Tag Archives: Halls Road Improvements Committee

Op-Ed: After HROD Defeat, Some Thoughts on Improving Old Lyme’s Approach to Managing Major Projects Going Forward

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Editor’s Note: We originally published this op-ed submitted by Howard Margules of Old Lyme on July 12, 2024. After the 4-1 defeat of the Halls Road Overlay District proposal by Old Lyme’s Zoning Commission last Monday (April 14), several members of the Halls Road Improvement Committee, including its former chair Edie Twining—who resigned yesterday—suggested republishing it as a constructive contribution to the discussion regarding how to move forward from this point.

Is a Town Planner the Answer?

Our town’s major projects—Halls Road, sewers, Shoreline Gateway, and Affordable Housing—are all vital to our town’s future economic viability. 

They also share something else in common: they have been “works in process” for quite a while, and all remain unfinished. It is important to point out that these projects have been ongoing across multiple administrations, regardless of which political party is in power; so this is not a partisan issue but one that crosses party lines. 

Why do these projects take so long to complete, and what can be done to expedite them?

Over the last ten years I have been involved, one way or another, in most of these projects. 

I am a current member of both the Halls Road Improvement Committee and the Planning Commission and the former Chair of the Economic Development Commission. Thinking back on my front-row experiences has led me to some observations on those questions and suggestions for improving timely project completion.

Relying on Volunteers

Our town is very fortunate to have a motivated, engaged volunteer corps staffing our town Boards, Committees and Commissions. I have worked with good people from both parties, and I have been generally impressed with the competence, knowledge and commitment they bring to the job. And, they are doing this work for “free.” 

But, there are issues with relying on volunteers. 

First, there is a town requirement that the Boards and Commissions be balanced politically. This occasionally leads to appointments made simply to fulfill the political balance requirement rather than appointing the most qualified individual.

Additionally, there have been instances where the Committee or Board Chair has had no input in the selection, or, objected to the appointment, but was overruled, even though the person appointed was not the best candidate. 

Second, our town relies almost solely on volunteers to address some very complex projects which often require specific expertise and knowledge that may be absent in our volunteers. 

Additionally, most Boards and Commissions only meet once per month, which is acceptable for routine issues but inadequate for addressing major complex projects. 

Finally, it is also difficult to put too much pressure or expectations on volunteers since they can always elect to just bow out. Relying almost totally on volunteers makes it hard for the town to complete major projects successfully in a timely fashion.

Low Accountability

Many municipalities, especially larger ones, employ a full- or part-time professional planner, to lead major projects. They are professionals with the expertise required to address the complex issues major projects raise. Most importantly, they are held accountable as professionals for completing projects. 

Currently, we don’t have the structure or ability to hold any one person accountable. Accountability gets more complicated given the number of Boards and Commissions involved, various interests that have to be satisfied, and political agendas that occasionally get in the way.

Lack of Collaboration

All of these major projects require approvals from multiple Boards and Commissions Typically, this is done sequentially. One Board or Commission generates proposals that then require approval from another body. Of course, it is natural then for everyone to want to add their two cents. 

The sequential review and approval process frequently leads to varied opinions, occasionally to conflicts, and thus delays. Each set of potential conflicts must be resolved in sequence, drawing out the process and the projects unnecessarily. 

In my view, it would be more beneficial to provide a mechanism for the Boards and Commissions to collaborate initially, perhaps reaching broad consensus and some level of buy-in before the official approval process. 

The Board of Selectman should form a specific project committee for each major effort. We do have some such now, but they do not include representatives of the bodies that will have to provide approval later on. 

The relevant Boards and Commissions or representatives of those bodies need to be involved early in the project, if not from its inception. 

Relevant Expertise

Expert advice (engineering, law, environmental science, design, etc.) is required for these major projects. We are very fortunate in Old Lyme to have a wide range of skills represented in our citizenry and we have benefitted from their help over many years. 

Unfortunately, those with the most relevant skills are often still working, raising children, etc. and have little time to volunteer. We can take advantage of these local skills where they are available, but major projects need consistent and constant expert input, even if it means we must hire professionals to assist.  

Even to manage the work of hired experts can require Board or Commission members to climb a steep learning curve.This is another area in which a professional planner could be very helpful.

Leadership

Finally, these complex projects require engaged leadership from the Board of Selectmen. The Board of Selectmen needs to assist with coordination, monitoring, oversight, timetables, expense control, lobbying public officials for funding, and commit to completing projects on time and on budget.

