To the Editor:
Cathy Carter is running against Bonnie Reemsnyder for First Selectwoman in Old Lyme. Letters in LymeLine have cited three reasons to support Cathy: her education, her experience, and, apparently, her opposition to state involvement in town projects. I take issue with each of these points.
1. Cathy took college courses in public management and public administration 25 to 30 years ago. That’s a long time. She has apparently never applied her courses in public office, and one cannot go from college degree to CEO with no intervening experience.
2. Cathy cites no government experience on her LinkedIn page and I could find no relevant experience elsewhere. She apparently has never held a significant public or private leadership position, nor served on any Old Lyme governmental board, commission or committee.
3. Our Board of Selectmen has not asked the state or federal government to meddle in our affairs. It has, however, solicited and been awarded over $3 million in state and federal grants to improve town assets and, therefore, our quality of life. (These funds come from our tax dollars, which otherwise would be spent elsewhere.) I do not understand why it would be preferable to forgo these improvements or to finance them just with Old Lyme taxpayer dollars.
Bonnie Reemsnyder has twelve years of experience as Selectwoman, four of them as the town’s CEO. Running our town is not easy. Issues arise regularly and folks always have differing opinions. Bonnie has done a fine job, and she is willing to continue to serve. There is no reason to risk a change on November 3. We must re-elect Bonnie.
Sincerely,
Bennett J. Bernblum,
Old Lyme
Editor’s Note: The author is a Democratic member of the Old Lyme Board of Finance. He is also a member of the Democratic Town Committee.