Category Archives: Town Hall

Bat Tests Positive for Rabies in Lyme

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Photo by James Wainscoat on Unsplash.

LYME — Ledge Light Health Department (LLHD) has reported that a bat from the area of Hamburg Rd. in Lyme was tested and found to be positive for rabies on Sept. 4.

The health department urges the public to refrain from feeding or approaching any wild or stray animals.

Rabies is a deadly disease caused by a virus that can infect all warm-blooded animals, including people.  It is spread mostly by wild animals, but stray cats and dogs may also become infected and spread the virus.

The rabies virus lives in the saliva and brain tissue of infected animals.  Rabies can be spread by scratches from infected animals or when infected saliva comes into contact with open wounds, breaks in the skin or mucous membranes (eyes, nose, mouth, etc.)

If you have any questions or concerns, contact LLHD at 860-448-4882 or Lyme Town Hall at 860-434-7733.

New COVID-19 Case Confirmed in Old Lyme, Total Now 24 Including Two Fatalities

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Photo by CDC on Unsplash

OLD LYME/LYME — A new COVID-19 case has been identified in Old Lyme where the number of confirmed cases now rises to 24 including two fatalities. Ten of the surviving cases are male and the remaining 12 are female. The two fatalities were a 61-year-old female and an 83-year-old male.

To demonstrate the growth in confirmed COVID-19 cases in Old Lyme, the table below is a summary of the cases that LymeLine.com has reported since March 31 when the first case was announced and also includes both fatalities.

[table id=3 /]

Details of all Old Lyme’s confirmed surviving cases to date are now as follows:

  1. Female, age 64
  2. Female, age 21
  3. Male, age 27
  4. Female, age 53
  5. Female, age 61
  6. Female, age 29
  7. Male, age 40
  8. Male, age 53
  9. Female, age 60
  10. Male, age 45
  11. Female, age 20
  12. Female, age 43
  13. Female, age 48
  14. Male, age 70
  15. Male, age 67
  16. Female, age 68
  17. Male, age 50
  18. Male, age 21
  19. Female, age 48
  20. Female, age 34
  21. Male, age 20
  22. Male, age 28

Griswold has previously noted that the 21-year-old female with a confirmed case (#2 in the list immediately above) was tested in Florida, but used an Old Lyme address although she does not live here. Because she gave the Old Lyme address, Griswold said that LLHD must report her as an Old Lyme resident.

There have been no new COVID-19 cases confirmed in Lyme since our last report when the cumulative total in that town was seven.

The latest case, which was reported Aug. 24, is a male, aged 68. The seven cases comprise two females and five males ranging in age from one- to 68-years-old.

Gender and age details of the confirmed cases in Lyme to date are:

  1. Male, age 34
  2. Female, age 61
  3. Female, age 34
  4. Male, age 1
  5. Male, age 34
  6. Male, age 20
  7. Male, aged 68

Residents and businesses are urged to access up-to-date information regarding the pandemic from reputable sources including the Ledge Light Health District website (www.llhd.org), Facebook (@LedgeLightHD), Twitter (@LedgeLightHD), and Instagram (@LedgeLightHD).

Editor’s Note: Ledge Light Health District (LLHD) serves as the local health department in southeast Connecticut for the towns of Lyme and Old Lyme as well as East Lyme, Groton, Ledyard, New London, North Stonington,  Stonington and Waterford. As a health district, formed under Connecticut General Statutes Section 19a-241, LLHD is a special unit of government, allowing member municipalities to provide comprehensive public health services to residents in a more efficient manner by consolidating the services within one organization.

Now Five Weeks Behind Schedule, Griswold Gives Update on Mile Creek Bridge Replacement Project

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The first stage of the Mile Creek Bridge installation. Photos by T. Griswold.

OLD LYME — The Mile Creek Bridge replacement project finally moved forward again this past Monday when the bridge decking over the Black Hall River was installed. A large crane lowered each section into place and Machnik Bros. Construction is now in the process of completing the final installation.

The second stage of the Mile Creek Bridge installation.

Old Lyme First Selectman Tim Griswold told LymeLine.com that at this point, the project is about five weeks behind schedule, noting, “The fabricator in Massachusetts had told Tom Machnik there were a variety of problems, including COVID.”

Griswold commented, “That is behind us now, but frustrating nonetheless.”

The third and final stage of the Mile Creek Bridge installation.

Due to the delay, Griswold said the project is now scheduled to, “Wind up in the first half of October.”

Stressing that,  “The delay is not in any way related to the Machnik Brothers’ performance,” Griswold added, “The board of selectmen thank the affected residents, who must detour the bridge, for their understanding and patience.”

Old Lyme Land Use Official Confirms Diebolt Has Discussed 200+ Apartment Proposal Off Hatchetts Hill

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OLD LYME — Old Lyme Land Use Coordinator Dan Bourret confirmed to LymeLine.com by phone Thursday that he has had a, “Very preliminary discussion,” with Mark C. Diebolt about the proposal Diebolt is planning to submit for a development of apartments on a substantial piece of land off Hatchetts Hill Rd. towards the eastern perimeter of the Town of Old Lyme.

