Monthly Archives: May 2018

Own a House in the Old Lyme Historic District? Nominate it for “Homes for the Holidays” Tour, Raise Funds for OLCLC

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Calling all homeowners in the Old Lyme Historic District: Does your home have historic significance? Is your home architecturally interesting?  Do you have a knack for interior design? Are you interested helping a valued community non-profit in raising funds?

If you answered Yes to any of these questions, then nominate your home to be featured in “Homes for The Holidays,” The Old Lyme Children’s Learning Center’s (OLCLC) biennial fundraiser on Dec. 8, 2018!

The OLCLC is now accepting applications from Old Lyme Village homeowners who are interested in learning more about this important fundraiser and would like their home to be considered for this year’s tour.

In order for the Home Tour to be a true walking tour, homes should be located on Lyme Street or on any of its side roads north of Rte. 156 between Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts and Johnnycake Hill Road (including Elizabeth Lane, Library Lane, Dunns Lane, Elm Street, Lee Street, Beckwith Lane, Academy Lane, Ferry Road, Lieutenant River Lane, Bittersweet Lane, Duck River Lane, McCurdy Road, Lyme Street, and Johnny Cake Hill Road near McCurdy Road).

Additionally, OLCLC Home Tour search committee members will be visiting Village home owners in May to hand out applications and to solicited homes.

Share your community spirit and help make this year’s Home Tour the best ever by nominating your distinctive home today.

For more information, contact Alison Zanardi at (860) 434-1728, ext. 1 or email alison_baasp@comcast.net.

Editor’s Note: The Old Lyme Children’s Learning Center is a non-profit NAEYC-accredited early childhood school and child care center. OLCLC seeks to provide a secure, safe, and happy environment that fosters the natural development of the whole child from 6 weeks of age to grade five for families in the Lyme/Old Lyme and surrounding communities. For more information visit www.olclc.com.

District 18 Budget Passes Easily in Both Towns

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Voters approved the Lyme-Old Lyme Schools proposed $33.3 million budget by a substantial margin in both Lyme and Old Lyme.  In Lyme, there were 141 Yes votes and 21 No votes while in Old Lyme, 267 residents voted Yes and 90 voted NO.

The total number of votes across both towns supporting the budget was 408 while a total of 111 rejected it, which represents a 78.6 percent majority in favor of the budget and 21.4 percent voting against it.

Ian Neviaser, Superintendent of Lyme-Old Lyme Schools, stated via e-mail, “We appreciate the continued support of both towns and will continue to work to provide a top notch educational experience for all the students in our district.”

Turnout was exceptionally low in both towns.  In Old Lyme, where there are 5,639 registered voters according to the Democrat Deputy Registrar of Voters Sylvia Peterson, a total of 6.33 percent of registered voters turned out to vote.

The now approved budget for the 2018-19 school year is $34,298,528 representing a 1.97 percent increase over the current year.

Neviaser and LOL Schools Board of Education Chair Mimi Roche stated in the March Focus on Education newsletter to the community that this budget allows for a significant increase in the cost of employee health insurance, “… yet continues to maintain all of our award-winning academic and extracurricular offerings, which are commensurate, and oftentimes superior, to both public and private schools throughout Connecticut.”

Neviaser and Roche said, “This budget supports our commitment to:

  • Continued adherence to class size guidelines. •
  • Reduction of staff to account for an enrollment decline at the elementary and middle school levels. •
  • Continuance of existing academic and extracurricular activities. •
  • Adjustments for anticipated changes in the special education population. •
  • Adequate funding for maintenance and repair of buildings and grounds. •
  • Scheduled replacement of technology and equipment. •
  • Program improvements that are consistent with high academic and operational standards.

Three facilities projects are included in the budget:

  • gaining commission approvals for an artificial turf field
  • replacing the Center School gymnasium floor
  • replacing the Mile Creek fuel oil tank.

Similarly, two program improvements are included:

  • Next Generation Science Standards curricular support/training
  • technology infrastructure advancements.

For further information on the proposed budget, visit this link for a copy of the 2018-19 budget.