Our town will face more challenges going forward. If we are to successfully face these challenges and secure our economic future, we need to enhance our approach to supporting and managing major projects.

BREAKING NEWS: Halls Road Improvements Committee Chair Edie Twining Resigns

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OLD LYME — This afternoon, Halls Road Improvements Committee Chairwoman Edie Twining submitted her resignation in a letter to Old Lyme First Selectwoman Martha Shoemaker. Twining’s resignation from the volunteer position is with immediate effect.

The text of Twining’s letter is as follows:

“Dear Martha,  

It is with a heavy heart that I resign as a member and Chair of the Halls Road Improvements Committee (HRIC). My family has been part of Old Lyme for three generations. When I returned to Old Lyme after living in Boston for 40 years, I followed in my father’s footsteps volunteering for the town. My  commitment to this committee has spanned over 8 years and many thousands of unpaid hours of work. In that time, the committee held dozens of public outreach sessions, responded to feedback and created  a Vision Proposal that informed the Halls Road Master Plan. All of my efforts have been done as a volunteer and, contrary to false accusations on social media, I have never had or sought any monetary gain, direct or indirect, from my involvement on the committee.  

The committee has received multitudes of letters of support for both the Master Plan and the Halls Road Overlay District (HROD) proposals, Planning Board Approval, detailed Zoning Commission review and dozens of public outreach sessions. To those supporters; I am deeply grateful for your attention to this  committee’s work and for your ongoing support. You understood the HRIC was never a partisan project,  but sought the benefit of the whole town, regardless of political affiliation!  

Despite seven years of very public effort, well publicized by friends and foes, many people claim never to  have been aware of the HRIC and its efforts to improve pedestrian safety, add new crossings, and update our 1960’s commercial-only zoning with a mixed-use option. Those who have followed the HRIC process have seen the multiple layers of work we have done and provided constructive suggestions that have altered the plan. Many who opposed it and chose to never attend a meeting, never visit the town website (where all details were publicly available), claim, instead that all of this was proceeding covertly with no community outreach. The fact that they chose not to attend any public meetings, not to read the detail on the town website or get involved does not give them the excuse to say the public was not informed.  

Critics have relentlessly misrepresented and misunderstood the plan, its aims, the challenges faced by the town, and the nature of the solutions proposed. This pervasive disregard for facts culminated in the latest campaign of wild exaggerations meant to mislead our community about the goals and details of the HROD proposal. The social media avalanche of invented nightmares and half-truths is indicative of the poisonous, adversarial politics that is tearing our country – and now our town – to pieces. None of those opposing the proposal ever directly asked the committee to explain how the regulation works, nor did they ever suggest any concrete alternative proposals.  

They were not interested in squarely facing our Town’s future in a changing world. Instead, they created a monstrous fantasy version of the HROD proposal that no one could support, used it to whip up a storm of protest, and set out to bully the town’s officers into submitting to their fantasy. 

The Zoning Commission’s refusal to deliberate, and abandonment of their efforts to modify the HROD  proposal in any way, was, in my view, an abdication of the Commission’s rights and responsibilities. The most important statement about the whole process was made by Zoning Commission member Denise  Savageau. She blamed the dysfunctional Old Lyme bureaucracy for failing after 10 years to work together constructively to create a unified plan and new zoning for Halls Road. It was, is, and should have been treated from the beginning as a TOWN effort. Instead, an appointed committee of the Board of Selectmen was treated by other Boards and Commissions the same way they treat a private person applying for permission to make modifications to their house. That approach doomed the effort from the start, because it foreclosed the possibility of collaboration and working together to frame what was  needed. The separate silos of Planning, Zoning, and HRIC; the fiction that the town itself could not demand that the three cooperate with one another—all of these, in retrospect, were fatal errors.  

This “us vs. them” madness is such a sad and destructive trend both locally and nationally. There seems no way to fight back against waves of falsehoods. So, I am leaving all the work we have accomplished to those who come after. If they do nothing, outside forces will dictate our town’s future. Meanwhile I look forward to contributing my time to more productive pursuits in my board positions with the Old Lyme Land Trust, Old Lyme Historical Society and my design work for the New London Homeless Hospitality  Center.  

