Tag Archives: Martha Shoemaker

TOP STORY: Old Lyme First Selectwoman Martha Shoemaker Retains Seat in 2023 Repeat

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First Selectwoman Martha Shoemaker on Tuesday night said she was excited to be reelected.

OLD LYME–Incumbent Democratic First Selectwoman Martha Shoemaker held onto her seat in a virtual repeat of her 2023 run against Republican John Mesham despite a changed voting landscape that stretched out through an additional two weeks of early voting. 

At least 60% of registered voters turned out to vote, based on preliminary totals from Election Day and early voting. 

Unofficial numbers tallied at Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School on Tuesday night gave the victory to Shoemaker with 1,938 votes to Mesham’s 1,808, a difference of 130 votes. Two years ago, the retired teacher beat the retired Connecticut state trooper by 123 votes, with 59% of voters turning out. 

But this time, Mesham’s finish was strong enough to earn him a seat on the Board of Selectmen. That’s because the candidate finishing second in the first selectman race is automatically considered for one of the two remaining selectmen positions. 

Mesham beat out incumbent Republican Jude Read, who earned 1,795 voters, to earn a seat alongside incumbent Democrat Jim Lampos, who collected 1,947. 

Election Day tallies from the main polling precinct at Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School looked strong for Republicans in almost every race when results came back shortly after 8 p.m. But after early voting, absentee and same day registration votes counted separately at the Town Hall were announced by Deputy Registrar of Voters Katherine Thuma, the results swung in the Democrats’ favor. 

Thuma earlier on Tuesday said turnout over the 14-day early voting period consisted of 675 Democrats, 461 unaffiliated voters, 402 Republicans and 15 minor party voters. 

She said there’s a total of 6,250 registered voters in town, including 2,546 unaffiliated voters, 1,963 Democrats, 1,644 Republicans and 97 minor party voters.

Shoemaker at the Town Hall after the results came in attributed her win to “hard work, excellent service in the Town Hall, and the ability for people to have their voices heard.” 

The first selectwoman campaigned on a record that included overseeing flooding fixes in multiple shoreline sites and opening up the budget planning process to public scrutiny. 

She cited pressing issues she’ll be focusing on including a referendum on the Sound View sewer project that is likely to happen in January, as well as the completion of the Grassy Hill Road Bridge project. 

She said she and Lampos are honored to continue serving the town, and she will be happy to serve with Mesham. 

“Hopefully the three of us will be able to do wonderful things for Old Lyme,” she said. 

Republican John Mesham will serve on the Board of Selectmen with two Democrats: First Selectwoman Martha Shoemaker and incumbent Selectman Jim Lampos.

Mesham in a phone call Tuesday evening acknowledged his team came up short despite a hard fought campaign.

He expressed surprise at the “the disparity” that gave Democrats the win despite Republicans’ strong showing on Election Day.

He said Republicans focused on early voting through absentee ballots, which yielded improved results over the previous municipal election. 

He acknowledged it’s Democrats who tend to favor coming out during the 14-day early voting period.

“We knew that Republicans would vote strong on Election Day, and we really focused on getting a turnout today. And that worked,” he said.

The Republican campaign was energized by a groundswell of opposition to a plan from the Halls Road Improvements Committee, which was forwarded to the Zoning Commission by the Board of Selectmen, that could have allowed hundreds of apartments to be built on the commercially-zoned Halls Road.

They also called out Shoemaker for the $250 fine from the state Freedom of Information Commission that she paid after FOIC members agreed with a complaint from the Connecticut Examiner that she withheld public records related to alleged sexual misconduct at the local ambulance association. 

Mesham was skeptical when asked about priorities he’d like to bring before the Board of Selectmen when he’s sworn in two weeks from now. 

“It’s hard for me to bring priorities because I’m the minority,” he said of his status among the two incumbent Democrats. “They’ve pretty much had a history of blocking Jude (Read) out, so we’ll see what happens.” 

Shoemaker, a retired 35-year teacher and 12-year union president, was selectwoman from 2021-23 before being elected first selectwoman. She did not run for reelection on the Region 18 Board of Education, where she is finishing her second term. 

Mesham, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, retired from the Connecticut State Police in 2020 as a master sergeant after 29 years in law enforcement. He is a member of the Inland Wetlands Commission and a deputy registrar of voters.

Shoemaker Wins Top Spot in Old Lyme, Lampos and Mesham Join Her on Board of Selectmen

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Martha Shoemaker. LymeLine file photo.

OLD LYME—In unconfirmed results, incumbent Democrat Martha Shoemaker held her First Selectwoman seat fighting off a strong campiagn by Republican challenger John Mesham. Shoemaker’s running mate Jim Lampos also held his seat and the third seat on the board will be taken by Mesham. Jude Read (R) lost her seat as a Selectwoman.

We do not yet have any detailed numbers on the Selectmen’s race nor results from any of the other races. We will share them as soon as we receive them.

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: Why Won’t Old Lyme Republicans Participate in a Debate?

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To the Editor:

As a long term beach resident of Old Lyme and a past elected official, I have had the honor to serve with members of both parties and independents. I am however disappointed that our Republican candidates have refused to participate in a debate with our Democratic opponents.

One has to wonder why.  Perhaps they do not want to publicly defend their misleading attacks on Martha Shoemaker or perhaps their alignment with the priorities of the GOP and Project 2025 or most disturbing their support for Trump/MAGA. So much for “All politics are local”. Very disturbing.

Martha Shoemaker and her running mate, Jim Lampos, have proven themselves as dedicated public servants who “put the people of Old Lyme first”.  They have worked diligently and transparently to address long standing issues, many of which were stalled under prior Republican leadership.  Only through open meetings and community engagement have they shown what responsive, responsible government looks like.

Running a town requires Listening and being willing to engage in “Honest” discussion.  I urge my fellow residents whether you be Democratic, Republican or Independent to support them on Nov. 4-Row A for leadership that represents every resident of our beautiful town.

Sincerely,

George Finley,
Old Lyme.

Editor’s Note: The author is chair of Old Lyme’s Board of Assessment Appeals and a member of its Harbor Management Commission.

Letter to the Editor: Response by Then-Selectwoman Shoemaker Leads to Support for her Current First Selectman Challenger, Mesham

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To the Editor:

“A paltry stipend” that is paid to an elected official should not determine whether that official answers a phone call from his constituent: yet this is the thinking of the current “CEO” of Old Lyme. When needing some help with a town road flooding problem approximately two years ago, this was the response I received [from then-Selectwoman Shoemaker] which ran counter to everything I thought an elected official should do or say.

I will be voting for Mr. Mesham and not for the present office holder whose philosophy totally contradicts my seemingly naive and idealistic view of what a public servant should be.

I urge other Old Lymers to do the same.

Sincerely,

Alice Burbank,
Old Lyme.