.lockedinlove.net.
The Major Sponsor is WIN Waste Innovations. Sponsors include: Missy Desrochers, Erica and Larry Groh Jr., CR Premier Properties, WINY Radio, Bousquet’s Appliances, R&R Commercial Painting, Gerardi Insurance Services, Jessica Tuesday’s Chrome N Steel Veteran Riders CT, Bachand, Longo and Higgins, Byrne’s Agency, HJK Renovations, JCS Construction, Northeast Kitchens & Flooring, NorthStar Home Loans, Fluid Coating Technology, Hometown Bank and Putnam Area Foundation.
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caption, page 1:
Jenna Taylor watches as her German carp gets measured. She won largest fish in the 6-9 age category. Family friend Wayne Burke holds the fish as Putnam Rotarian Marc Archambault measures it --- 29 inches. More photos on page 5. Linda Lemmon photo.
captions, page 5 from top:
Savanna Burke with her dad Wayne and Doug Porter, chair of the fishing derby committee. Courtesy photo.
Bryce Plouffle
Above: Willow Les Chandler
Left: Hailey Rourke. Courtesy photo.
Below: Trevor Bouchard. Marc Archambault photo.
Kids at Rotary
fishing derby
have a great time
By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
PUTNAM — More than 50 kids came to the banks of the Quinebaug River and had a blast at the 48th annual Putnam Rotary Club Noe Poulin Fishing Derby. When you added the cheerleaders (parents) there were more than 100 people at the event.
After registration, the kids lined the banks of the Quinebaug and started fishing. Awards in three age categories were made and then they were treated to lunch. This year everyone was encouraged to release their fish after they were measured
Awards went to:
Largest Fish – 13 – 15 years old – Trevor Bouchard (gray shirt) – 13” yellow perch
Largest Fish – 10 -12 years old – Hailey Rourke – (black shirt, jean shorts with sunglasses) 6 ½” bullhead
Largest Fish – 6 – 9 years old – Jenna Taylor – 29” carp
Largest Fish – 0 – 5 year olds – Savanna Burke – (yellow shirt, with Dad) 22” carp
Most Fish caught – Bryce Plouffle – (black T-shirt and WA hat) - several sunfish
Smallest fish (4” sunfish) – Willow Les Chandler.
The most unique catch - turtle – Izik Alfredo Santigo.
The carp that took off with one of the fishing poles didn’t hang around for his “prize.”
J. Scott Pempek, the Putnam Rotary Club president said: “It was a great event! I’m not sure who enjoyed it more, the kids fishing or the many Rotary volunteers watching the reactions of the kids when they got a bite and were reeling the ‘big one’ in.”
Major sponsor: WIN Waste Innovations which provided the seven major prizes, gift cards to local merchants and 10 additional gift cards as raffle prizes.
In addition: Runnings provided several additional gift cards; Rotarians Fred and Rande Chmura donated and cooked the food for the event; Marcy Dawley from Chase Graphics donated the photo shoot frame. Jenn Brytowski of Chase Graphics helped with the event flyers and with updated the banner for the event; Town of Putnam – use of the bandstand and sound system – closing of Bridge Street. Mayor of Putnam – Barney Seney and Selectman Scott Pempek (also president of the Putnam Rotary Club) opened up the event. Twelve Rotarians were also there to help that day.
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