Respectfully,  

Edie Twining”

Editor’s Notes: i)Twining also provided a list of the committee’s accomplishments.
ii) A reminder of Our Policy on Comments.


Old Lyme Zoning Commission Resoundingly Rejects Overlay Proposal, Calls for Cooperation in Determining Future of Halls Road

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An audience of around 80 in the Town Hall Meeting Room and those watching remotely listened as the Old Lyme Zoning Commission voted 4-1 to reject the Halls Road Overlay District proposal.

Controlling Destiny … and Density

OLD LYME – Change is going to come to Halls Road, but the Zoning Commission on Monday said now is not the time. 

In front of an audience of around 80, the commission voted 4-1 to deny a proposal created by the Halls Road Improvements Committee (HRIC) for an Overlay District to allow apartments and condominiums to be built above, or behind, ground-floor businesses set close to the street. 

Commission members credited their decision to a groundswell of opposition manifested in “Overlay? No Way!” signs all over town as well as in comments on social media and at public meetings. Concerns revolved around the hazards of allowing multi-family residential development in a commercial area with limited septic availability and no sewers. Critics also called out a lack of information and not enough opportunity for residents to get involved in the process. 

Denise Savageau, a former alternate member, who was elected to a full seat last November, told commission members during their deliberations that she shared the frustration of residents that felt they were left out.

A retired environmental planner, who now serves on numerous state-level commissions concerned with natural resources, Savageau said there needs to be more involvement from the Planning Commission, Zoning Commission and other relevant agencies in coming up with changes to Halls Road regulations. And the discussions need to be conveyed clearly to the public at every step.

“I want to stress that this is not about the Halls Road Improvement Committee, but about the silos that have been created by all of the land use commissions in town,” she said. 

She described issues such as climate change and a lack of affordable housing options — both of which are subject to more state mandates with each passing year — that require local regulations to evolve. 

“The changes are going to come,” she said. “We need to plan.” 

The failed overlay district application is the latest in an effort going back more than a decade to improve the three-quarter-of-a-mile strip between two Interstate 95 interchanges that feed the town’s historic district and its shoreline. First there were calls for sidewalks; then came the possibility of village-like storefronts and apartments, a pedestrian bridge and more greenspace. Much disagreement and several discarded plans later, one of the only areas of widespread agreement is that Halls Road remains unattractive.

Some want big changes. Some want more modest aesthetic improvements. Others are fine with the way things are.

Member Jane Marsh in her deliberations recalled the commercial zone’s origin in the middle of the last century as a place people could easily access and find a place to park amid the rise of suburbanization. 

“It was created because it wasn’t going to be the most fabulously beautiful location in town. It was going to be functional and pragmatic for people, and that’s how it got built,” she said. “… It serves its purpose. It may not be very beautiful, but I don’t expect it to be beautiful, actually. I expect it to be the way it is.”

The overlay district proposal was approved by the Board of Selectmen in a 2-1 vote in November. It was endorsed 5-0 by the Planning Commission in January. 

Having a Conversation

One of the loudest voices against the overlay proposal was Robin Breeding, an artist whose social media posts and graphic design helped galvanize the opposition. Many people did not find out about the overlay district proposal until she began to publicize the issue after a sparsely attended public hearing in January. 

She welcomed the Zoning Commission’s decision in a phone interview Tuesday. 

“People didn’t know this was happening a month and a half ago,” she said of the overlay district proposal. “They thought it was going to be the sidewalks and that pretty stuff that they talked about in the beginning. And then they started to realize that it wasn’t that any longer. And they started to learn about what it was.”

She said the contention that the plan would help address a need for affordable housing was inaccurate. With the state pushing for towns to ensure at least 10% of their housing stock is affordable to lower income households, she argued the Halls Road Overlay District plan to require one out of every 10 housing units to be rented or sold at affordable rates wouldn’t advance the town’s obligation by even one percentage point. 

Only 1.58% of the town’s housing stock is currently affordable by state standards, according to data from the state Department of Housing. 

She said the overlay proposal threatened to drive out existing small businesses — many of them service providers in office settings — through its focus on new development and ground-floor retail options to be built over time if there’s enough interest from developers. 

“And so it was basically saying, ‘We don’t care about you now,’” she said of the plan. “‘We only care about some future pie-in-the-sky version of what this could be, but we can’t guarantee it.”

