Large Crowd Approves All Items at Lyme Budget Meeting, Including Restoration of Open Space Funding to $1 Million

More than 200 people gathered on the green in front of Lyme Town Hall for Wednesday evening’s Budget Meeting. Photo submitted.

LYME — Some 225 residents turned out Wednesday wearing masks and carrying their folding chairs to attend the Lyme Annual Budget Meeting, which was held outdoors starting at 5 p.m. on the Lyme Consolidated School playing field.

Don Gerber, standing with microphone, served as Moderator for the meeting. Photo by Emily Bjornberg.

Don Gerber moderated the meeting.

All six items on the agenda were subsequently approved, most unanimously.

The meeting drew an unusually large attendance due to the Open Space issue. Photo by Emily Bjornberg.

The agenda item, which had drawn the huge (by Lyme standards) crowd was Item 5, namely the resolution to re-establish the goal for the Open Space Fund at $1 million for next year and to direct the Board of Finance to provide town contributions to the fund to maintain that level.

Several people spoke in support of Item 5 including Lyme First Selectman Steven Mattson, Open Space Commission member Anthony Irving, Tina West and Judy Schaff.

The Annual Budget Meeting was held outdoors under sunny skies. Photo by Emily Bjornberg.

Those who spoke against the Item 5 motion included Lyme Board of Finance Chairman Dan Hagan and Mary Powell-St.Louis, who is a member of the Region 18 Board of Education.

Agenda item 5 was ultimately approved by a vote of 202-10.