LYME/OLD LYME — UPDATED Nov. 9 at 11am with Superintendent’s comments: In yesterday’s referendum, voters in Lyme and Old Lyme approved the $57.6 million bond proposed by the Region 18 Board of Education for renovating and expanding four schools in the District by a substantial majority.
Provisional results showed 57.7 percent of voters in the two towns voted for the resolution and 42.3 percent voted against, with a total of 3,001 Yes votes cast in the two towns combined and a total of 2,200 No votes.
Asked his reaction the result, Lyme-Old Lyme Schools Superintendent Ian Neviaser responded by email, “We greatly appreciate the ongoing support of our schools from our communities.”
He continued, “With the approval of this project, we will be able to modernize our elementary and middle school building systems which will provide a safe and healthy learning and working environment for our students and staff.”
Neviaser concluded, “We will continue to keep the community updated on our progress and look forward to a smooth and efficient project over the next few years.”
The breakdown of the results by town was as follows:
Lyme
Yes: 785
No: 413
Old Lyme:
Yes: 2,216
No: 1,787
This is an outstanding result; and we can all be proud that Lyme and Old Lyme overwhelmingly continue to support our public schools.
I have a curiosity question. A friend voted in Old Lyme via absentee ballot; I voted in person at the Middle School. I was given a referendum separate ballot to cast; the absentee voter had no such ballot. A press release indicated that there were 709 absentee ballots cast in Old Lyme. Am I to conclude that 709 voters in Old Lyme did not have a chance to approve or reject the bond issue?
I voted using an absentee ballot this year in Old Lyme. It included a ballot for the school funding.
I too voted absentee and received both ballots. When submitting my request for absentee ballot, I was asked if I wanted both, which I did.