Category Archives: Politics

Griswold Placed on November Ballot as Republican Old Lyme First Selectman Candidate

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Former Old Lyme First Selectman Tim Griswold

Tim Griswold, who served as Old Lyme First Selectman from 1997-2011, was today officially placed on the November ballot as the Republican candidate for Old Lyme First Selectman.

This followed certification earlier this morning of 189 petition signatures by the Republican Old Lyme Town Registrar Cathy Carter, which involved checking each signature for authenticity and confirming the signer’s current membership of the Republican Party.  Tim Griswold and Barbara Crowley then both pledged that they had witnessed the signatures when they were taken.

The final step in the process occurred when Old Lyme Town Clerk Vicki Urbowicz called the Secretary of State’s Office to notify them of the petition and the number of signatures.  That office then checked there was no candidate already endorsed by the Old Lyme Republican Town Committee and since there was none, the Secretary of State’s Office confirmed that Urbowicz should place Griswold’s name on the ballot using the State Elections Program. Urbowicz has now completed that task.

This means there will be no Republican Primary in September because no other Old Lyme Republicans submitted petitions and today is the deadline submission day.

Griswold Gathers Over 200 Signatures on Petition to Run as Republican First Selectman in November, State Requires 84

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Former Old Lyme First Selectman Tim Griswold

Old Lyme Republican Registrar Cathy Carter

OLD LYME — Former Old Lyme First Selectman Timothy C. Griswold has collected more than 200 signatures on petitions requesting his name be added to the ballot in September as the Republican candidate for First Selectman. Griswold gave the number to LymeLine in an email conversation Sunday and added that there are more petitions out in the community, which he has not picked up yet.

He said he plans to give all the petitions to the Old Lyme Republican Registrar Cathy Carter this afternoon.  She told LymeLine on Friday by phone that once she has received the petitions, she must review each signature to verify it, checking that the person is a legitimate member of the Republican party.

To demonstrate what sometimes happens when people believe they are registered Republicans but, in fact, turn out not to be, Carter gave the example of someone who may have moved out of Old Lyme, then returned, but forgot to re-register their name with the party.

Carter told LymeLine she must submit the petitions and verified signatures to the state by Wednesday, Aug. 7. According to the state’s rules, Griswold needs signatures from five percent of the approximately 1680 registered Republicans in Old Lyme, so the minimum number of signatures required is around 84.

Carter added that a Republican Primary would not be required in September since the Republicans did not endorse anyone for First Selectman in the slate that they have already submitted.  Chris Kerr was endorsed for a second term as Selectman by the Republicans and Griswold has indicated he will campaign with Kerr if he is successful in his efforts to be on the ballot.

See this article, Griswold Petition to Run on November Ballot as Old Lyme First Selectman Has More Than 80 of 85 Signatures Required, Expects to Meet Goal by Tonight, published on LymeLine Aug. 2, for more information.

Griswold Petition to Run on November Ballot as Old Lyme First Selectman Has More Than 80 of 85 Signatures Required, Expects to Meet Goal by Tonight

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Old Lyme First Selectwoman Bonnie Reemsnyder. File photo.

Former Old Lyme First Selectman Tim Griswold. File photo.

UPDATED 08/02, 3:17pm : see text in bold — After their meeting last week to endorse a slate of candidates for the November election, the Old Lyme Republican Town Committee (RTC) entered “No Endorsement” against the position of First Selectman. Just over a week later, former Old Lyme First Selectman Timothy C. Griswold is petitioning to be the Republican candidate and has almost collected the required number of signatures to submit to the state.

Asked in a phone conversation yesterday why he was running, Griswold told LymeLine, “I didn’t plan to run but when I looked around at the recent landscape, it seemed as if someone should mount a challenge for the position of First Selectman. It appeared wrong that the voters didn’t have a choice on the ballot.” Alluding to his previous 14 years as Old Lyme First Selectman, Griswold added with a chuckle, “I think I can still find the office.”

Although he has already been endorsed by the Old Lyme RTC to run as Town Treasurer  — a position in which he already serves — Griswold noted he would be unable to serve as Town Treasurer if he were elected First Selectman in November.

The “recent landscape,” on which Griswold did not elaborate, is presumed to be the request last week from Governor Ned Lamont for incumbent First Selectwoman Bonnie Reemsnyder to resign from the position of Connecticut Port Authority Chairman amid growing concerns about how the quasi-state agency has been operating.

