Monthly Archives: August 2020

Old Lyme Town Clerk’s Office Clarifies Absentee Ballot Procedures for November Election

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OLD LYME —  In a statement issued yesterday, the Old Lyme Town Clerk clarified that due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, “All voters will be permitted to vote by absentee ballot rather than appear in person,” at the Nov. 3, 2020 election. This replicates the situation from the Aug. 11 Primary election,
For those who wish to vote in person, the polling place will again be the Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The statement explains, “For the Aug. 11, 2020 Primaries, the Secretary of the State’s (SOTS) office contracted with a Mail House to send out the absentee ballots rather than have the Town Clerk’s office handle it in-house as it is usually done.”  This decision had been taken, “… based on an effort to take some of the workload off the Town Clerks due to the sheer volume expected with voters being given the option to vote via absentee.”

Noting, “There were issues with the Mail House in performing this function,” the SOTS has determined use of the Mail House will be discontinued.

The statement continues, “On Aug. 18, 2020, the Town Clerks of Connecticut were notified by the SOTS that rather than use a Mail House again for the Nov. 3, 2020 election, they would be returning the task of sending out absentee ballots to the Town Clerks.”

Adding, “We were also notified that the SOTS’s Office will be mailing Applications for Absentee Ballot to all registered voters beginning mid-September.  The completed Applications will then be sent to the Town Clerk’s office and absentee ballots would be issued by us,”  the Town Clerk stresses that residents should note, “… we will begin mailing out Absentee Ballots on Friday, Oct. 2.”

As a large numbers of voters wishing to vote absentee is anticipated, the Town Clerk recommends the following:

  • Do not use the Application for Absentee Ballot which was mailed to you for the Aug. 11 Primaries as it will be rejected. You will receive a new one specifically for the Nov. 3 election.
  • Applications for Absentee Ballots will be mailed to you from the SOTS beginning mid-September.
  • If you do not receive your Application for Absentee Ballot for the Nov. 3 election in the mail by Sept. 30, contact the Old Lyme Town Clerk’s office or you visit this link to obtain one.
  • If you have previously filed an Application for Absentee Ballot for the Nov. 3 election with the Old Lyme Town Clerk’s office, disregard the one received from the SOTS.  Your initial Application will be processed.
  • Completed Applications for Absentee Ballot can be mailed to us or dropped in the Old Lyme Official Ballot Drop Box located in front of the Town Hall.
  • The Old Lyme Town Clerk’s Office will begin mailing Absentee Ballots Oct. 2.
  • Once you have received your Absentee Ballot and cast your vote, you may mail it to the Old Lyme Town Clerk’s Office or drop it into the Official Ballot Drop Box located in front of the Town Hall.

If you have any questions concerning the upcoming election, contact Town Clerk Vicki Urbowicz at (860) 434-1605 Ext. 221 or her assistant, Courtney, Ext. 220.

Editor’s Note: We urge all residents of Old Lyme and Lyme to mail or deliver their votes as early possible to allow time for the Town Clerk’s Office to process them.

CIAC Permits Conditioning for Fall Sports to Resume

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CHESHIRE/LYME/OLD LYME — Connecticut’s governing body for school sports, the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC), issued a statement yesterday evening saying that after, “… positive discussions with the Connecticut Department of Public Health [DPH], the CIAC Board of Control voted at its Sunday meeting to restart conditioning for all fall sports.”

The CIAC had suspended conditioning Aug. 14 .

The statement added, “On Saturday, August 29, schools may begin non-contact sport specific skill work,” but specified, “Both conditioning and skill work are to take part in small cohorts in adherence with guidance from the National Federation of State High School Associations and the DPH.”

Conducting conditioning and sport specific skill work as non-contact and in small cohorts is classified as low risk regardless of the sport.

Significantly, the statement notes, “The Board of Control has determined that any fall sport that is cancelled will not be played at a later time during the 2020-2021 school year,” stressing, “… the plan will remain fluid.”

Saint Ann’s ‘Nearly New Shop’ Continues First Annual Tent Sale Today, 11am-3pm

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OLD LYME — The Nearly New Shop owned by Saint Ann’s Episcopal Church of Old Lyme is holding its First Annual Tent Sale starting Friday, Aug. 21, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and continuing through Saturday, Aug. 22, at the same times — weather permitting.

The sale will be held during Connecticut Tax Free Week and take place outside Saint Ann’s Episcopal Church, which is a short distance down the street from the Shop

Choose from a wide selection of summer, fall, winter, and spring items with most things priced to sell from $1 to $10. It is anticipated items will sell quickly at these prices. Bring your own shopping bags and enjoy a shopping experience while the birds sing!

Cash and credit cards accepted.

There is ample parking in the Saint Ann’s church parking lot.

Masks are required for entry and socially-distanced shopping is required.

There will be no admittance to the Church building due to COVID-19 regulations.

Old Lyme VNA, LYSB Distribute Almost 1,000 Free Masks in Back-to-School Event Held Thursday

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Careful signage and directions from LYSB volunteers helped Thursday’s event run smoothly. File photo.

OLD LYME — Yesterday, Aug. 20, the Old Lyme Visiting Nurse Association (OLVNA) and the Lymes’ Youth Service Bureau held a back-to-school mask giveaway at Lyme-Old Lyme High School (LOLHS.)  This was their second mask giveaway and drive-through event at the LOLHS. 

Lymes’ Youth Service Bureau volunteers directed traffic while the team from OLVNA distributed packages containing surgical masks and LYSB resource cards.  

Close to 1,000 surgical masks were distributed at the event to Lyme and Old Lyme residents along with about 200 LYSB resource cards.  The resource cards contain information for those who are most affected by COVID-19, and include numbers to call for help and where to get food assistance.

So far this summer, the two groups have distributed around 7,500 masks and 1,500 resource cards to the Lyme-Old Lyme community.   

The OLVNA has determined that these drive-through events are one way to provide health services while maintaining social distance.  For this reason, the OLVNA’s annual October Flu and Wellness Clinic will probably be held as a drive-through event at the high school this year. 

Details of the October Flu and Wellness Clinic will be published on LymeLine.com as soon as they are available.