Category Archives: Top Story

Logan Landry Advances Towards Eagle Scout Status with Bridge Construction in Old Lyme’s Bartholomew Open Space

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A job well done—Members of Lyme-Old Lyme Boy Scout Troop 26 relax after completion of the bridge-building project with some of the volunteers who assisted. All photos by Andrea Fenton.

LYME-OLD LYME—As part of his qualifications to gain the prestigious Eagle Scout honor, Logan Landry, a member of Lyme-Old Lyme Boy Scout Troop 26, designed a 25 ft. long bridge to be installed over a flooded—and hence closed—trail in Bartholomew Open Space in Old Lyme.

Moving the telegraph poles needed all hands on deck.

On Feb. 1, Landry successfully coordinated construction of the bridge. He was assisted by several older and fellow Troop 26 Scouts including Ryan Ortoleva, who is already an Eagle Scout, and Charlie Zelek. Landry’s family, including his brother Brenden Landry—who is also an Eagle Scout— also assisted.

The work continued despite the icy conditions.A great dealmof measuring

Brenden had previously built several foot bridges on Old Lyme Land Trust property off Boggy Hole Rd. in the town.

A great deal of measuring was required to complete the project.

Also in attendance were Open Space Commission members Peter Norris, who serves as Head Steward, Evan Griswold, Joan Meek and Andrea Fenton. Mike Aurelia of the Old Lyme Inlands Wetlands Commission also joined the project.

Installing the final horizontal planks was a satisfying moment for all involved.

Material contributions, also coordinated by Logan, were made by Eversource (telephone poles), Middlesex Tree (locust logs), Beard Lumber (wood planks), Gregg Landry Plumbing and Heating, and Teddy’s Pizza (pizza for the crew.)

Success! Logan Landry stands atop his just-constructed bridge.

A spokesperson for the Old Lyme Open Space Commission commented, “The Commission is very proud of and grateful to Logan who initiated this project and allowed the Bartholomew Trail to be open once again.”

Old Lyme Girls Are Indoor Track Shoreline Conference Champions!

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The Old Lyme Girls Indoor Track team secured first place in Friday’s 2025 Shoreline Conference championship. Photo credit: Lyme-Old Lyme High School.

NEW HAVEN, CT—Competing at the Floyd Little Athletic Center on Friday, Feb. 7, in New Haven, CT, the Old Lyme girls team won the Indoor Track Shoreline Conference Championship. Haddam-Killingworth (H-K) came in second place and Cromwell third.

Key Old Lyme results for 1st team All-Conference-Girls were as follows:

  • Serena Mazzi: 1st place 55m dash 7.55, 1st place long jump 16’5.25″, 2nd place 300m 44.17
  • Tabitha Colwell: 1st place 4 x 200m  1:55.18, 2nd place long jump 15’6″, 3rd place girls 55m 7.80
  • Zoe Eastman-Grossel: 1st place 4x200m 1:55.18, 1st place 600m 1:43.81, 1st place 300m 40.81 (meet record)
  • Kate Walsh: 1st place 4 x 200m 1:55.18, 2nd place 600m 1:44.66, 1st place SMR 1600m Relay 4:48.31
  • Chase Gilbert: 1st place 1000m 3:02.39, 1st place 1600m 5:11.66, 1st place 3200m 11:22.21
  • Lane Lopes: 1st place 4 x 200m 1:55.18, 1st place Sprint Medley Relay (SMR) 1600m Relay 4:48.31
  • Gabrielle Field: 1st place SMR 1600m Relay 4:48.31
  • Magdalena Tooker: 1st place SMR 1600m Relay 4:48.31

The Old Lyme boys team finished fifth in their championship. The winners were Cromwell followed by H-K.