She said the ongoing overhaul of the zoning regulations by an outside firm presents a new opportunity for the public to learn about and become involved in the process of improving the town, including Halls Road. 

The $129,776 update of the town’s zoning regulations is being conducted by the Hartford-based FHI Studio. 

The planning and design firm was hired late last year to embark on a year-and-a-half-long project to clean up existing language in the regulations and then engage the public in discussion about potential changes as to what can be built in town, and where. 

When it comes to the kind of changes that residents of Old Lyme have a tolerance for, Breeding cited sidewalks as a good place to start. 

“And let’s have a conversation with the town, and talk to the town about how they want to move forward,” she said. 

For and Against

Commission Chairman Paul Orzel during the hearing said the public opposition brought to light some questions that have gone unanswered. 

Estimates for how many units could be built under the overlay application range from 200 to 1,200, depending on who’s doing the calculation and which variables are considered. 

“I’m a firm believer in controlling my destiny,” Orzel said. But the proposal as he saw it left too much to chance. 

Member Mike Miller applauded the residents, who spoke up against the plan. He said he shared their concerns related to the environment, tax increases and the effect of more residents on the school system and the delivery of public safety services. 

He called for a return to the basics. 

“There are many things that the HRIC brought up to our attention that are good. For example, the original charter of sidewalks and landscaping,” he said. “I think we need to have a safe corridor for pedestrian traffic for the kids from school. We have our students that come into town and work the shops. There are things that we can do.”

The lone vote not to deny the application came from Mary Jo Nosal, a former selectwoman who disputed the contention that the public hadn’t been a part of the process. She cited public surveys, various workshops, town update meetings, annual budget approvals, and reviews and input by local agencies including the Zoning Commission, Planning Commission and Board of Selectmen. 

She recalled that a master plan to guide improvements on Halls Road emerged as a response to efforts from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to run high-speed trains through Old Lyme. 

Fears of the FRA’s plan slowed home sales and threatened business closures, according to Nosal. 

“The town also faced a scarcity of housing and office space options, and still does,” she said. “Long time residents had nowhere to live once they sold the family home; our children could not return to their hometown as there was nowhere for them to live and certainly afford; and community workers — teachers, healthcare workers, beauticians, grocery store workers — could not find an affordable home in town. Electric Boat was beginning its exponential growth but these professionals could not find a home here.”

She said the guiding question at the time was how to maintain and attract business and make housing more available, “While making it harder for the FRA to bulldoze our community.”

“The result was the development of the master plan for Halls Road and the effort to protect and improve our town center while being able to apply for state and federal grants for various improvements and bring in design experts to guide the process,” she said.

Nosal acknowledged many in the community feel the process behind the overlay proposal was flawed. 

“The Town of Old Lyme could look to improve the process for future town regulations and assure that more town meetings, land use joint meetings and significant planning occur as a lead-up to planning and zoning review,” she said. “But it cannot be denied nor should we dismiss the fact that many residents, the non-profits and business owners were represented in the process.”

Next Steps

After the vote First Selectwoman Martha Shoemaker said the Board of Selectmen will discuss the issue at a meeting over the next few weeks. She said Halls Road Improvements Committee Chairwoman Edie Twining has already expressed interest in working together to plan the next steps.

Twining on Monday night declined to give her own comment. But she referred to Denise Savageau’s speech on the need for town boards and commissions to work together — rather than in silos — so they could better inform and invite participation from the public. 

Twining could be seen during the meeting taking notes as Savageau spoke.

“Denise was 100% correct,” Twining said.

Editor’s Notes: i) Mary Jo Nosal is a financial supporter of LymeLine.com, but has no input to the editorial process, which remains completely independent.
ii) A reminder of Our Policy on Comments.

Halls Rd. Overlay District Proposal Faces Uncertain Future in Old Lyme, Overflow Crowd Overwhelmingly Opposes Project

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The Old Lyme Zoning Commission closed the public hearing on the Halls Road Overlay District application April 9, 2025 in front of a packed auditorium at the Lyme-Old Lyme High School. All photos by E. Regan.

OLD LYME—About 550 people converged in the Lyme-Old Lyme High School auditorium Wednesday evening, many of them armed with “Vote No” signs and deeply-held ideals about preserving their small town’s character, as they fought a plan to bring apartments and condominiums to Halls Road. 

