Monthly Archives: October 2023

Letter to the Editor: Vote Republican Row B for ‘Trustworthy Town Stewards’, Who ‘Always Search for Consensus and Compromise’

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To the Editor:

Did you know? An unprecedented 30% of the Democratic endorsed ticket, 6 candidates on Row A in the upcoming 2023 Old Lyme municipal election are married couples! One of the three couples are running for positions that directly control the town’s purse strings. This roster is from the party that sounds off constantly about diversity and transparency. Let that sink in when you consider your vote.  

In contrast, the Republican ticket offers an array of candidates on Row B that mirrors the broad citizenry of our town. The republicans have presented voters with a team having a variety of party affiliations, who reside in various neighborhoods, and who represent a heterogeneous demographic that offers a true mix of thoughts. Rather than adhering to a party line or philosophy, the folks on Row B welcome a variety of ideas. Rather than marginalizing others of differing opinions, those on Row B appreciate disagreement and always search for a consensus and compromise. On November 7th, will you choose to vote for candidates that will work for you or a team that will work for a single party and platform? Know who you are voting for. Vote for trustworthy town stewards. Vote Row B with confidence. 

Sincerely,

 Bob Antoniac,
Old Lyme.

Letter to the Editor: Elect Fogliano to BOE; She Has Prodigious Talents, Will Maximize Tax Dollars With Common Sense Approach

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To the Editor:

It is with great confidence that I endorse Susan Fogliano for Board of Education member in the upcoming election. Ms Fogliano has lived in Old Lyme for nearly 32 years and served as a member of our Board of Education for 16 years between 1995 and 2011, and also as Chair of the Board during her tenure. As Board Chairperson, she oversaw completion of a long-term renovation project of all five school buildings, culminating in the passage of the Lyme-Old Lyme High School project.

Susan has been a lifelong advocate for public education and has served for ten years on the Regional Board of Education, as well as on private boards and foundations. Ms. Fogliano has been a full time classroom teacher and substitute teacher as well, and has worked in Madison, Lyme-Old Lyme, East Lyme, and Old Saybrook.

Our school district is and has been among the most highly ranked systems in both the State and the nation.  Ms. Fogliano will use her energy and experience to work in a non-partisan fashion to maintain our excellent school district, using a common sense approach to make the best use of taxpayer dollars. Please join me in support of Susan to allow her to use her prodigious talents to help our students learn and flourish.

Sincerely,

Margaret O’Shea, PhD,
Lyme, CT.

Editor’s Note: The author is the former Principal of Lyme School and the former Director of Curriculum at Lyme/Old Lyme Schools.

Letter to the Editor: Lyme Voters Should Elect Lodge to BOE; Committed, Involved in Community, Cognizant of Balance Between Quality Education and its Cost

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To the Editor:

What is necessary to qualify a person to hold an elected office in a town?

Plenty of information is circulated about the candidates at the top of the ballot, but as you go down, much less information is available. How do voters make decisions on whom to vote for?

The foremost prerequisite is commitment and involvement in service to the community. Have they done that? Have they had a wide range of life experiences? Are they creative? Is the candidate a pleasant, hard-working person who can work well with others?   

Gavin Lodge, Democratic candidate for Board of Education of Lyme (and Old Lyme), possesses all these qualifications. He has founded his own business and is the executive director of 4A Arts—American Alliance of Artists and Audiences—a non-profit national arts advocacy organization. As an active participant in his children’s school lives, he was a PTA president and chaired a school on-line Auction Committee that raised $53,000.

One of the best reasons to vote for Gavin is that, as a devoted father and concerned taxpayer, he is well aware of the delicate balance between a quality education and the cost of education.

Lyme voters should vote for Gavin Lodge.   

Sincerely,                                         

Phyllis Ross,
Lyme, CT.

Letter to the Editor: Misinformation Abounds About Halls Rd. Improvement Project, Clarifications Offered

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To the Editor:

Local Republicans seem to have been spreading misinformation about the Halls Road Improvements plan during their door-knocking and social media campaigns. 

The most common misstatements are the following.

1.  Misstatement:  The Halls Road Overlay District (HROD) proposal will raise our taxes.
Fact:  If HROD is passed developers will be able to get greater returns on their property with mixed use projects. With this development the town’s tax revenues will increase and reduce the share the rest of us must pay.

