Tag Archives: Election 2025

Deadline for Receipt of Election-Related ‘Letters to the Editor’ Has Passed

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LYME/OLD LYME–The deadline to receive election-related letters to be considered for publication is noon on Wednesday, Oct. 29. Letters received before that deadline, which are selected for publication, will be published on or before midnight on Saturday, Nov. 1, assuming we can obtain timely confirmation of the letters authenticity.

Letters received after noon on Wednesday, Oct. 29, will not be considered for publication, unless they are in direct response to a letter published on or before noon on Oct. 29. The letter to which the response is being made must be cited. Response letters selected for publication will be published by midnight on Saturday, Nov. 1, again assuming we can obtain timely confirmation of the letters authenticity.

No new letters will be published on Sunday, Nov. 2, or Monday, Nov. 3.

Here is a reminder of our Policy on Letters to the Editor.

Editor’s Note: The deadlines have been changed to allow us to publish a full summary of all election-related articles, letters and op-eds next Sunday.

Letter to the Editor: An Open Letter to the Residents of Old Lyme from First Selectwoman Shoemaker

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To the Editor:

Dear Neighbors:

It has been an honor and a privilege to serve as the First Selectwoman in Old Lyme. During my term I have listened to your concerns, acted on the issues under my authority, and made a conscientious effort to deliver results that matter. Together, we have made meaningful progress toward a more transparent, resilient, and responsive town government. I want to share our accomplishments and my goals for next term.

What We’ve Accomplished Together:

  • Modernized the budget process for transparency and inclusivity. Boards, commissions, departments, and nonprofits now present their budget requests in public meetings, giving residents full visibility into how our town allocates resources.
  • Achieved an AAA bond rating, allowing Old Lyme to borrow at more favorable rates and maintain strong financial health.
  • Instituted full compliance with our Bid Policy, ensuring projects over $20K are now competitively bid for quality and value.
  • Reestablished the dormant Flood and Erosion Control Board. The new board is actively pursuing projects to reduce flood insurance costs and improve shoreline resilience.
  • Solved long-standing flooding issues on Cross Lane which restored emergency access.
  • Rebuilt the sluiceway at Hawks Nest Beach to protect homes and roads, and decrease flooding.
  • Utilized federal grants for the expansion and upgrading of the Emergency Operations Center. This new space enables efficient management during emergencies and additional training space for emergency personnel. 
  • Created the Road and Public Safety Committee to address road safety through community-driven solutions. Their actions have made drivers more aware of their speed by placing electronic speed signs on roads. 
  • Improved access to town meetings by implementing virtual options and ensuring reliable communication in all Town Hall meeting rooms. 
  • Completed capital projects including ADA-compliant parking at Soundview, the installation of key-card entryways for town buildings, and the installation of cameras at Town Hall doorways.
  • Collaborated with Lyme and the Senior Center building committee to complete the renovation of the Lymes’ Senior Center; delivered under budget, including the kitchen upgrade.
  • Collaborated with the Old Lyme Visiting Nurse Association when Yale New Haven Health cancelled the Town Nurse program, by providing resources for the hiring process of a Town Nurse. 
  • Published a weekly newsletter, keeping residents informed of town hall news, town events, and special recognitions.
  • Recruited police officers, to build our department toward full staffing levels.
  • Instituted annual town government “Spring into Action” collaborative training; bringing all boards, commissions, and committees together to align efforts and share updates.

Goals for the Next Two Years:

  • Provide channels for community engagement in the Planning and Zoning Committees’ zoning regulation rewrite to ensure residents have a voice in shaping Old Lyme’s future. 
  • Increase virtual opportunities for meetings of all boards and commissions to ensure accessibility and transparency.
  • Develop a policy for the undesignated fund balance, establishing guidelines for how large it should be and to return tax dollars to residents when the fund reaches a sustainable level.
  • Host workshops to create formal long term capital plans, guiding infrastructure and investment decisions.
  • Maintain open communication with Region 18 school district, ensuring alignment between town and school priorities.
  • Advance resiliency and sustainability planning, preparing Old Lyme for future environmental and infrastructure challenges.
  • Aggressively pursue state and federal grants, bringing your tax dollars back to Old Lyme. 
  • Continue my open-door policy, listening to residents and acting on their concerns.