The Old Lyme Zoning Commission voted unanimously to close the public hearing on the Halls Road Overlay District around 9:45 p.m. after roughly 40 people got up to speak. The subject was a highly controversial application for the creation of an overlay district on Halls Road that could allow as many as 40 housing units per acre to be built above, or behind, ground-floor businesses set close to the street in the 40-acre zone.  

Residents and vocal project critics Ron and Julie Malloy said they had about 500 of the “Vote No” signs printed. By the start of the meeting, only a few were left in their stack. There were also up to 100 people waiting in the hall because Old Lyme Fire Marshal Dave Roberge, per state fire code, could let no more people inside the room. 

The intent of the proposal, which has evolved over multiple years under the guidance of the Halls Road Improvements Committee (HRIC) and its chairwoman Edie Twining, is to create over time a vibrant, walkable neighborhood where strip malls now stand. 

The overlay district proposal, created by the HRIC, was approved by the Old Lyme Board of Selectmen in a 2-1 vote in November. The application to the Zoning Commission was signed by First Selectwoman Martha Shoemaker. 

The HRIC was represented at the hearing by Attorney William Sweeney, who told the commission he’s been working with the group since 2022. 

The long-awaited meeting was the culmination of a process that had invited public input since January. No new information can be presented now that the hearing has concluded. The commission has 65 days to consider the evidence and reach a decision.

While demands for a town wide referendum on the issue have been a popular refrain on social media and in public meetings, Land Use Coordinator Eric Knapp said that’s simply not possible. 

Once a town creates a zoning commission, according to Knapp, state law is clear that only the zoning commission has the power to make or amend regulations. 

“You can’t call a referendum on this. The only choice you have at this point is abolish the zoning commission, abolish zoning regulations and start over,” he said, adding, “Which I don’t recommend.” 

Opposition Arguments

Differing interpretations of the overlay proposal estimate there could be anywhere from 200 to 1,200 apartments built if the plan goes into effect. But even on the low end, opponents decried what they characterized as a disastrous effect on the environment, school enrollment, traffic and their overall quality of life in the rural community of 7,628 year-round residents. 

The lack of sewer service in the area was also cited as a roadblock by many residents.

Proponents argued the proposed district would bolster the local economy and meet a vital need in a state where demand for housing exceeds the supply — and in a town where a vast majority of places to live are single-family homes. They said young adults, who grew up here, can’t afford to come back and older people looking to downsize, can’t stay. 

The arguments in favor of the overlay district didn’t sway an immigrant from Argentina, a young adult living with her grandmother, and a San Diego transplant who each called for Old Lyme not to change. 

Elizabeth Rex said she couldn’t afford to live in California again—even if she wanted to. 

“I couldn’t even afford a studio apartment there now. But I’m not going to go home and demand that housing is built to accommodate me because I want to move back,” she said. “No! I moved to glorious Connecticut, which I love. I love this small town. It’s stunning. I love the farms nearby. I love the rivers. It’s gorgeous. Keep it this way.” 

Maddie Sylvestri came to Old Lyme to live with her grandmother after growing up in Pittsburgh. She said the component of the overlay plan, which calls for 10% of the housing units to be rented out at rates considered affordable by state standards, won’t make a dent in the housing problem. 

“Only 10% affordable living is just not going to meet the needs of young people in this economy,” Silvestri said.  

Under the affordable housing provisions of the proposed overlay district, a single person making $69,840 a year would qualify for a rent of $1,746 per month for a studio apartment, according to the most recent rent limits set by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development. 

Resident Russell Todd, a member of the Historic District Commission who said he was speaking only for himself and his wife, said the proposal, “Represents a significant shift toward urbanization.” 

He said the amount of housing, the size of the buildings and the lack of attractive green space threaten Old Lyme’s small-town identity that drew the couple to Old Lyme in the first place. 

Robin Breeding, a familiar name on social media in posts bringing attention to the overlay district proposal, said the plan is full of contradictions.

“On one hand, advocates of the overlay say their plan calls for only a couple of hundred new apartments on Halls Road. On the other hand, they insist again, against the advice of this commission, to include parking garages,” she said. “That would only make economic sense if they build over a thousand units.”

She also argued against the contention that the overlay district would prevent construction of new gas stations and highway services. That’s because the underlying commercial district is still in place as an avenue for those who don’t want to build mixed-use developments on Halls Road.