Incumbent First Selectwoman Bonnie Reemsnyder, who has already been endorsed by the Old Lyme Democratic Town Committee to run for a fifth term with fellow incumbent Selectwoman Mary Jo Nosal, shared with LymeLine in an email last night, “Tim and I have worked together on things and run against each other in the past. I will run on my record of accomplishments.”

Christine Gianquinto, Old Lyme Democratic Town Committee Chairman, said in a statement to LymeLine last week, “We believe it is important that she [Reemsnyder] should continue her leadership and the positive progress that has led to significant accomplishments for the benefit of the Town of Old Lyme.”

According to the state’s timeline, Griswold needs signatures from 5 percent (around 85) of the registered Republicans in Old Lyme by Wednesday, Aug. 7.  In order to verify all the signatures for legitimacy, Republican Town Registrar Cathy Carter has requested that signatures be submitted by Monday for her review. She shared with LymeLine today in a phone call that she had also also recommended those collecting signatures should aim at 150 to allow for some signatures being rejected during the review process.

Barbara Crowley, the owner of The Chocolate Shell on Lyme Street, has confirmed to us this morning in a phone call that she collected 54 signatures yesterday while Griswold has confirmed to us in an email shortly after that he has 27, also noting, ” a couple of others also have petitions.”  He added in a further email just an hour ago, “We may hit our goal by the end of today.”

The petition can be signed at The Chocolate Shell today and tomorrow between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.  The store will be closed on Sunday and Monday.

 

Old Lyme RTC Announces Endorsed Slate of Candidates for November Election

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OLD LYME — The Old Lyme Republican Town Committee (RTC) has announced their endorsed slate of candidates for the November 2019 election.  In his email accompanying details of the slate, Old Lyme RTC Chairman David Kelsey commented, “We did not endorse a first selectman candidate last week, but with Bonnie’s events last week, we may have a petition candidate coming.”

We received this from Kelsey prior to learning that Tim Griswold has decided to petition as a candidate for First Selectman.

The Old Lyme RTC endorsements for the 2019 election are as follows:

Board of Selectman
First Selectman NO ENDORSEMENT
Selectman- Chris Kerr, Selectman

Town Treasurer
Tim Griswold

Tax Collector
Judy Tooker

Board of Finance
Full – David Kelsey
Full – Janet Sturges
Alternate – Jude Read
Alternate – Matt Olsen

Board of Assessment Appeals
Dave Evers

Planning Commission
Full – Steven Ross
Full – Harold Thompson

Zoning Commission
2019 Term – Tammy Tinnerello
2020 Term – Mike Miller

Zoning Board of Appeals
2019 Term – Nancy Hutchinson
2020 Term – Stephen Dix
Alternate – Devin Carney
Alternate – Sherry Johnston

Board of Education:
Suzanne Thompson
Steven Wilson
Jennifer Miller

Carney, Somers Call for Public Hearing Regarding Recent Port Authority Issues

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State Representative Devin Carney (R-23rd)

HARTFORD — State Rep. Devin Carney (R-23) and State Senator Heather Somers (R-18) are asking that the Transportation Committee  hold a public hearing to address issues pertaining to the Connecticut Port Authority, its recent leadership changes, and related controversies. Both legislators want the opportunity to obtain answers and receive a more detailed explanation of the ongoing problems at the quasi-public Authority.

Rep. Carney, the Ranking Member of the legislature’s Transportation Bonding Sub-Committee said, “I am very concerned about what is occurring at the Port Authority and believe the public deserves answers. As a member of the Transportation Committee and with the Port Authority’s offices in my district, I am calling for a public hearing to find out how the Authority is being managed and to find out exactly what went wrong and when.”

“It has been five years since the agency was established, and I feel strongly that given its recent leadership changes, there is no better time than now for us to take a close look at what is going on regarding the Port Authority and how it is accomplishing its statutory goals,” added Carney.  “There appears to be more going on here than what we are being told and the legislature owes it to the people of this state to get to the bottom of it. We must to have more transparency and more oversight.”

“There are many questions to be answered to give the public confidence that this organization is meeting its responsibilities to the taxpayers at a critical time. It is very disturbing that we are not receiving more information about issues with staff and finances,” said Senator Somers.

“The public deserves transparency and it is unacceptable that an Authority with such a large budget is in such disarray,” Somers added. “It is imperative that swift action be taken as the state is entering into a multi-million dollar investment into New London’s deep- water port.  In order to move forward, Connecticut’s residents and businesses deserve a non-partisan Port Authority comprised of industry experts in deep water ports and international shipping.”

Editor’s Note: The 23rd District includes Lyme, Old Lyme Old Saybrook and part of Westbrook.