Thank you for allowing me to serve these past two years. I hope that I have earned your support on November 4th.

Sincerely,

Martha H. Shoemaker,
Old Lyme.

Editor’s Note: The author is the incumbent First Selectwoman of Old Lyme.

Letter to the Editor: Old Lyme Republican Pledges Support for Democratic BOE Candidate Shyloski

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To the Editor:

I am a Republican AND I am voting for Democrat Sheryl Shyloski for the L-OL Board of Education!

Why am I doing so? Well, first of all, she is my daughter-in-law, and, Sheryl Shyloski is much more than that. Her degrees include a Masters in Psychology. Sheryl exhibits vital past experience and respected accomplishment across three school systems, i.e., Plainfield, Guilford, and currently as a school psychologist in East Lyme. Sheryl truly exhibits the critical skills for understanding childhood development issues as well as for contributing to school policies.

Sheryl Shyloski has a keen focus on understanding what works and does not work in today’s education environment including details of procedures, testing, conflict resolution, and work environments. Most importantly, Sheryl always exhibits a cool head for not only policy issues, but she is keen and truthful. Whether dissecting budget and expenditure proposals with regard to either achieving or not achieving results of grammar and high school policy and procedures, understanding programs and standards implementation, enforcement of and monitoring results either attained or results failing to be attained, Sheryl brings the skills we need to enhance our L-OL Board of Education. 

Sheryl’s superior veteran educator skills were on display with applause given at the recent Wednesday night L-OL Board of Education Debate at the Middle School where Sheryl was truly very impressive, not only in her opening remarks, but with superior extemporaneous and unassailable responses throughout the debate including her conclusion. 

Sheryl Shyloski is one of the most dedicated, truthful, and hard-working educators I have met, and I believe everyone witnessed just that including those who were there both competing with her on stage as well as in the audience.

Sincerely,

Ed Shyloski,
Old Lyme.

Letter to the Editor: An Open Letter to the Citizens of Old Lyme from Selectman Lampos

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To the Editor:

It is an honor to serve on our Board of Selectmen in Old Lyme, one of the oldest continually meeting democratic institutions in the world. It’s a wonderful experience meeting and working with so many of you, and I am struck by the immense talent and commitment of our townspeople. It has deepened my faith in our town meeting form of government, and I am respectfully asking you to entrust me with another term.  

While two years is a relatively short period of time, especially when it comes to government, I believe I’ve made a difference in the following ways:

1.      Actively worked to address flooding issues during significant storms, and successfully applied for and obtained a resiliency study grant under Long Island Sound Partnership/Sea Grant Connecticut/UCONN Sustainable and Resilient Communities program. This grant will cover 100% of the cost for a study to assess our vulnerability and risks to coastal and inland flooding during storms and help us develop a prioritized mitigation strategy.

2.      Diligently taken on the sewer issue to ensure fairness and keep the public fully informed of the ongoing process.

3.      Engaged cooperatively with the Board of Finance to set a historically low mill rate by encouraging the transfer of excess surplus to tax relief, resulting in our town’s lowest mill rate in 34 years.

4.      Worked with the Harbormaster to draft and enact a jet ski ordinance that has greatly improved safety and quality of life at the shore.

5.      Proposed the formation of the now active Road and Public Safety Committee to address speeding and safety on our roadways. 

6.      Successfully obtained grant funding for educational signage at the Solstice Stone at Sound View Transit Hub.

7.      Helped get Old Lyme’s America250 campaign underway to celebrate our vibrant history.

8.      Encouraged and supported renewed funding for our Open Space Commission.

9.      Never feared taking on the toughest issues facing our town. I have consistently listened to and engaged people on all sides of difficult issues to seek equitable solutions, even when it may not have been politically expedient.

