Category Archives: Letters

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.

Letter to the Editor: ‘Dedicated Volunteer’ Ward Has ‘In-depth Financial Expertise, Experience’ Required to Serve as Old Lyme Town Treasurer

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To the Editor:

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.