Monthly Archives: October 2023

Letter to the Editor: Shoemaker, Lampos Have Skills to Develop Positive, Reinforcing, Work Culture at Old Lyme Town Hall

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To the Editor:

The Old Lyme employees who work in Town Hall are a wonderful group.  However, concerns have been expressed over the past few years about their working environment and whether they have routinely enjoyed the support they deserve.  These concerns will not continue under the leadership of Martha Shoemaker as First Selectwoman and the assistance of Jim Lampos as Selectman.

Martha’s wealth of experience in education and union leadership, and Jim’s decades as a multi-worker restaurant owner, have made them extremely sensitive to employee performance, needs and nurturing.  Martha will always welcome employee questions, concerns and complaints, and she will promptly identify and implement appropriate responses.  She will be fair and thoughtful with employee evaluations, offer support where needed, and encourage robust professional development whenever possible.  Regular staff meetings will be held and information exchanged.

A positive, reinforcing, work culture is important not only to elicit the best employee performance, but also to attract the best people.  Martha and Jim know that, and they get things done.

Please vote for Shoemaker and Lampos on November 7.  

Sincerely,

Russell Fogg’
Old Lyme

Letter to the Editor: “Eddie” Long Seeks to Become Mayor of New London, a City Where The Wrong Things are Happening

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To the Editor:

As Election Day approaches, we must take stock of our city’s wins and losses. We see freshly paved streets, but our most well-known restaurants are closing. We see expensive apartments built for individuals working in Groton, but New London families paying higher rents. Incumbents boast about lower mill rates, but fewer than 35% of us own homes. With studios starting at nearly $2,000 touted as “affordable”, we can see why New London renters feel disconnected from their leaders.

It’s no surprise only 18% of registered voters participated in our last municipal election. New London’s charter requires city residency for department heads, to ensure that they are connected and accountable to the community. Instead, we have individuals in power who owe their jobs to the mayor and never challenge him. Finally, New London loses because those individuals are paid from our tax dollars but spend those dollars in their hometowns. 

Being an incumbent doesn’t mean that you should get to enjoy the press coverage the wins bring while refusing to answer for the losses. On November 7th, I’m calling on voters to come to the polls, weigh all options, and make the incumbents answer for these losses.

Sincerely,

Leon Long,
New London, CT.

Editor’s Note: Leon “Eddie” Long is the candidate endorsed by the New London Green Party for Mayor of New London in the upcoming election.

Letter to the Editor: Re-elect Powell-St. Louis as Lyme Member of Region 18 BOE; She Has ‘Remarkable Set of Attributes,’ Making Her ‘an Exceptional Candidate’

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To the Editor:

I am writing this letter to express my wholehearted and enthusiastic support for my esteemed colleague, Mary [Powell St. Louis], who is running for reelection to the Board of Education. I have had the privilege of working closely with her on the Board of Education for four years (one year as Chair with her serving as Vice Chair) and on the Facilities and Finance Committee and have witnessed her outstanding qualities and unwavering commitment to our community and the education system. 

Mary possesses a remarkable set of attributes that make her an exceptional candidate for reelection: 

Mary is known for her unwavering honesty and direct communication. Her integrity is unquestionable, and she always speaks candidly, making her a trusted and transparent leader who can navigate complex educational issues with clarity and forthrightness. She enthusiastically studies related research and material for all topics under consideration and accurately relates the material in a relevant, accurate, and easy-to-interpret fashion. 

Mary has demonstrated a deep understanding of the fiscal challenges that our school district faces. Her commitment to responsible budget management ensures that our community’s resources are allocated efficiently, benefiting both the taxpayers and the students. 

It is obvious that Mary possesses a high level of intellect and a sharp analytical mind. Her ability to grasp complex educational issues, assess potential solutions, and make informed decisions is invaluable to the Board of Education. 

Mary’s resolute dedication to our community is truly commendable. Her tireless efforts to improve the quality of education and the overall well-being of our students demonstrate a profound sense of duty to our community’s future. 

In her previous term, Mary has been instrumental in bringing positive changes to our school district. Through budgeting, project planning, and contract negotiations, she has proven herself to be an invaluable team member in the way she notices details that others miss and offers solutions that others hadn’t imagined. 

As a colleague who has had the privilege of working closely with Mary, I can attest to her exceptional qualities and the positive influence she has had on our educational community. Her dedication to the betterment of our schools and her commitment to the well-being of our students are qualities that we need on the Board of Education. 

I wholeheartedly endorse Mary for reelection to the Board of Education and encourage our community to support her in this endeavor. Her proven track record, steadfast honesty, fiscal responsibility, high intellect, and strong sense of duty to our community make her the ideal candidate to continue leading our school district toward a brighter future. 

Sincerely,

Steven Wilson,
Old Lyme.

Editor’s Note: The author is the current chair of the Region 18 Board of Education, a registered Republican, and endorsed by the Old Lyme Republican Town Committee for re-election to the board in the upcoming election. Mary Powell St. Louis (R) is endorsed by the Lyme Republican Town Committee for re-election to the board in the upcoming election

Letter to the Editor: Choose Gavin Lodge as Lyme Member of Region 18 BOE; He Will ‘Work Tirelessly’, Insure Children Receive ‘Open, Unbiased Education’

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To the Editor:

Gavin Lodge is a wonderful choice for Board of Education. He will work tirelessly for our children, insuring that they receive an open and unbiased education. Gavin is the father of two children in LOL [Lyme-Old Lyme] schools and knows and understands the importance of parental involvement in all facets of their education. Giving young people access to all knowledge will help them become the thoughtful leaders we need in our future.

Gavin’s opponent is pro book banning. Gavin supports an open, respectful and caring education for all students.

Vote Gavin Lodge for our children’s sake.

Sincerely,


Sue Hessel,
Lyme.

Lyme-Old Lyme VFW Post 1467 Named to All-American Team, One of Only Seven in CT

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LYME-OLD LYME — The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Lyme-Old Lyme Post 1467 has been recognized for outstanding contributions made by its members that has resulted in the Post being named a member of the 2022-2023 All-American VFW team.

The All-American program exists to recognize exceptional leadership and teamwork, authentic accomplishments in membership growth and VFW core programs.

There are 88 VFW Posts in Connecticut and only seven have achieved this national VFW recognition.

Since 2015 there have been over 120 instances where the Lyme-Old Lyme VFW Post 1467 has provided needy veterans and their families with one-time temporary assistance services totaling over $150,000.  Since the spring of 2023, Post 1467 helped over 10 veterans to spend over $11,000 to address a variety of issues, including homelessness.  

The Lyme-Old Lyme Post 1467 holds its annual dinner dance this Saturday, Oct. 28, with the theme, We Still Serve.

Congratulations to Post 1467 — what an achievement!