10.   Always worked to rise above partisanship and show our town in the best light.

I plan to diligently continue this work, and focus on the following over the next two years:

1.      Continue efforts to build sidewalks and aesthetic improvements in our commercial districts. I personally drafted the application for an $800,000 Community Connectivity Grant for a sidewalk and landscape improvements at Halls Road, which is now under consideration by the state.

2.      Hold the line on the budget and keep taxes low.

3.      Address water quality issues and restore safe swimming at Hains Park.

4.      Support open space and preservation efforts, with particular attention to our vulnerable marshlands.

5.      Continue defending local control for our town.

6.      Pursue every possible grant opportunity focused on infrastructure improvements and environmental preservation to save our taxpayers’ money.

7.      See the sewer issue through to a logical and fair conclusion

8.      Work with the Resident State Trooper on increasing overnight policing and identify funding sources.

9.      Work with concerned citizens and zoning officials to find solutions that preserve our town and encourage responsible development, including housing options for our seniors and young families.

10.   Continue engaging with all of our residents and listening with respect to those who don’t necessarily agree with me, keeping an open mind as we work together to chart the best course for our town.

Thank you to the wonderful people of Old Lyme. I’d be honored to have your vote again on November 4th.

Sincerely,

Jim Lampos,
Old Lyme.

Editor’s Note: The author is an incumbent Old Lyme Selectman.

Letter to the Editor: Veteran Old Lyme Board of Finance (BOF) Member Endorses ‘Capable … Deeply Committed’ Republican Slate of BOF Candidates

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To the Editor:

As a resident of Old Lyme and member of the Board of Finance for almost 22 years, I am writing to express my thoughts on the upcoming 2025 Board of Finance election, a pivotal event that will shape the financial stewardship of our community for years to come. The Board of Finance plays a crucial role in ensuring fiscal responsibility, transparency, and the wise allocation of our town’s resources. With the challenges of maintaining essential services, improving infrastructure, and balancing the town’s budget, it is more important than ever that we elect individuals who are not only capable, but also deeply committed to the well-being and future of Old Lyme.

This election is an opportunity for us to reaffirm our values as a town — values that include prudent financial management, open communication with residents, and a focus on both present needs and long-term sustainability. We have three candidates up for election that have experience in the business world that will do our town well in having them on the Board of Finance. David Kelsey and Matt Olson have been members of the Board for many years; John Flick is a newcomer that brings to the table years of business experience and a passion for our town being run as efficiently as possible. I encourage my fellow citizens to learn about the candidates and consider everyone’s experience and vision for Old Lyme. Our Board of Finance needs members who are collaborative, knowledgeable, and willing to advocate for the entire community.

There has been a great deal of conversation about the town’s undesignated funds.  In my years on the board, we have asked our auditors what percentage of surplus our town should have. That number fluctuated between 20-30% depending on the auditor.  This is higher than most communities because of the possible loss of tax revenue if a catastrophic storm hit our beach communities. Long term if we had significant property loss along the shoreline, we could face loss of tax revenue for a period of time while homes were re-built.  

This past budget season there was conversation about how much we should take from surplus. There were several proposals that did not pass. We stepped away for a week and had another meeting where David Kelsey made a motion, and I seconded the amount of $800,000 to be taken from surplus for this current budget year. That motion passed 5-1.  Our reason for this number was to help in the short term with the higher than usual town budget increase and the Region 18 building project debt payments starting. Why not more? There will be Region 18 debt payment increases in the coming years that most likely will have to use more money from the undesignated fund to keep the tax bills as flat as possible. We also have town projects that are coming down the pike like the Grassy Hill Road Bridge, road maintenance and the unknown of what the town may have to contribute to the sewer project.  

Regardless of political affiliation, I urge everyone to participate in the upcoming election. I ask you to support David Kelsey, Matt Olson and John Flick for the Board of Finance. This group will look at spending our money wisely in the short term and planning for the future. An engaged and informed electorate is the foundation of effective local government. Together, we can ensure that Old Lyme continues to thrive, not just for current residents, but for generations to come.

Sincerely,

Andy Russell,
Old Lyme.