Asked how many units were being proposed, Bourret said he believed it was, “A low 200’s number of apartments.”

Bourret stressed, “I don’t know much. I only have a little bit of an overview. There are no plans submitted at this point.” He emphasized he would know much more about the project, ” … when we get an application.”

Responding to a question regarding whether Zoning would be the first Commission to receive the application if it is ultimately submitted, Bourret explained it would have to be reviewed by the Old Lyme Wetlands Commission initially if the proposed development were within 100 ft. of an Upland Review Area. Without an application, Bourret said he did not know at this point whether that would be the case, though he was aware, “There is a stream to the west of the property.”

Bourret noted that Diebolt had indicated the proposal would be submitted under Connecticut’s 830-g Affordable Housing Statute, which can, “circumvent the zoning process” and therefore how the application would move forward is “a little bit of an unknown.”

Stating that Diebolt is the contact for the proposal, Bourret said he did not know the names of any other investors in the project. Asked when he anticipated receiving the application, Bourret replied that he had, “No indication of when plans are coming.”

The next meeting of the Old Lyme Affordable Housing Committee is scheduled for Monday, Sept. 21, at 5:30 p.m. in Old Lyme Town Hall.  The agenda for that meeting has not yet been published, but a member of the committee has confirmed to LymeLine.com that Diebolt plans to discuss his proposal at that meeting.

Editor’s Note: Mark C. Diebolt is the President/CEO of Diebolt & Company, manufacturers and designers of Specialty Hose Products since 1991. The Connecticut Corporate Headquarters are located at 18 Riverview Drive, Old Lyme, CT 06371. For more information, visit this link.

 

 

 

Lyme Town Clerk Explains Absentee Ballot Procedures for Nov. 3 Election

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LYME — Due to COVID-19, all voters were permitted to vote by absentee ballot rather than appear at the polls for the Aug. 11 Primaries.  For the Nov. 3 election, all voters are also permitted to vote by absentee ballot rather than appear at the polls.

For the Aug. 11 Primaries, the Secretary of the State (SOTS) contracted with a mail house to send out absentee ballots.  Normally, Town Clerks have that responsibility; however, due to the sheer volume expected with all voters being given the option to vote via absentee ballot, the decision was made to have a mail house handle the job instead.

Several significant issues arose with this procedure and the SOTS opted to discontinue the contract with the mail house.

The Town Clerks of Connecticut were notified Aug. 18 by the SOTS that — rather than have another mail house handle sending absentee ballots to voters for the Nov. 3 election — the task would be returned to the local Town Clerks.

The Town Clerks were also notified by the SOTS that the SOTS would be mailing out applications to every voter in Connecticut, as was done with the Primary.

In anticipation of a great number of voters wishing to vote by absentee ballot, Lyme Town Clerk Linda Winzer offers the following recommendations to Lyme residents:

  • Rather than wait for the absentee ballot application to arrive from the SOTS, fill out an application and deliver it to the Official Ballot Drop Box on the sidewalk of Lyme Town Hall now. This will allow the Town Clerk to have ballot packets ready to go when we are permitted to begin mailing them out on Oct. 2.  Town Clerks may not begin mailing out ballots prior to this date.  Visit this link to download and print out the Absentee Ballot Application.
  • When you receive your ballot packet, it will contain four items: the outer envelope (designated with the letter “C”), the inner envelope (designated with the letter “B”), an instruction pamphlet, and the ballot.
  • Fill out your ballot, filling in only ONE oval per column. You may see the candidate you wish to vote for listed more than once, which indicates they were endorsed by more than one party.  DO NOT FILL IN ALL OVALS FOR THAT CANDIDATE, fill in one oval only.
  • Insert the ballot into the inner “B” envelope and seal it. YOU MUST SIGN AND DATE THIS ENVELOPE IN ORDER FOR YOUR VOTE TO COUNT.  This is part of statutory election law.  Winzer says she cannot stress this enough.  Ballots in unsigned envelopes will not be counted.
  • Insert the inner “B” envelope into the outer “C” envelope and seal it.
  • Deliver your completed ballot to the Official Ballot Drop Box on the sidewalk of Lyme Town Hall.
    • Do not wait until the last minute to submit an application if you wish to vote by Absentee Ballot. The sooner you submit your application, the better.
    • Do not wait until the last minute to complete your ballot and deliver it.
    • Ballots received after polls close will not be counted.
    • If you choose to mail your ballot rather than deposit it in the Official Ballot Drop Box and it is not received by the close of polls, it will not count.
    • Voters may still appear at the polls to vote in person on Tuesday, Nov. 3, between the hours of 6 a.m. and 8 p.m.
    • If you choose to follow the recommended process outlined above, and then you receive the ballot application sent by the SOTS, you can simply destroy the duplicate application.

If you have any questions regarding the upcoming election, you may email the Town Clerk at townclerk@townlyme.org or call the Town Clerk at 860-434-7733, Monday through Friday, between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.