The Pros

Proponents of the plan outlined a vision for a Main Street-type feel that was characteristic of nearby Lyme Street before most commercial offerings were pushed off the historic, tree-lined expanse and onto Rte. 1. They said the proposed regulation includes more modern requirements to protect the environment and relies on design guidelines that go further to enhance the town’s rural feel than the existing commercial zone. 

In similar fashion to Breeding—but this time, supporting the proposal—Kimberly Thompson, chairwoman of the Old Lyme Democratic Town Committee, spoke of contradictory information from those against the plan.

She cited concerns from opponents about the lack of space for septic systems, proximity to the river and ensuring that open space remains protected.

“By definition, those things are going to limit the development in this area,” she said. “And I support the overlay district because those things exist, because there’s going to be review of septic and wastewater plans, because The Lieutenant River is governed by the Gateway Commission, and they are going to have input on what can go there. And because the land trust owns spaces here and their mission is to preserve that space.”

Alex Twining, a successful real estate developer and brother of the Halls Road Improvements Committee Chairwoman, said Halls Road is currently functional but not inviting. 

“Imagine a better vision: A tree-lined Halls Road with sidewalks, bike paths, and shops you can stroll between, park once, stop in a few stores, meet your friend at a cafe, and maybe keep walking to the river or boat landing. Less driving, less hassle, and more pleasant,” he said. 

This vision won’t happen overnight, and places like Big Y will be there for a long time. But with time, new shops and restaurants can begin to open along the street,” he added. 

The businessman invoked the ire of the raucous crowd, which was again reprimanded by Zoning Commission Chairman Paul Orzel, to be respectful. 

Edie Twining has been the subject of speculation on social media by those, who accuse her of seeking financial gain for her family, by advocating for the overlay district. 

Nell Twining stood up to defend her husband and sister-in-law against what she described as, “Paranoid speculation, conspiracy theories, and repulsive accusations.” 

“Neither Alex nor I own property nor have any financial interest on Halls Road or in the proposed overlay district,” Nell Twining said. 

“And to those who express suspicions of why my sister-in-law has worked so hard as a volunteer on the Halls Road Committee: Volunteer community service has been important in the Twining family for generations,” she added. 

The 550-person capacity of Lyme-Old Lyme High School ‘s auditorium was reached Wednesday night before the Old Lyme Zoning Commission’s Public Hearing on the Halls Road Improvements Committee Overlay District proposal began.

Being Heard

The public hearing had been open almost three times as long as the 35 days authorized in state statute. The commission was forced to close it when an extension already granted by the applicant was not renewed Wednesday. 

Multiple people had called for the hearing to remain open so those who had been turned away would have time to hear and be heard. 

Knapp, the land use coordinator, explained early in the meeting that technological limitations at the high school made it impossible to broadcast the meeting remotely.

The move to close the hearing came after Zoning Chairman Orzel, at the request of member Michael Miller, asked if the applicant would be willing to extend the public hearing. State statute specifies all extensions must be approved by the applicant. 

Sweeney said his client was “not interested in extending” the hearing. 

Edie Twining could not be reached for comment Thursday, and Sweeney said he was not authorized to speak for the committee. 

Shoemaker, Old Lyme’s First Selectwoman, on Thursday acknowledged calls by residents like Shaun Mastroianni for her to withdraw the application she’d signed in November. 

Mastroianni ran an unsuccessful campaign for state Senate as the Republican candidate in the 20th District race against Democrat Martha Marx. 

Mastroianni used his two minutes at the microphone during the public hearing to emphasize he does not want to see Old Lyme become another Mystic and to ask residents to reach out to the Board of Selectmen to get them to withdraw the application. 

“I urge you, tonight, tomorrow, to write to your first selectwoman that is sitting – hiding – in the back,” he said. 

Shoemaker said she was in the first row of the balcony. 

“I wasn’t hiding,” she said. “I was listening.” 

Shoemaker said she would hold off on making any decisions on rescinding the proposal until Thursday’s 7 p.m. meeting of the Halls Road Improvement Committee was over. 

“I’m waiting to hear their thoughts,” she said. “And I think that because they had put so much time and effort into it, I owe them the time for discussion.”

Editor’s Notes: i) Visit this link for our brief story published earlier today shortly after Wednesdays’ meeting ended.
ii) Visit this link to read our preview story of Wednesday evening’s meeting, which contains a great deal of background to the current situation.
iii) Visit this link for a reminder of Our Policy on Comments.