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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caption, page 5:
Last Market
Putnam Saturday Farmers' Market Manager Emily Barnes was dressed for the (Halloween) occasion at the last market for the season. Linda Lemmon photo.
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By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
PUTNAM — Records fell at this season’s Putnam Saturday Farmers Market and next season looks bright, according to Market Manager Emily Barnes.
“We had a fantastic 2021 market season, with record customer attendance numbers which included newcomers, as well as lots of new vendors. We had our highest attendance in August, with one Saturday reaching 521 total customers for the day!” she said.
That let her know that what the market does is working. The mask mandate being lifted before the season started in the spring allowed the market to “flip” back to its original layout — vendors along the outside edges of the pavilion on Kennedy Drive, facing inward, and shoppers being able to peruse the farmer, artisan and non-profits offerings under cover.
“We would not have been so successful without our fantastic vendors, who are really the most important part! I’d like to thank them for such a great year. And I’d also like to extend a huge thank you to our wonderful customers and the support from the Town of Putnam. Without both of them, the market simply would not be possible and it wouldn’t be the success that it is,” Barnes said.
“I’m very pleased with how this season turned out.”
Barnes, in her second year as manager, said: “supporting non-profit organizations is of utmost importance to me, so this year I was happy to welcome back a few local Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops as well as EastCONN, Pluck-A-Duck, and other local organizations. The priority of the Market is to provide a place for local farmers and vendors to sell their products and goods, but we are happy to also assist with other missions of the community where we can.”
The market accepted payment in cash, debit cards, SNAP/EBT cards, FMNP, WIC, and IHSP Daily Bread coupons, “and our customers were thankful for those additional options for payment.”
Barnes added a few new items this year including raffle baskets for National Farmers’ Market Week, and limited-edition reusable tote bags. The bags were free the first Saturday of the season, and were available for purchase after that — the proceeds going to support future market operations. She said, “I’d like to offer similar programs next year, and would love to collaborate with local businesses to possibly offer more raffle baskets which will assist in their advertising.”
She said her favorite part of this market season was getting to know customers and vendors.
While the Putnam Saturday Farmers Market is in hibernation, many of the farmers sell their goods over the winter months, and some also sell at winter markets. If you’d like to contact a specific farmer or artisan, contact Barnes at:
The market is also on Instagram and there is a newsletter with all the latest on the market’s website — www.putnamfarmersmarket.org. And while you’re counting the days until the market reopens in the spring, like the market on its new Facebook page — ‘Putnam Saturday Farmers Market’ (no apostrophe on Famers).
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Autumn's Last Hurrah
The leaves were leaping off the mountain ash tree and onto the picnic table --- thanks to high winds of late. More photos on page 4. Linda Lemmon photo.
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Centaurs
capture 1st-
ever ECC
football title
The Woodstock Academy football program made a statement Nov. 13. The Centaurs posted a 42-8 win over Ledyard and that Woodstock its first-ever ECC divisional title as it claimed the Div. II championship with the win.
The Centaurs (7-2) finished with a 4-0 record in Div. II.
It completed a long road back for the program as a whole. “We were, literally, the doormat of the ECC and the state even. We even had to (play out of) conference and play out-of-state. To actually win a championship is crazy,” said Woodstock senior quarterback Ethan Davis.
From 2010 through 2015, the Centaurs went 5-57. In 2016, the school decided not to play football in the ECC, opting to look outside for games against Massachusetts schools, tech programs, and smaller programs it felt it could compete with.
In 2019 the school returned to play an ECC Div. II-only schedule for the upcoming 2020 season. Then COVID delayed that, but it was worth the wait.
The victory Nov. 13 was more than satisfying.
“It’s very important and it’s a great accomplishment,” said coach Sean Saucier fighting back some tears of pride in the process. “I can’t say enough about my coaches and players. They prepared very well. We had three incredible practices this week and the old saying, ‘You play how you practice’, is true. We proved it.”
Davis led the way. He completed 11-of-18 passes for 170 yards and two touchdowns. And he ran for another 262 yards in just 13 carries and four touchdowns.
On the first offensive series, on a 1st-and-10 from the Ledyard 43, Davis hit receiver Carter Saracina who glided into the end zone.
Woodstock took advantage of the Colonels’ disappointment and attempted an onside squib kick. It worked.
Sophomore David Bunning hopped on the football and gave it back to Davis.
The Centaurs immediately went back to the air and Davis saw the same thing he had seen on his previous pass; Saracina downfield, the linebacker and safety nowhere near.
Davis delivered another spot-on pass, going 47 yards to Saracina, and the Centaurs had 15 points in 11 seconds.
A Ledyard interception led to a 9-yard touchdown run to cut the lead to seven with 4 minutes, 35 seconds left in the half.
But Davis carried the ball four times including a 35-yarder that got the Centaurs down to the Ledyard 6-yard line. Payton Barna (16 carries, 51 yards) took it down to the two and Davis did the rest, diving in from a yard out two plays later to give the Centaurs a 22-8 halftime lead.
Davis added all three second-half scores for Woodstock; a 6-yard run on its first offensive possession, an 85-yard haul on its second and to cap things off a 25-yarder on its third early in the fourth quarter.
The defense did the rest. Ledyard (6-3, 2-2) had only 77 yards of offense.
The Centaurs excelled at gang tackling against the Colonels.
“Assignment football,” Saucier said. “It goes back to Jesse Bousquet, our defensive coordinator, knowing exactly what needs to happen to stop the triple option. They knew they couldn’t just pursue to the ball like you would against a more traditional offense, they had to do their job, make sure it wasn’t coming to them and then pursue.”
Saucier and the players will be able to look up at the championship banner and remember.
The Centaurs have one more regular season game to play as they will travel on Thanksgiving Day to face undefeated Killingly (8-0) at 10:30 a.m.
“I’m looking forward to it. It’s a special tradition. I had it when I was growing up and I’m really grateful that our players will get to enjoy the tradition, I don’t know how long it will be around. It might change in the State of Connecticut someday so while we have it, let’s have fun with it,” Saucier said.
Marc Allard
Director of Sports Information
The Woodstock Academy
captions:
Woodstock Academy senior Silas Strandson tackles Ledyard running back James Green (7) in the Centaurs 42-8 win over Ledyard on Saturday. (Photo submitted by Woodstock Academy).
Team photo.
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