To the Editor:
I was stopped the other day by a neighbor and friend, a Republican, who said, “I see all these Martha Shoemaker signs. Who is she and why should I vote for her?” I was in a rush, so I told him I’d get back to him. This is what I said.
Tim Griswold has been around forever, and he is a nice guy. But he’s not the right person for the job today. Old Lyme is not in dire straits, but neither is it free from challenges. We must get sewers installed in the beach area and finance them in a way people can afford. We need cyber insurance. We must attract new families to augment our aging and declining population. Our business community is suffering, impacting local taxes and employment. There are unsightly, blighted properties in town. People of all races, backgrounds and incomes must be made to feel welcome. The list goes on.
Tim’s forte is in maintaining the status quo. He is resistant to change. Under his prior watch, the Economic Development Commission was dormant and he opposed the Halls Road initiative. Tim was reluctant to support the cost of renovating the high school as new. No attention was paid to rejuvenating Hartford Avenue. Tim procrastinates and fails to get things done when he should. He is accused of failing to respond to taxpayer inquiries, concerns and problems, failing to read what he signs, and failing to provide adequate information to the public. Tim’s insistence that there is no racism in town, and that the Board of Selectmen need not even discuss the resolution on racism as a public-health crisis, sends the wrong message to our residents and our neighbors.
Without strong leadership and smart planning, Old Lyme will go downhill. Martha Shoemaker will bring a sea change to Town Hall. She will help us grow and prosper. She is a peace-maker and problem solver; she will tackle issues and find solutions. Martha will identify opportunities and do whatever is required to take advantage of them. She is a people person; staff at Town Hall will smile more. Martha will work her heart out for this town.
Martha is smart, candid, hard-working, thoughtful, careful, highly-motivated, tech-savy, energetic and stubborn: she won’t let go of a challenge until it has been met. Martha is fiscally conservative and practical; she is a former Republican and no idealogue. Martha will listen to all parties and points of view before making a decision. She will respond to every taxpayer’s questions.
Martha’s integrity, and her commitment to the best interests of Old Lyme, cannot be questioned. Please vote for her and her equally-dedicated running mate, Jim Lampos, next Tuesday.
Sincerely,