Courtney Comments on Trump’s Decision to Pull Out of Iran Nuclear Deal

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Rep. Joe Courtney (D)

Today, Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-02) made the following statement after President Donald Trump announced he would be unilaterally imposing sanctions on Iran in violation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action:

“Despite repeated confirmation that Iran is following the nuclear deal from UN weapons inspectors on the ground, to the President’s own Secretary of Defense, James Mattis, and our closest allies, President Trump has recklessly decided to pull the U.S. out of the agreement,” said Courtney.

He continued, “This isolates our nation at the very moment we should be rallying international support to denuclearize North Korea. I will support every option possible in Congress to reconstruct and strengthen the progress we have already made toward keeping nuclear weapons out of Iran’s hands. Unfortunately, the President has seriously undermined that effort today.”

Voting Underway in Lyme-Old Lyme Schools $34.3M Budget Referendum; Polls Close 8pm Tonight

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Lyme-Old Lyme Schools Superintendent Ian Neviaser

Voting is underway in the referendum on the proposed Lyme-Old Lyme Schools Board of Education 2018-19 budget. Voting is taking place in Lyme and Old Lyme from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Lyme Town Hall and Cross Lane Firehouse respectively.

The proposed budget for the 2018-19 school year, which the board of education approved in February, is $34,298,528 representing a 1.97 percent increase over the current year.

Lyme-Old Lyme Schools Superintendent Ian Neviaser and LOL Schools Board of Education Chair Mimi Roche stated in the March Focus on Education newsletter to the community that, “The majority of this budget increase is being driven by the cost of employee health insurance,” adding, ” Unfortunately, our renewal rates for this year are expected to be between 15-18 percent.”

Neviaser and Roche note, “Accordingly, we have developed a budget that will allow for this increase yet continues to maintain all of our award-winning academic and extracurricular offerings, which are commensurate, and oftentimes superior, to both public and private schools throughout Connecticut,” explaining, “This budget supports our commitment to:

  • Continued adherence to class size guidelines. •
  • Reduction of staff to account for an enrollment decline at the elementary and middle school levels. •
  • Continuance of existing academic and extracurricular activities. •
  • Adjustments for anticipated changes in the special education population. •
  • Adequate funding for maintenance and repair of buildings and grounds. •
  • Scheduled replacement of technology and equipment. •
  • Program improvements that are consistent with high academic and operational standards.

Three facilities projects are detailed in the newsletter, namely:

  • gaining commission approvals for an artificial turf field
  • replacing the Center School gymnasium floor
  • replacing the Mile Creek fuel oil tank.

Similarly, two program improvements are noted as follows:

  • Next Generation Science Standards curricular support/training
  • technology infrastructure advancements.

For further information on the proposed budget, visit this link for a copy of the 2018-19 budget.

 

Lyme-Old Lyme Chamber, OL-PGN Library Co-host Business Breakfast Tomorrow, All Welcome

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Putting the Spotlight on Local Businesswomen

Join the Lyme-Old Lyme Chamber of Commerce and the Old Lyme-Phoebe Griffin Noyes Library for a Panel Discussion on Wednesday, May 9, at the OL-PGN Library starting at 7:30 a.m.

The panel will feature four successful business women from The Lymes, who are all pursuing successful business careers locally.

  • Robin Rountree:  Founder/Owner: Threetrees Interiors
  • Pat Spratt: Founder/Owner-Patrica Spratt for the Home
  • Laurie Walker: Realtor with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage
  • Jean Wilczynski: Financial Advisor with Exencial Wealth Advisors

Learn how they founded their own businesses or became involved in the business in which they are now employed.  Hear about the challenges they have faced along the way and get a great deal of practical information about what it’s like being a businesswoman in Lyme or Old Lyme — all gained from first-hand experience.

There will be plenty of time for questions at the end of the panel discussion.

This event is generously co-sponsored by the Old Lyme-Phoebe Griffin Noyes Library, who will be providing a continental breakfast.

All are welcome and admission is free.

For more information, visit www.VisitOldLyme.com