We had our Swearing In ceremony on Sunday. Lieutenant Governor Susan Bysiewicz did the honors of swearing in all our newly elected officials. I would like to take a moment to thank all the candidates who ran for office during this election season. We extend our heartfelt gratitude for your efforts on the campaign trail and your commitment to public service.

Monday's highlight was learning that we were awarded $800K in a Community Connectivity Grant for a sidewalk project on Halls Road. This is excellent news for the Town of Old Lyme. In December the Board of Selectmen will begin to discuss how we will proceed.

At our Board of Selectmen meeting on Monday, we heard a presentation from River Valley Transit on the proposed bus stops for Old Lyme. As part of a Public Transit Funding grant from the Federal Government, River Valley Transit will be installing new signage within town and state roads in Old Lyme. Their presentation and photos of the proposed stops are on our website. If you have any comments or concerns, please contact me.

Please remember that this is the last weekend to participate in the LYSB Thanksgiving Food Drive. Volunteers will be at the Big Y tomorrow from 10-2PM. This is a wonderful opportunity to help those in need within our community.

The paving project at the Lyme Street Firehouse is complete and line striping will be done next week. Facilities Director, Erik Olsen and I would like to send our thanks to Chief Mike McCarthy and all the volunteers who moved trucks throughout the project. This was a twice daily activity and we appreciate their coordination efforts.

Jeff Benedetto, Benjamin Carroll, Mario Gagliardi, and Brian Lorentson from our Public Works Department successfully completed the Connecticut Public Works Academy Certificate Program. This program consists of a series of courses on the fundamentals of modern road maintenance management procedures and techniques. I am so proud of our employees who strive to learn more so that they can improve the services in our town.

LEAVES – oh yes, it is the Fall season! Public Works Director, Ed Adanti wants all residents to be aware that leaves should not be blown onto our town roads. The Public Works Department will not pick up these large piles that are being blown into the street. The sweeper that we use for the shoulders of the roads to maintain the storm drains can only collect small amounts of leaves. Residents can bring their leaves to the transfer station for free (bags must be emptied onsite).  

Old Lyme's Waste & Recycling Committee wants to learn what efforts residents make (or are willing to make) to reduce household waste. The Annual Town Budget reflects more than $1 million was spent this past fiscal year to process our household trash, hazardous waste, and recycling. The charge of the Waste & Recycling Committee is to provide the Board of Selectmen with policy recommendations and among other things, promote residential trash reduction through recycling and other efforts. Please take the survey and let us know your thoughts. Let’s work together to decrease this cost going forward.

Tax Collector, Suzanne Thompson has asked me to remind all taxpayers that January is just around the corner. Second installment payments of Real Estate and Personal Property Taxes are due January 1, 2026. Grand Year List 2024 Supplemental Motor Vehicle Taxes also will be due at that time. Please note that they do not mail taxpayers a December reminder for 2^nd installment of Real Estate or Personal Property taxes. You received your 2^nd installment payment coupon in late June 2025. For more information, please visit the Tax Collector website page.

Information for next week:

The Board of Selectmen will be having a Special Meeting on Monday, November 24^th at 5PM. The topic for this meeting is to discuss the Resolution Authorizing Appropriation, State Project Funding Agreement and Issuance of Bonds for Sewer Construction Project. The meeting will be held in the Meeting Room and we will have additional seating in the upper-level meeting rooms as well. All rooms will have a virtual component allowing participants to see the meeting taking place in the main room. You can also attend virtually from home using the link in the agenda. We will allow public comment but will have to limit speaker’s time to three minutes to accommodate all who wish to speak. Should the Board of Selectmen approve the resolution, the Board of Finance will have a special meeting at 7PM.

The Town Hall and the Transfer Station will be closed on Thursday and Friday for the Thanksgiving Holiday. The Transfer Station will reopen on Saturday, November 29^th from 8:30 – 4:00PM.

We will not be publishing a newsletter next week but will send out pertinent reminders if needed, on Wednesday.

All my best, 
Martha