Date: Fri 14-Feb-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

Town-Hall-South-FHH-Canaan

Full Text:

A Town Government On The Move

(with photos)

BY STEVE BIGHAM

The 20 or so town employees who used to work at Town Hall South arrived for

work this week at their new offices on the campus of Fairfield Hills Hospital.

Crews from C&D Moving of Brookfield pulled up to Town Hall South in their vans

last Friday morning to begin hauling maps, file cabinets, desks, chairs and

any other items that had become a part of the town government over the past 20

years. It was all moved to Canaan House, which will serve for the next two

years as the home of the town's land-use, building, health and parks and

recreation offices.

Public Works Director Fred Hurley said the move went like clockwork, with

85-90 percent of it completed by Friday and the rest finished Saturday

morning.

"I think everyone was floored with how quickly it went," he said.

The move may have gone quickly, but the detailed work of reorganizing files

will probably take weeks, according to Town Engineer Ron Bolmer.

One employee said she has done more cleaning and lifting at work the past few

days than she usually does at home.

The offices of the land-use, building, health and parks and recreation were

closed for the move last Friday, but people still streamed in seeking permits

and other information. Many of them were curious to see the what "Town Hall

South by Southeast" looked like.

Mr Hurley said Canaan House provides about the same square footage as Town

Hall South, but will likely appear much roomer because there is more common

space.

First Selectman Bob Cascella visited the town's new office space Tuesday and

was impressed with how quickly the employees had settled in.

"I cannot say enough good things about all the staff. Monday morning we were

up and open for business. They all deserve a giant pat on the back," he said.

Mr Cascella expects Canaan House to be very user-friendly for residents who

will no longer be forced to make their way through the winding hallways of

Town Hall South.

"The [Parks & Rec] roster is up and the coffee pot is going," he said.

The Canaan House conference room, which was used for a meeting of the Parks &

Recreation Commission Tuesday night, was used previously as a sun room.