To the Editor:

In 2017, the Inland Wetlands Agency of East Lyme unanimously denied an application presented by Joe Wren of Indigo Land Design for a 25-lot subdivision built on a parcel of property abutting Four Mile River and consisting mostly of wetlands. The five-page denial details the many reasons this application would likely have an adverse impact on the wetlands and watercourses. It discusses the hazards of groundwater pollution, questions the capability of the proposed septic systems to successfully remediate nutrients or pollutants, challenges the efficiency of the proposed stormwater management measures, and points out that the proposed activities would make it less likely for the existing wetlands to perform as a vernal pool where they exist, among other important environmental concerns.

In 2018, a new plan has been proposed and will be presented to the Inland Wetlands Commission on Monday, June 25, at 7 pm at East Lyme Town Hall. The new plan is for a 23-lot subdivision  that seeks to address the concerns of the previous denial without fully addressing many of the issues noted by the previous commission. This new plan will be presented to a commission consisting of a new Chair and new Vice Chair, as the Chairwoman who led the commission during the denial was told her seat would not be renewed.

The new plan does not protect this valuable natural resource. We hope that people will come express their concerns at the public meeting on June 25th. For more information visit: https://www.facebook.com/protectgreenvalleylakes/

Sincerely,

Nancy Barwikowski,
East Lyme.

To the Editor:

I am writing in part to fulfill a promise to a daughter. Our daughter Erin arrived for the Christmas holidays from North Carolina with an adolescent Hungarian vizsla pup. She walked Daisy a few times each day; and always with a doggie waste disposal bag in her pocket.

She commented on the large amount of pet waste that she encountered on her walks and wondered why Old Lyme hasn’t required, – or at least encouraged – pet owners to “police” their dog’s waste. I do not know that this problem is widespread or endemic in our town, nor will I attempt to quantify the issue. It is noticeable.        

I assume that residents are largely cleaning up after their pets. However, the (hopefully) minority of dog owners who are so discourteous to their neighbors that they don’t bother to bag and dispose this waste, are leaving an unsightly and unhealthy memorial of their pet’s exercise.

Erin’s professional career has been principally in Boston/ Cambridge, MA and the United Kingdom. These places have longstanding strongly enforced ordinances regarding removal and disposal of pet waste. So, she may react to such misbehaviors earlier than many would.

I am not advocating that Old Lyme enact an ordinance regarding pet waste. Rather, I feel that we should communicate the problem better and continue with our Tennessee Williams – type approach to  resolution i.e., with apologies to T.W., we should always depend on the kindness of neighbors.

The problem is not insignificant; dog mess is not only an eyesore, but also a health hazard.

In the extreme, according to the CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), dog waste is a major pollutant and contaminant of the water supply. It is a serious health issue.

In fact, it is estimated that 1/3 of all water contamination is a result of dog waste run off entering streams and leaching into underground well water. The EPA deemed dog waste a “non-point source of pollution”, which puts it in the same category as oil and toxic chemicals. So, picking up after your pet every single time is important.

I’ll summarize the “How”: Always carry a plastic bag with you when you walk your dog.  Using the bag like a glove, you pick up the waste, turn the bag inside out around the waste, tie it in a knot and dispose of it in a trash can. 

Repurposed supermarket fresh produce bags work well. Lacking those, dog waste pickup bags are available in many  stores and online. Note: do not put this waste  in your home compost pile because it may contain parasites, bacteria, pathogens, and viruses that are harmful to humans which may not be destroyed by composting.   Those interested in digging down further into procedural details should look at: https://www.wikihow.com/Pick-Up-Dog-Poop

Sincerely,

Thomas D. Gotowka,
Old Lyme.

To the Editor:

As we approach year’s end I would like to recognize the kind generosity of my friends and colleagues on the Florence Griswold Museum’s Garden Gang. The Garden Gang is a volunteer group of women who maintain and nurture the museum’s incredible complex of historic gardens. Note that although currently comprised wholly of dedicated women, the group is also open to male gardeners.

One Friday morning we were discussing, over mulch, the “dilemma” of teachers working in 2017 in many Connecticut public school districts where budgets are often stretched to the limit with only limited state contributions. So, teachers must frequently supplement essential school supplies with out-of-pocket purchases.

My daughter teaches first grade in New London at the Early Childhood Center at Harbor School and, like many other teachers, makes a weekend stop at office supply or discount department stores.

To make a longish story short, boxes and bundles of paper and other supplies began arriving regularly on my porch courtesy of Garden Gang members; and then made their way to her first grade.

I thank them for their generosity and their immediate assistance in improving the daily learning experience of first graders at Harbor School.

See the following article about the Garden Gang in Connecticut’s Historic Gardens: http://www.cthistoricgardens.org/the-garden-gang/

Sincerely,

Christina J. Gotowka,
Old Lyme.