Aug. 7 Update From Old Lyme First Selectwoman Martha Shoemaker

News Release Submitted by Old Lyme First Selectwoman Martha Shoemaker**

These are the long hazy days of summer!

Town Hall’s Meeting Hall has been used for the State of Connecticut Democratic Primary this week. Early Voting will take place daily from 10-6 PM today through Sunday. On Tuesday, April 11^th, the voting location moves to the Lyme Old Lyme Middle School Gymnasium. The hours for primary day are 6AM to 8PM.

Today ends the 2026 Parks and Recreation Summer Camp Program. I would like to take a moment to express my sincere thanks to Don Bugbee, Director of Parks and Recreation and Winnie Edmed, the Assistant Director for their dedication to this summer program. Additional thanks go to our counselors, and counselors in training for ensuring that our attendees had a safe and happy camp experience.

The Police Department would like to remind our residents that area towns have begun to see an increase in car ransacking and thefts. Please always lock your car doors.

Parkside Utility Construction, on behalf of Frontier Communications / Verizon, will be performing excavation in the town easement / utility right of way for installation of new conduit and handholes, providing you with high-speed fiber optic internet service. The work will take place in the grass behind the street curb, following the existing buried utilities. New handholes will be set where the existing vaults / pedestals are located. Door hangers will be placed in neighborhoods where work will occur. These hangers will provide a number to call to notify of any sprinkler systems, dog fences, or other buried facilities near the utility easement. Once the work is completed, they will restore all areas affected during the construction process. The roads in the initial installation are:

Beechwood Lane / Dogwood Drive / Robins Avenue / Center Beach Avenue /
Cypress Circle / Sandalwood Lane / Hemlock Circle

For those of you who enjoy photography, we want to make you aware that the Connecticut Land Conservation Council (CLCC) and the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CT DEEP) are sponsoring a photo contest in honor of Diana Atwood Johnson. Diana was an Old Lyme resident who was instrumental in the creation of our Open Space Commission. For more information about the contest visit the CLCC website.

The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) released the draft Connecticut Statewide Freight Plan for public review and comment today. Residents, businesses, and industry partners are invited to submit feedback through Friday, September 4^th. This draft plan evaluates current and future freight transportation needs and identifies strategies to enhance the safety, efficiency, reliability, and sustainability of Connecticut's multimodal freight network, addressing freight movement by truck, rail, ports, air, and pipeline. It will help guide future transportation investments and policy decisions across the state. The State of Connecticut is encouraging residents, businesses, and industry partners to review the draft plan and share their feedback. Comments and questions may be submitted by emailing DOT.LongRangePlan@ct.gov or calling (860) 594-2560.

A RiverCOG Household Hazardous Waste Collection will be held tomorrow at the Deep River Town Garage located at 206 Winthrop Rd (Rte. 80). The hours for the collection are 9-1PM. The next paper shredding event will take place on September 19^th at the Middlefield Community Center located at 405 Main Street, Middlefield from 9-12PM.

Mark your calendars!

• September 7^th – There will be a free United States Coast Guard Band concert on the grounds of the Branford House at Avery Point in Groton, CT. They wanted the Old Lyme community to know that they are invited.
• September 15^th – The Zoning Community Workshop will take place at the Lymes’ Senior Center beginning at 6:30PM. This workshop will concentrate on the Commercial and Industrial zones, parking, and signage. Please make note of the location change.

Enjoy the weekend!

All my best,

Martha