Key Old Lyme results for 1st team All-Conference-Boys were as follows:

Tyler Cann: 1st play shot put 52’4″
Patrick Lynch: 1st place 55m dash 6.68, 1st place long jump 22’7″ (meet record)
Rowen Mesiener: 1st place SMR 1600m Relay 3:57.38
Aidan Carpentino: 1st place SMR 1600m Relay 3:57.38
Kevork Shegirian: 1st place SMR 1600m Relay 3:57.38
Ryan Ortoleva: 1st place SMR 1600m Relay 3:57.38

Honorable Mention-Boys
Carson St. Louis: 3rd place pole vault 9’6″

Op-Ed: Support HROD—Inevitable Halls Rd. Will Change, Optional Overlay Positions Old Lyme to Better Manage Its Future: Other Choice is Leave it to Chance

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Editor’s Note: This op-ed is a response by Howard Margules to the op-ed by Jill and Russell Todd, which we published Feb. 5, 2025 on LymeLine.com. Margules is an Old Lyme resident and member of the Halls Road Improvements Committee.

Thank you for your interest in the Halls Road Overlay District (HROD) zoning proposal—I would like to address your concerns:

Developers Overstepping

You indicated that developers will take advantage of the HROD. The opposite is true. The HROD was designed to incorporate strict guidelines that currently do not exist. Large parcels of Halls Road are up for sale and we are likely to see new construction, especially on the very dated Hideaway side of the road. Developers will have to comply with the current zoning regulations, but they will still have significant leeway, and they easily focus on the needs of the highway travelers rather than on the needs of our residents. Halls Road could wind up looking like the sprawl similar to the four corners of East Lyme. The HROD guards against this. Our goal is to ensure new construction will be consistent with the architecture of Lyme Street. The HROD provides strict guidelines and offers an additional layer of protection that currently is absent in our regulations.

Design Review Board

You indicated there is no guard rail for the Design Review Board. The Design Review Board actually is a guard rail. It will consist of professional architects, whose task is to ensure that new construction is consistent with the architecture on Lyme Street, and not some typical cookie-cutter project. Its sole purpose is to provide oversight, and it exists only when the HROD exists. But it only acts in an advisory role to the Zoning Commission. Zoning has the ultimate authority and is the ultimate guard rail.

Zoning Rubber Stamp

The Zoning Commission has been anything but a rubber stamp. The initial HROD application was rejected, and It has now been revised in order to address their multiple concerns. Zoning Commission members have taken their job very seriously and spent a tremendous amount of time and effort delving into the complexities of the HROD. All of the members of the commission are both very experienced and extremely knowledgeable about zoning issues. The HROD has also been scrutinized and approved by the Old Lyme (OL) Board of Selectmen and the OL Planning Commission (who also originally rejected it), as well as receiving the endorsement from the OL Economic Development Commission.

Septic Systems

You are correct that new septic systems might eventually have much greater capacity. But for the foreseeable future, redevelopment will be confined to the larger parcels. Most of the lots fronting Halls Road are only one or two acres and that makes them less attractive to develop. Keep in mind Halls Road is less than a mile in length.

Parking

Parking continues to be a significant restraint to over-development, and I would assert that parking is a major expense. So yes, the HROD does allow free-standing parking garages, provided they are built at least 120′ from the lot’s frontage. They are under the same size limitations as any other building: three (3) stories, 35 ft. max., 20,000 SF footprint max. They are also under the same Design Review Board scrutiny, and must be designed creatively to pass muster. The size is small for a parking garage. It might be profitable in a major city, but it is unlikely to be built in Old Lyme. The cost per space is very, very high at this small scale. Cost considerations can change over time (even car sizes, as some of us know), so garages are permitted, even if currently unlikely. 

Exaggerated Renderings

The renderings you saw at the Open House were used as the basis for creating the overlay zone. We provided Zoning with additional detailed drawings in order to assist them in picturing the actual dimensions. The longest buildings on both Lyme Street and Halls Road range from 147 ft. to 488 ft. Hence a 200-ft. building is in line with the proportions of existing buildings in town.

The Open House renderings were derived from scaled AutoCAD files and generated to envision what a town center could look like, not actual proposals. All new construction will have to conform to the HROD guidelines. The Architectural Review Board will make recommendations and Zoning will make the final decision. We realize there are renderings circulating that depict large “cookie-cutter” buildings. These are not what we are proposing.

