As a recently retired CFO with over 45 years of financial oversight experience, I have learned the qualities needed to be a successful financial leader. I am writing this letter to the voters in Old Lyme to strongly urge you to elect Matt Ward (U) as our Town Treasurer on November 7th.
Matt has all the right in-depth financial expertise and experience to serve Old Lyme in this important role. Matt previously served as Assistant Accounts Manager for the Town of Deep River. He has served as the Second Selectman of Old Lyme since 2021. So Matt is very familiar with the town budget process and financial issues for Old Lyme. Matt helped resolve financial issues with the finance director as our Second Selectman.
Prior to his Selectman role in the Old Lyme Town Hall, Matt had a 20 year career as a Connecticut State Trooper and later a part-time police officer for the Town of Old Lyme. Matt has a B.A. in Accounting from Bryant College and is currently a Staff Accountant at a local firm in Essex.
Matt has lived in Old Lyme for 17 years and his five children are enrolled in the Region 18 school system. Matt is a dedicated volunteer to our town including Lyme-Old Lyme Little League, the LYSB, and has served on Board of Directors for LYSB and the Old Lyme Historical Society.
Matt Ward has consistently shown himself to be a competent and reliable public servant.
Vote for Matt Ward (U) for Town Treasurer.
Sincerely,
John Flick, Old Lyme.
Editor’s Note: Matt Ward is endorsed by the Old Lyme Republican Town Committee as their candidate for Treasurer in the upcoming election.
One of the signs that was defaced in Old Lyme over Saturday night. Photo submitted.
OLD LYME — Five large campaign signs in Old Lyme — three Republican, two Democratic — were vandalized overnight on Saturday with hateful terms, obscene language, and offensive signs.
We asked the respective chairs of the Old Lyme Democratic Town Committee (DTC) and Republican Town Committee (RTC) for their thoughts on the vandalism.
Randy Nixon, RTC Chair, wrote via email, “We are outraged by these heinous acts which meet the legal standard (on our signs) of Hate Crimes. In either party’s signs, this must be condemned by all Old Lyme residents. We are all better than this.”
He added, “This is as sad as it is despicable.”
Mary Jo Nosal, DTC Chair, also responded by email saying, “This past weekend Old Lyme Democratic and Republican campaign signs were vandalized, a direct assault on First Amendment rights. Sadly, the vandalism included trespassing on private property and vulgar and hateful graffiti.”
She noted, “The Old Lyme DTC believes that vandalism and hate speech do not belong in Old Lyme and will cooperate fully with the police investigation.”
in addition, Nosal forwarded the DTC’s public statement regarding the vandalism, which reads as follows: “It has come to our attention that last night, signs supporting both the Democrat and Republican selectmen in town were defaced with spray painted vulgarities and hateful rhetoric. In addition to subverting the democratic process, vandalism is a crime, and we have reported both incidents to the police.
The Old Lyme Democrats oppose any sign theft or vandalism. These signs cost money and are used to inform voters of candidates’ names and remind them to participate on Election Day. They are perhaps the greatest example of our country’s long tradition of free speech in action. Please stand with us in condemning this behavior and respecting BOTH political parties in town. We may disagree on policy issues, but we all agree that this is not what Old Lyme is about.”
Similarly, Nixon sent the RTC’s public statement regarding the incidents, which reads thus: “Last [Saturday] night, signs presenting the candidates for the Board of Selectmen in the November Election were defaced with horrible , indecent words and symbols of hatred.
This occurred on signs for both the Republican and Democrat Candidates. These acts of vandalism are deplorable in all cases.
All Old Lyme Republicans are outraged by these heinous actions and abhor such criminal behavior. We ask everyone in the public to report any eyewitness accounts or other evidence to the Old Lyme Police which might identify the culprits so they can be brought to justice.
There is no place for this kind of filthy behavior and detestation in our town. We have policy differences with the Democrat party in Old Lyme, but those differences are characterized by respectful agreement to disagree. We respect their candidates’ rights to present their positions without defacing of their campaign signs just as expect the same rights for our candidates.
We fully expect the Old Lyme Democrats are in lock step with Old Lyme Republicans in condemning such horrible and hateful behavior.
Old Lyme is better than that. We hope the perpetrators of these crimes will be found and arrested.”
I write in support of Gavin Lodge as the Lyme representative to the Region 18 Board of Education. Lodge will serve Lyme and its youth well. He is a father of two children in our schools, a past public school PTO co-president. He is active in Lyme’s Sustainable Committee and other town commissions.
He is the executive director of 4A Arts, a national nonprofit that promotes arts and culture in our communities. As a small business entrepreneur, he has demonstrated strong fiscal expertise.
Most importantly, Lodge is a fierce opponent of book censorship and will advocate for all children in the schools. Nationally, more than 90 percent of the books targeted for censorship and removal are about LGBTQ+ and youth of color, and it is no different here. Lodge believes deeply in the freedom to choose and express one’s opinions even if that opinion might be considered unorthodox or unpopular.
