To the Editor:
I cannot begin to fully express the importance of voting for the Democratic slate on November 2. My family and I have lived in Old Lyme since 2005, during which time I have never been as concerned for this town as I have been in the last two years.
Incumbent Tim Griswold may have sixteen cumulative years of municipal experience in this town, but I feel that he is no longer a fair representation of this town, nor what it stands for. He has shown, time and time again, that he is out of touch with the town and appears to be stuck in the past when it comes to several aspects of today’s world. In June of 2020, for example, Mr. Griswold chose to discuss & praise the police at a Black Lives Matter rally, rather than address recent events and speak on how he will ensure racism has no place in our town.
Since August of 2020, Selectwoman Mary Jo Nosal has attempted to get a resolution declaring racism a public health crisis passed, but neither the First or Second Selectman will even discuss the resolution. If Mr. Griswold won’t even consider the resolution, what kind of a message does this send about the town of Old Lyme?
Additionally, I want to express my concern over the Republican Town Committee’s proposed additions to the Board of Education. As has been established by numerous letters to the editors of LymeLine, Mona Colwell has taken a strong anti-vaccination stance. While she is certainly entitled to her beliefs, the language used in Colwell’s Facebook posts is appalling and certainly not becoming of a potential Board of Education member. Colwell’s posts are filled with misspelled words, half-cooked theories, and delusions that the pandemic was created in an American lab to usher in “the Great Reset”. Is this really the kind of person we want making decisions about Region 18 and its school system?
Furthermore, this brings in to question the qualifications of the other candidates endorsed by the RTC. While they may not hold the same beliefs as Colwell, none of the candidates have come forward to denounce Colwell’s stance or posts. Silence is complicity, and I refuse to believe that we would let such people make decisions that would have such negative impacts on Region 18’s students.
I am asking every voter in Old Lyme to consider this election, and who they are voting for, very carefully. The results of this election will have a long-lasting impact on both our town and our school system, and it is up to us to make the best choice for our future.
Sincerely,
Jacob Olsen,
Old Lyme.
Editor’s Note: The author is a member of the Lyme-Old Lyme High School Class of 2019.