2. Misstatement:  The Halls Road Overlay District (HROD) proposal will require property owners to implement changes. 
Fact:  Adopting the provisions of the HROD is purely optional.  If the property owner doesn’t opt-in, the existing C30-s zoning regulations continue to apply.

3.  Misstatement:  The Halls Road project was developed and supported only by Democrats. 
Fact:  The Halls Road Master Plan has been approved and supported by the bi-partisan [Old Lyme] Board of Selectmen and Board of Finance. The request for changes to Halls Road District was supported by 80% of the respondents to a survey conducted in 2020 by Advance CT for the Old Lyme Economic Development Commission.

4. Misstatement:  Old Lyme residents will have to pay a fortune for the bridge and trails project.
Fact: The design for the bridge and trails is fully funded by grants. Any future construction will only take place if grants are secured to help fund it.  Additionally, funding and approval for sidewalks along Halls Road were applied for through CT DOT in 2022. We are in the DOT queue for review, approval and funding.

Halls Road is important to Old Lyme’s future — too important to use as a political football. We need to work together. The least we can do is make our choices based on real facts, not rumors and misinformation.

Sincerely,

Howard Margules,
Old Lyme.

Letter to the Editor: Vote Republican Slate for Old Lyme ZBA, Offers Right Balance of Leadership, Knowledge, Experience, Understanding 

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To the Editor:

The Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) is the only entity that can vary the application of the Zoning Regulations. Thus, the  ZBA plays an important role in balancing public health, safety, convenience, welfare and property values while protecting  individual property owners from unnecessary hardship. This ZBA requires dedicated Board members committed  to transparent, fair and legally compliant decision making. 

On November 7th, I strongly encourage the voters in Old Lyme to re-elect and elect the Republican endorsed Zoning Board  of Appeals candidates. I will let the record speak for itself: 

• Nancy Hutchinson (U) – While serving on the Zoning Board of Appeals since 2014, Nancy has been unanimously elected  Chair since 2018. Nancy is responsible for the development of the Zoning Board of Appeals’ “Residential Variance  Application Guide,” which helps applicants in making prudent land use decisions. She has completed extensive training  in Connecticut Land Use as approved by the Connecticut Bar Association, UCONN, CT-DEEP, and FEMA. Living in Old  Lyme for over 27 years, her leadership on the Zoning Board of Appeals has been exemplary. 

• Dan Montano – Dan served on the Zoning Board of Appeals for 4 years and was an active and well-informed member.  Committed to fairness and reasonableness in the zoning appeals process, Dan’s experience is significant as he is  intimately familiar with the major land use issues facing Old Lyme. 

• Roderick Clingman – As an incumbent alternate member of the Old Lyme Zoning Board of Appeals, Rod is running for  re-election having served on the board for the past two years. Rod, a 20 year+ resident of Old Lyme, is known for being  fair-minded while being committed to maintaining the charm and small-town beauty of Old Lyme and brings essential  continuity to the board. 

• Peter Lucchese – Peter is running as an alternate member and has over 50 years of experience as a Real Estate  professional. While interacting with many shoreline town Zoning Boards in a professional capacity, Peter has  demonstrated his knowledge in land use regulations and State statutes. As an active volunteer, serving on Lyme’s  Senior Center Board of Directors, Roger’s Lake West Shores Board of Directors, and assisting at High Hopes Therapeutic  Riding, Peter is the epitome of volunteerism. Peter brings a lifetime of experience to the ZBA. 

• Brian Cole – Brian is running as an alternate member to the Board. He has been a resident of Old Lyme for nearly 40  years and is well-known as a volunteer for various causes and sports programs in our community. Brian brings an  important business owner’s perspective to the Zoning Board of Appeals with over 4 decades of experience in various  industries. 

The Republican endorsed candidates bring leadership, ZBA experience, continuity, in-depth real estate and land use knowledge, and property development and management experience to our Zoning Board of Appeals. This team has the right balance of leadership, knowledge, experience and understanding. 

Vote for the Republican candidates for the Zoning Board of Appeals on November 7th because the right collective experience counts.

Sincerely, 

Steven Cinami,
Old Lyme.