To the Editor:

In past elections, few voters in Old Lyme paid much attention to zoning commission candidate party affiliation. Both parties over the years have typically been on board with enforcing our zoning regulations and have been supportive of local zoning control. But this year is very different.

There is a movement for legislation in Hartford supported by the democratic candidates for the Zoning Commission that, if enacted, would give the state government complete authority in local zoning regulations. This legislation would irreversibly erode local control by requiring town governments to remove certain language from its zoning regulations such as “maintaining the character of the town”. One democrat party candidate might view the lexicon “maintaining the character of the town” as racist.

Don’t support candidates that favor encroachment from Hartford into our local authority. Old Lyme has been well served by local zoning control with preservation and why it is such a desirable place to live.

We need to retain the beauty, charm, and quality of life that make Old Lyme such a special place. Maintaining local control of zoning is how that will be accomplished.

I urge you to vote for Republicans Jane Marsh and Sloan Danenhower for Zoning Commission on November 2nd.

Sincerely,

Deb Czarnecki,
Old Lyme.

To the Editor:

I have closely watched Anna Reiter’s performance on the Old Lyme Board of Finance since she joined as an alternate member in 2017.  (She became a regular member in 2019.)  Anna has brought energy, enthusiasm, and laser-focused attention to a sometimes-sleepy board.   She may well be its most-conscientious member, keeping her own, thorough notes of every meeting (which are not infrequently referred to in subsequent meetings), always doing her homework, and typically raising questions about issues that others may not have recognized.   She is adamantly opposed to spending the taxpayers’ money when not necessary, and outspoken about funding projects in the most cost-effective manner.  Anna has her ear to the community and its concerns about taxes and the town budget, and she shares this useful insight with the BOF.

Anna is among Old Lyme’s most civic-minded citizens.  In addition to her service on the BOF, she is the board’s representative on the Phoebe Griffin Noyes Library building committee and was an active participant on the library expansion team.  She has for years volunteered with LOL Jr. Women’s and the school system and was instrumental in developing the new playground at Cross Lane Park.  Anna’s commitment to the community, combined with her background in environmental engineering, project management and construction, make her a perfect candidate for the BOF.

Please join me in re-electing Anna to the Board of Finance on November 2.

Sincerely,

Adam S. Burrows
Old Lyme.

Editor’s Note: The author is an Alternate Member of the Old Lyme Board of Finance and a member of the Old Lyme Democratic Town Committee.

To the Editor:

Seeing all the political signs around town, it’s easy to tell its voting season. We are fortunate in Old Lyme to have many good people willing to volunteer for our boards and commissions.  That is what makes our community strong.  During my 16 years as a member of the Board of Selectmen, I came to appreciate the time and dedication these folks give to our town.  

One of the more important ones is our Board of Finance. They provide oversight on how our precious tax dollars are collected & spent. And if you’ve ever attended a BOF meeting, you’ll witness how well they function in that role. Part of that current team is up for re-election this year: Andy Russell and Jude Read.  During their years on the board, they’ve kept our mill rate low, asked the tough questions, made sure our facilities are maintained. They have always worked for the tax payers and in the best interest of the town.  They have been joined in recent years by Matt Olson and Maria Corrao Marchant as alternates on the Board.  Matt and Maria bring skill sets from their professional lives that fit well with the Board of Finance.  

I encourage you to vote for Row B on November 2nd and re-elect Andy, Jude, Matt and Maria so they can continue their good work on the Board of Finance. 

Sincerely,

Skip Sibley,
Old Lyme.

Editor’s Note: The author served as Old Lyme Selectman from 2001-2017.

To the Editor:

I attended the Meet the Candidates Night for the Board of Education.  One of the questions was on Critical Race Theory (CRT). 

This theory is meant for the collegiate level according to the experts and as stated by the Republican candidate Michael Presti, a Social Studies teacher who has a BS in Sociology.  All of the candidates said they were against the teaching of it in our schools.

It was, however, disappointing to hear the Democratic candidates then dismiss parents’ obvious concerns.  It was a topic that, according to the moderator, seemed to have the most questions.  Democratic candidate Martha Shoemaker stated, “Connecticut has not adopted CRT”, “No school in Connecticut has and no school in Connecticut is teaching it.”  Her fellow Democratic candidates went on to say that this topic is being used as a political tool and referred to it as the boogeyman. 

Why the Democratic candidates downplayed this issue I do not understand and find very questionable.  A Manchester elementary school teacher quit over this issue, as have other well qualified teachers throughout the country.  Guilford has been in the center of this debate lately, with one of the consequences being the loss of some accelerated classes.  Last year, I was made aware of at least two assignments that would seem to fall under CRT.  So, when Martha Shoemaker and the Democratic candidates act as though parents should not be concerned, I beg to differ. 

The Meet the Candidates Night was very enlightening. 

Sincerely,

Meghan Anderson,
Old Lyme.