Date: Fri 29-Nov-1996

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

FHH-Town-Hall-South-Library

Full Text:

Library and Town Workers Will Have New Digs For The New Year

B Y S TEVE B IGHAM

Starting in January, if you want to get a Parks & Recreation permit, file a

Planning & Zoning application or borrow War and Peace , you'll have to head to

Fairfield Hills.

In years past, Newtown residents usually headed to the state hospital grounds

for baseball and softball games, but as of the first of the year, Fairfield

Hills will be the temporary home of the town's library and the offices of Town

Hall South.

First Selectman Bob Cascella met with members of the Department of Public

Works in Hartford Monday to go over the final plans for a move to the site. He

expects to receive a final lease proposal from the state this week and will

present it to the Board of Selectmen and Legislative Council next week.

Town Hall South employees will move to Canaan House and the library staff will

head to Stratford Hall, which once served as the hospital's medical library.

Mr Cascella said there was no truth to the rumor that he had plans to move his

office from Edmond Town Hall to Fairfield Hills, though there have been

complaints from town hall employees that Mary Hawley's gift to the town is

getting too tight.

Town Hall South employees will move to the former state hospital to escape the

flooding and general deterioration that has ravaged the Main Street building

in recent years. They are expected to be in Canaan House for a year or two

until a decision is made on the future of Town Hall South, according to Mr

Cascella.

Asbestos work at the library is almost complete, but the Library Board of

Trustees has chosen to move to Fairfield Hills for six months until the entire

expansion project is completed.

Mr Cascella hopes to make the temporary move to Fairfield Hills over the

Christmas/New Year's holidays, saying a move during that period will have the

least impact on the community.