Category Archives: Letters

Letter to the Editor: If Elected, BOE Candidate Panzara-Griswold Will Focus on “Top-Quality Education … Accessible to all … Efficient & Affordable,”

Posted on by
Reply

To the Editor:

The greatest joy of my personal life has been raising my two children. The most fulfilling part of my career/volunteer life has been serving the needs of young community members. If elected to the Region 18 Board of Education, I will advocate for our kids and help establish a vision for our schools, focusing on a top-quality education that is accessible to all children, efficient, and affordable for our community.

I have spent the last 25 years serving the needs of our most vulnerable individuals, including disadvantaged teenagers, young offenders, and persons with intellectual disabilities.  They have taught me many things, including patience, cooperation, and empathy.  I embrace these lessons as I pursue public service.

I’m a strong supporter of the arts–in the community, the schools and in my work as a counselor and advocate.  In 2010, I established a program for persons with Intellectual disabilities which embraces a holistic model of arts-based programming.  To witness these individuals express themselves through their chosen art form is truly amazing! 

I feel lucky to live in Old Lyme, and appreciate a school system that recognizes the importance of a diverse education. I hope to have your support on November 5th!

Sincerely,

Lorianne Panzara-Griswold,
Old Lyme.

Letter to the Editor: BOE Candidate Thompson Offers a ‘Pragmatic … Creative … Fiscally Conservative” Approach

Posted on by
Reply

To the Editor:

Please exercise your right to vote in Old Lyme’s municipal elections on Nov. 5.  I am running for Region 18 Board of Education and ask for your vote.

We are fortunate to have strong community support for our highly-rated schools. But I believe we can do a better job of engaging taxpayers and residents in establishing and supporting our district’s priorities. I am pragmatic, yet creative and fiscally conservative; I seek to work across party lines, with all ages and interests for the betterment of our community and our schools.

Jenn Miller and Steve Wilson also deserve your vote. They are highly qualified, experienced and committed candidates with strong backgrounds in finance, business operations, academic boards and communications – please vote for Miller, Thompson and Wilson, Row B, on the Old Lyme ballot.

I welcome the opportunity to help our town continue to support high quality education and do so with fiscal responsibility.

Sincerely,

Suzanne Thompson
Old Lyme.

Letter to the Editor: BOE Candidate Bowman Will Put Children First in “Transparent … Collaborative Manner”

Posted on by
Reply

To the Editor:

I want to serve on the Region 18 Board of Education and I respectfully request your help on Election Day.

When my family and I moved to Connecticut ten years ago, we spent nearly a year deciding where to live.  Our top screening criteria were the quality of the school system and the opportunities the community would afford our children.  Ultimately, we settled in Old Lyme and have been thrilled with our decision. We’ve been most impressed with Region 18’s level of instruction and advising; the caliber of the sports, music, and arts programs; and the involvement of (and support for) students who thrive in multiple domains.

After coaching my daughter’s club lacrosse team and helping with middle school musicals, I became interested in contributing in even more substantial ways.  For the past two years I’ve served on the Board of Lymes’ Youth Service Bureau, where I’ve come to better appreciate the many challenges today’s youth face, as well as some of the opportunities for continued improvement in an already high-performing school district.

With this background, my experience as a lawyer, and my love of the town, I am confident that I will be an effective member of the Board. I want to put our children first and do so in a transparent and collaborative manner. I would greatly appreciate your vote on November 5.

Sincerely,

Sarah Bowman,
Old Lyme.

Letter to the Editor: Selectwoman Nosal Seeks Another Term to Continue Her Hard Work to “Move Our Town Forward”

Posted on by
1

To the Editor:

It has been a privilege to serve as Selectwoman for the town of Old Lyme. I request your vote on November 5th so that I may continue to work hard for our community and our residents.

I am proud to be running with First Selectwoman Bonnie Reemsnyder, whose experience and thoughtful and deliberative nature have been so beneficial to our town. Among our administration’s numerous accomplishments are: master plans enabling grants to improve town infrastructure at substantially reduced cost to our taxpayers; stimulation of thoughtful economic development efforts on Halls Road and across town; positive audits showing Old Lyme is financially strong and enjoys an excellent credit rating; exemplary OSHA audit; effectively addressing the high-speed rail threat; facilitating a practical response to the DEEP-imposed shoreline wastewater consent decree; and preparing for major weather emergencies, like Hurricane Sandy.

There is more to do for the Old Lyme community. I want to continue to serve Old Lyme and to cultivate the next generation of leaders. I am very proud of our highly-qualified slate of candidates, who have volunteered to join us in moving our town forward. I ask that you vote for all the Row A candidates on November 5th.

Sincerely,

Mary Jo Nosal,
Old Lyme.

Editor’s Note: The writer currently serves as an Old Lyme Selectwoman and is a 2019 candidate for the Old Lyme Board of Selectmen.

Letter to the Editor: Selectman Kerr Wants to “Hit the Pause Button, Re-group and Listen” Before Continuing Town Projects

Posted on by
Reply

To the Editor:

We have spent a lot of time in Old Lyme discussing many big, important and impacting initiatives: Large plans for Halls Road privately-owned businesses, apartments at I-95 and Route 156 intersection, sewers at Soundview, and merging police with East Lyme, among other issues. I am asking for your vote November 5th to bring back honest discussion at the start of town initiatives, something as the current selectman is sorely needed.

I strongly support:

1) Halls Road improvements that can get done soon: sidewalks, crosswalks, planted traffic islands, improved sign guidelines and accommodating zoning. I do NOT believe the government should act as a master developer of land they do not own or control.

2) Keeping our police force under Old Lyme control;

3) Real economic development along the shoreline Rte. 156;

4) Re-establishing our position as a sewer-avoidance community;

5) Bringing long-waiting projects quickly to completion, including Sound View sewers which are going on six years and the renovation of Hains Park bathrooms which is pushing four years;

6) Needed improvements at the senior center.

As a town, we need to hit the pause button, re-group and listen to the community to establish priorities and then pursue THOSE items with vigor.

Please support myself, Tim Griswold and all of Row B on November 5.

Sincerely,

Christopher W. Kerr,
Old Lyme.

Editor’s Note: The writer currently serves as an Old Lyme Selectman and is a 2019 candidate for the Old Lyme Board of Selectmen.