Our Future

Halls Road is going to change since large parcels are up for sale. Our choice is to leave it to chance, allowing commercial developers to build projects that serve highway travelers or to provide incentives for future development that meet the commercial and cultural needs of our community, including alternative housing options especially for seniors looking to downsize and young people who cannot afford single family homes.

Introducing the optional overlay will position our town to better manage its future. The HROD proposal contains specific features that the residents told us they desire including: a vibrant, walkable and attractive town center, alternative housing options, a bike trail, safe streets, and a sustainable commercial center focused on the local community.

My guess is we both have the same goals in mind. But feel free to contact me if you still have any questions or concerns.

Death of Janice Montanaro Announced: Mother of Andrew ‘Monty’ Montanaro of Old Lyme, Marc & Michael

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HIGHLAND BEACH, FL & OLD LYME, CT—Janice Montanaro, 76, of Highland Beach, FL and Old Lyme, CT, passed away peacefully at her home on February 2, 2025.

Born on August 25, 1948, in New Britain, CT, she was a beloved mother, grandmother, sister and friend.

Predeceased by her husband, Andrew ‘Drew’ Montanaro, … She is survived by her children Andrew ‘Monty’ Montanaro and wife MaryJo of Old Lyme, CT, Marc Montanaro and his wife Kelli of Fairfield, CT, and Michael Montanaro and his wife Elizabeth of Portsmouth, RI. Janice was a devoted grandmother to Mikaela, Aidan, Eiley, Oscar, Cameron, Spencer, Samuel and Georgiana, who all brought endless joy to her life …

A memorial of life will be celebrated at a later date in Connecticut, where friends and family will gather to honor and remember Janice’s remarkable life.

Visit this link to read the full obituary published Feb. 5, 2025 on Legacy.com.

Musical Masterworks Names Mic Herring as New Executive Director

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The new Executive Director of Musical Masterworks is Michael “Mic” Herring.

OLD LYME—Musical Masterworks of Old Lyme has announced the appointment of Michael “Mic” Herring as its new Executive Director. With a wealth of experience in artist management, chamber music, and non-profit leadership, Herring brings energy and enthusiasm to his new role as Musical Masterworks’ first Executive Director.

Herring has had a distinguished career, currently serving as the Senior Director of Booking & Operations for Young Concert Artists (YCA) in New York City, where he co-manages a roster of emerging classical musicians and spearheads YCA’s chamber music touring ensemble, YCA on Tour.

He has previously worked with renowned management firms such as Kirshbaum Associates and Alliance Artist Management, where he represented celebrated artists and ensembles including The Tallis Scholars, Jordi Savall, the Spektral Quartet, among others.

In the early part of his career, Herring served as the Manager of the Musicians from Marlboro, the touring ensemble of the Marlboro Music Festival, the Southern Vermont-based chamber music festival. From 2016 through 2022, he also served as the Managing Director of The Dessoff Choirs in New York City, where he led major projects like a special performance of Mozart’s Requiem at Alice Tully Hall, honoring the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. 

“I’m thrilled to be joining Musical Masterworks in this exciting new leadership role at such a pivotal moment,” said Herring. “The organization has a long history of artistic excellence, and I look forward to building on that legacy by working with Artistic Director Tessa Lark to facilitate her innovative programming and broaden our reach within the community.”

He continued, “Musical Masterworks has the potential to be a catalyst for even greater cultural engagement, and I look forward to an exciting future ahead for this amazing organization.”

In addition to his work in artist management, Herring co-founded Chamber Music Chicago in 2018, a non-profit concert series in residence at the Holtschneider Performance Center. He holds a Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance from DePaul University and a Master of Science in Arts Administration from Drexel University.

A spokesperson for Musical Masterworks comments, “We are confident that Herring’s unique combination of non-profit experience, passion for chamber music, and commitment to community engagement will lead the organization into an exciting new era.”

Musical Masterworks is dedicated to presenting world-class chamber music performances in an intimate setting, enriching the cultural life of the community. Through diverse programming and educational outreach, Musical Masterworks seeks to inspire and connect audiences of all ages.

For more information, visit www.musicalmasterworks.org.