Category Archives: Letters

Letter to the Editor: The Missing Word on Old Lyme Campaign Signs, and a Simple Question

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To the Editor:           

It is hard to ignore the sheer number and strategic placement of the Old Lyme Republican campaign signs this election cycle. When the going gets tough, they even mount them on pickup trucks and dispatch them for maximum impact.

However, one element is conspicuously absent: the word REPUBLICAN. The party name is often missing entirely or relegated to small print, much like a required warning label. Further confusing the issue, many signs prominently feature the color blue, traditionally associated with the Democratic party, with only a small hint of red. This calculated misdirection raises a critical question: Why are local candidates actively hiding their party identity?

In a local election, this confusion is not just a branding choice; it is a vital matter of accountability. It is no surprise that the GOP candidates should try to distance themselves from the Trump administration’s policies: attempts to cut state funding (particularly targeting states like Connecticut), opposition to essential clean-energy projects like Revolution Wind that would support our future electricity needs, cuts to Medicaid, voting suppression and gerrymandering, culture wars terrorizing immigrant and minority communities.  But they cannot pretend that the national GOP ideologies do not infect local policies. For example, recall the memory of the Republican-led attack on our library and books two years ago, or the written diatribe from a current GOP candidate for the Board of Education admonishing our school system to prohibit any questioning of gender identity.

Given the clearly adverse impacts of the Trump administration’s policies on Connecticut, voters deserve to know where our local candidates stand. Therefore, I ask each candidate, without spin or evasion: Do you, on the whole, support the policies and leadership of the Trump administration? A simple yes or no answer is required to ensure that voters can make an informed choice. Your silence will be deafening.

Sincerely,

Howard Margules,
Old Lyme.

Letter to the Editor: Reiter Reminds Readers to Exercise Caution When Deciding Who to Vote for in November

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To the Editor:

I’m writing this letter to serve as a reminder that the Old Lyme Republican Town Committee (RTC) has no problem making stuff up when it serves their purpose of trying to demean an opposing candidate. 

In 2023 I was the incumbent candidate for Old Lyme Town Treasurer when nearly identical letters to the editor were submitted to LymeLine on October 16 by Mike Bucior and October 30 by John Flick (endorsed by the RTC for a Board of Finance seat). Each made the statement that as Treasurer I was “remiss in reporting regularly and timely to the Board of Selectmen and the Board of Finance to whom he reports.” 

As I pointed out in my response, this statement is completely false. I wrote, “the Treasurer works with the Finance Department, not the Board of Finance. Nor do I report to the Board of Finance or Board of Selectmen either.” 

Ultimately, Matt Ward won the election over me to become Town Treasurer. In a review of the 36 Board of Finance meeting minutes posted since Mr. Ward was sworn in, he has only attended one meeting. As I stated, this is not a problem for Mr. Ward because he does not report to the Board of Finance. Yet this does implicate the Old Lyme RTC which told you twice in 2023 that I was failing at my job because I rarely attended Board of Finance meetings. 

Clearly the RTC and at least some of its supporters do not campaign on the facts or are woefully uninformed about the roles of town officials. Perhaps they think the public will forgive them or forget after a period of time. However, I have not forgotten and am here to caution you when you decide whom to vote for in November.

Sincerely,

Michael Reiter,
Old Lyme.

Letter to the Editor: Fogliano Will Use Analytic, Research Skills Gained as Career Scientist to Benefit Old Lyme Zoning Commission

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To the Editor:

More than ever, The [Old Lyme] Zoning Commission needs thoughtful, systematic, and forward-looking members as it faces the formidable task of revising the present code. Michael Fogliano is just such a candidate.

I worked closely with Michael on the first Affordable Housing Commission in Old Lyme in 2021 when he was elected chairperson. Utilizing his career training as a scientist, Michael applied careful analytic and research skills to help the Commission bring forward the first viable affordable housing project in over 20 years with bi-partisan support.

As a current alternate member of The Zoning Commission, Michael is very knowledgeable about the issues which face Old Lyme and will use the same approach which has been his hallmark to deal with them in a fair and balanced manner. I am confident that Michael Fogliano will be an outstanding Zoning Commissioner and believe he is worthy of your vote on November 4.

Sincerely,

William J. Belluzzi,
Old Lyme.

Letter to the Editor: Democracy is on the Ballot … Even Here in Old Lyme

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To the Editor:

Tip O’Neill famously said, “All politics is local.” Most people have taken the phrase literally—interpreting it to mean voters care most about the issues that touch their daily lives. But to me it means more. It’s a reminder that what happens on our streets, in our schools, and in our town halls doesn’t stay here. It shapes the pipeline of leadership for our state and country.

Consider this: the next Marjorie Taylor Greene, the next Matt Gaetz, the next J.D. Vance—they won’t appear out of thin air. They will start small, running for school boards, city councils, planning commissions. And people like them are doing that right now, in communities across America.

Even if you think Old Lyme isn’t one of those communities, let’s not forget the other side of that truth. The next Barack Obama, the next Pete Buttigieg, the next Chris Murphy—they too are out there, serving on local boards, answering calls from neighbors, running not for fame, but to make their communities better. That’s how leadership begins.

We live in a time when the line between local and national politics has nearly disappeared. National battles over book bans, over how history is taught, over immigration, redistricting, tariffs, and women’s rights—have all come here.

Justice Louis Brandeis once called states “laboratories of democracy.” I would add: so are towns. The choices we make ripple outward. They set examples. They build momentum. And in this moment, when democracy itself feels fragile, those choices carry more weight than ever.

When we cast our votes in November, we must see candidates for what they are. Not just neighbors willing to serve—though that matters. Not just people offering to wrestle with budgets, zoning, or infrastructure—though that matters too. But as guardians of a broader idea: that democracy works best when decent, ethical, thoughtful people are willing to step up, take the heat, and serve the public good.

Our job – all of us – is to stand with them. Because what happens here shapes not just our town’s future, but the direction of our country. The story of America is not written only in Washington. It’s being written in towns like Old Lyme, in elections like these, with choices made by people like us.

So let’s choose wisely. And let’s hold candidates accountable for their choices. In this moment, you cannot wear the jersey and claim you’re not on the team. 

Most of all, let’s send a message that despite what Donald Trump and his party are trying to do nationally, here in Old Lyme, democracy is alive and well.

Sincerely,

Dave Rubino,
Old Lyme

Letter to the Editor: Shoemaker, Lampos Have Achieved Much in Short Time, Deserve Re-election

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To the Editor:

Two years is a brief time for any town leader to accomplish ambitious goals, yet First Selectman Martha Shoemaker and Selectman Jim Lampos have made noteworthy progress in their first term. Their achievements include enabling online meeting access, addressing deferred maintenance, tackling flood and erosion issues, repairing the Hawk’s Nest sluice gate, using grants for our emergency operations center, supporting Senior Center renovations, and improving accessibility and safety at Sound View.

Martha and Jim put Old Lyme first—let’s re-elect them on Nov. 4.

Sincerely,

Mary Jo Nosal,
Old Lyme.

Editor’s Notes: Mary Jo Nosal is a member of the Old Lyme Democratic Town Committee. She is also a financial supporter of olwenonline.com/, but has no input to the editorial process, which remains completely independent.