It is not a coincidence that his position is the same as the American Library Association [ALA]. Like the ALA, Lodge believes that parents—and only parents—have the right and the responsibility to restrict the access of their children—and only their children—to library resources.
Let’s not be fooled into thinking this school election is typical; it is not. It is one of the most consequential elections in memory for the town of Lyme.
Vote Gavin Lodge.
Sincerely,
Michael James, Lyme.
Editor’s Note: The author is Professor Emeritus of Education at Connecticut College.He is also the husband of Anna James (D), the Region 18 Board of Education member for Lyme, who is not up for re-election this year.
View of the highly productive Lyme-Old Lyme Food Share Garden. Photo by J. Ward.
OLD LYME — The annual Lyme-Old Lyme Food Share Garden (LOLFSG) Sponsor a Row campaign kicked off Oct. 1.
The LOLFSG is extremely grateful to individuals, families, organizations and businesses, who sponsored the garden this season.
Volunteers gave more than 800 hours, donated more than 2000 pounds of food to local food pantries, installed a pollinator pathway along one edge of the garden, composted more than 1000 pounds of donated food waste, and are in the process of an on-site garden expansion.
The annual cost to maintain a garden bed from seed through delivery is approximately $250.
All money raised by this campaign will go directly towards the operating expenses of the garden, including seeds/transplants, fertilizer, weed barrier fabric, irrigation tape, electricity and tools.
In appreciation, each $250 donation from October 1, 2023 – March 31, 2024 will be recognized with a sign at the garden and on the LOLFSG website.
Donations of any amount are also welcome. Donations can be made at lolfoodsharegarden.org or mailed to LOL Food Share Garden Inc., PO Box 395, South Lyme, CT 06376.
Old Lyme First Selectman Timothy Griswold gives Jeri Baker, Chair of the Lymes’ Senior Center Building Committee, a congratulatory handshake after the successful referendum result to fund the Lymes’ Senior Center expansion and renovation was announced in June 2023. File photo.
HARTFORD, CT / LYME / OLD LYME — UPDATED 11:10am with State Rep. Carney’s comments: On Sept. 29, Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont announced the latest round of Small Town Economic Assistance Program (STEAP) grants, which included separate $500,000 grants to the Towns of Lyme and Old Lyme respectively towards the expansion and renovation of the Lymes’ Senior Center. The Center is a shared facility jointly funded by both towns.
Asked by LymeLine how she felt about the award, Jeri Baker of Old Lyme, who serves as Chairman of the Lymes’ Senior Center Building Committee, responded via email saying, “”It is gratifying that the state recognizes and supports what we have known all along … our Senior Center is a gem. What the Center provides in services and friendship is important to both towns and to the surrounding region as well.”
She continued, “I am extremely proud to be a member of the Center, of this community and of a very dedicated building committee that has worked tirelessly for the last four years to come this far.”
Asked the same question by LymeLine, Old Lyme First Selectman Timothy Griswold (R) replied via text saying, “The award of two STEAP grants in the amount of $500,00 to the Towns of Lyme and Old Lyme is cause for celebration. Congratulations to Senior Center Building Committee Chair, Jeri Baker, for the super job she did in assembling the required data from both towns.”
He added, “[Lyme] First Selectman David Lahm (R) and I thank Governor Lamont, [State] Senators Marx (D) and Needleman (D) and [State] Representative Carney (R) for their assistance, and for the staff at the Office of Policy and Management for their help and guidance.”
Griswold noted, “These grants will certainly ease the financial burden of the project on the taxpayers of our towns. The approvals remind us that the State of CT approved two $500,000 STEAP grants for our towns several years ago when we built the Town Woods Park facility.”
Finally, he stated emphatically, “We are very pleased that the State has such a high level of confidence in our Senior Center Expansion project and we aim to make them proud of our finished product.”
Gov. Lamont announced a total of $24.5 million to 60 small towns throughout the state with the amounts for each town ranging from around $52,000 to $500,000.
He said, in the press release announcing the grants, “Our small towns are an integral part of what makes Connecticut such a special place to live and work,” remarking, “By working with them on these grants, the state can help get these vital projects completed so these towns can continue to grow, thrive, and attract businesses, while improving the quality of life for our residents.”
State Rep. Devin Carney (R), whose 23rd District includes both Lyme and Old Lyme, commented on the awards in an e-newsletter, saying, “The Lymes’ Senior Center provides so much to Lyme and Old Lyme seniors including activities, healthcare programs, lunches, and many social offerings.”
He continued, “I am thrilled that the state will be providing $1M to help subsidize some of the costs involved in renovating this community center. It will go a long way in expanding the senior center’s ability to improve the quality of life for so many.”
Commenting on the $2.444 million awarded to small towns in the 33rd Senate District that he represents, which includes the Town of Lyme, State Senator Norm Needleman (D) said in a press release, “”It’s excellent news that our communities will receive this valuable support from the state, and I’m grateful to Governor Lamont for his support and foresight in aiding our region.”
He concluded, “These projects will help … provide improvements to important town resources. I’m encouraged by these positive developments.”
