Actor would like a happy ending to pay dispute

The damage from the freak Oct. 31 snow storm is almost gone. Electric and cable services have returned. Most of the toppled trees and limbs have been cleared. But in West Hartford the aftereffects of the storm still linger.

The storm could not have come at a worse time for Playhouse On Park, a young struggling nonprofit that has produced widely acclaimed shows but is barely surviving financially.

The shows following the storm had to be canceled and a major donor’s business was also hurt, resulting in delaying the promised donation. Money was not there to meet the last payroll.

As a result five people — some actors— who had contracts requiring them to be paid the following week, got burnt. Four had their paychecks bounce, while volunteers were able to contact the fifth and was able to stop the check from being deposited.

Today these five people are still owed money, as much as $450 for one individual. And there are hurt feelings.

Brock Putnam of Litchfield was one of the actors in the October play: “An Enemy of the People,” by Henrik Ibsen, updated by Arthur Miller.

Putnam received his $800 check, deposited it, and it promptly bounced, requiring him to pay a $15 bank fee. He is furious. While he has received only about half of his money, at least two other productions have since been staged and paid for. He is also upset because he was led to believe he would get the rest of his money by Feb. 1.

“It’s my understanding this is not the first time they’ve had trouble like this. I’d like to get paid before they go bankrupt,” he wrote me in asking for my help.

“I realize Playhouse on Park is going through difficulties, but they would be mitigated at least slightly in my mind if, unlike CL&P, you met the deadlines you imposed upon yourself for providing more information or actual payment for services. The “patience and understanding” which you have requested might indeed be more forthcoming in response to candor on Playhouse on Park’s part,” he wrote the volunteers in one of his less-vitriolic emails.

The leadership of the Playhouse Theater Group says it understands the frustration that the unpaid staff are experiencing.

Redevelopment Agency for the past two years and serves on the PRA Operations Team. Harris oversees hospital campus security. He is a Mohegan tribal member and updates the tribe on progress at the former Norwich Hospital property. Harriswas manager of the separation science pilot plant at Pfizer Inc. in Groton before hewas forced into retirement in mid-february after 35 years with the company. He ran a small construction company for 25 years whileworking at Pfizer, which helps him understand Norwich Hospital issues. Both of his parentsworked at Norwich Hospital for years and retired from there. “I knewand understood the place,” Harris said. “Itwas like Conn College. Itwaswell taken care of. The campuswas beautiful. It’s very strange to see it now. It hurts a little.”

Jim Bell, 69, has lived in Preston for 34 years. He has served on the PRA for two years, is currently vice chairman and serves on the PRA Operations Team. He also is co-chairman of the town Emergency Services Advisory Committee. Bell’s responsibility on the PRA is funding, finding grants and loans. The agencywas nearly done spending the first four federal EPA grants when new state fundingwas approved, and the PRA has applied for four more federal grants while negotiating grant and loan agreements with the state. Bellwas vice president and treasurer of Franklin Press in Norwich, where he worked for 25 years. He then taught graphics communication at Norwich Regional Technical High School and retired from there three years ago.

Sean Nugent, 59, has lived in Preston since 2004 and has been amember of the PRA since itwas established in 2009. Nugentwas asked to serve on the newpanel by First Selectman Robert Congdon because of his professional background. Nugent has an advanced degree in organic chemistry and hasworked for 28 years in the pharmaceutical industry. He was senior manager of science for 16 years and has spent the last 10 years in facilities operation and global strategic facilities planning at Pfizer Inc., and for five yearswas responsible for research and developmentworldwide for Pfizer. Nugent retired in March 2011 and started a business with a friend, ILAB Technical Facilities Solutions, which focuses on laboratory design. Nugent said progress on Norwich hospital has been more difficult than expected at times, but is progressing well. Nugent took over as chairman last summer. “The town has been so involved in this for so long, even before owning it, there’s a perception that the agency has been on this for 10 years,” Nugent said. “But the reality is, the agency had its inception in May 2009. … I’m pleased with thework that the agency has done. It is not an easy task.”

c.bessette@theday.com