To the Editor:
The current Republican-dominated Board of Education has been an unmitigated disaster, from a consistent lack of transparency, to the glaring inexperience of the Chairman, Steven Wilson, who clearly has no idea how to run a meeting.
As a parent who has spoken at the Board of Education several times over the years, I was surprised that after an incendiary public comment calling for all of the Democrats on the BOE to resign based on their opposition to Book Banning, Mr. Wilson did not adhere to the traditional format of thanking the person for their public comment, and moving on. Instead, he encouraged BOE members who agreed with the commenter to speak up and address the issue, thereby validating the comment and effectively adding it to the agenda. This was an outrageously partisan gaffe on his part, and it’s not the first time. Wilson runs the Board like it’s his own personal fiefdom, allowing discussion when it suits his purposes and quickly shutting down debate or dissent from the Democratic members. Board of Education meetings must be conducted with decorum and respect for all participants and board members, regardless of party.
There has also been a serious lack of transparency. The Board knowingly withheld knowledge of the Middle School fuel oil spill from the community for months, and we would probably still not know anything about it had it not been for a contractor who notified nearby residents that their wells may have been compromised. It’s true that the Board issued a mealy-mouthed “apology” for their lack of transparency many months after the fact, but the damage had already been done.
This community deserves better. I urge concerned citizens to vote for the experienced and talented Democratic candidates Susan Fogliano, Scott Brown, Alexander Lowry, and Gavin Lodge (Lyme) on Row A to restore equality, respect, and transparency to our Board of Education.
Sincerely,
Michaelle Pearson,
Old Lyme.
It sounds to me like your exposure to BOE meetings since I’ve been Chair are limited to discussions on social media where all too often, comments have the goal of garnering attention rather than seeking facts and information.
Comments like yours are the reason so many Boards refuse to have open discussions in public because it exposes them to emotionally-charged scrutiny based in rumor and confirmation bias rather than fact.
I have chosen a different path because I believe Boards who insulate themselves from public opinion are hobbled from serving the greater good. For this reason, I expect and accept a certain amount of discomfort and criticism for doing what I know to be right.
How dare you suggest that I’ve gotten my facts from social media? This is exactly the kind of high-handed, dismissive attitude I referred to in my letter. It sounds like you are unaware that the BOE meetings are videotaped so people who cannot attend in person can view the proceedings.
“Instead, he encouraged BOE members who agreed with the commenter to speak up and address the issue, thereby validating the comment and effectively adding it to the agenda.”
After the public comment, I turned to the Board and (as I always do) said, “Is there any discussion?” and waited a reasonable amount of time, made eye contact (if possible) with all Board Members, and said, “Any further public comment?” Deliberately looked around the room, giving anyone wishing to speak ample time to come to the mic and when nobody made themselves known, I continued, “Seeing none, next we have correspondence.”
This is all on the video available to the public on YouTube. https://youtu.be/4zSCLbbfvcM?t=742
Anyone can view it and see for themselves. My only concern after they do so is that they’ll be forced to question your very biased interpretation of what is plainly visible to be impartial behavior on my part.
What you interpret as “dismissive” is actually my way of being as kind to you as possible given the evidence available as contrasted to your interpretation of it.
Is this timeline correct?
1 – About 1,000 gallons of oil spilled at the Middle School August 1 2022. By August 3rd Chairman Wilson and the BOE was made aware of the spill and that about 700 gallons were not recoverable.
2 – In January 2023, Lyme Street property owners were notified that DEEP demanded testing of their private wells to determine if that unrecovered 700 gallons of heating oil, had seeped into their drinking water. This was the first notification that oil had spilled in August 2022. Potentially then, for about 150 days or so, children, adults and seniors in the Lyme Street neighborhood may have been ingesting contaminated water.
3-. Chairman Wilson was ‘surprised that no one from the public contacted me”. (Not sure why Chairman Wilson was waiting to be contacted by the public that was not informed about the oil spill, nor why he didn’t take it upon himself or direct the BOE to reach out to the public.)
4= In June 2023, a pump and treat system was installed to run groundwater through filters to extract any residual oil. It may take years to totally remediate.
Are these correct facts?
Volunteer Boards, like the BOE, the WPCA, Planning and Zoning etc. are invaluable. Small towns like Old Lyme could not function without them and we all thank you for your service. But a large part of your volunteer service, is to respect and communicate to the townspeople who elected the officials that nominated you for those positions. You still have to listen and answer to the people of Old Lyme. I am hoping that our 2024 Board of Selectmen clearly brings that message to all our volunteer chairs.
Thanks for your service.
Thank you for taking the time to raise these important questions. Your inquiries are undoubtedly shared by others who may have similar concerns but haven’t had the opportunity to voice them publicly. By addressing your questions here, I aim to provide clarity to the wider community.
I want to emphasize that all my online comments are my personal views, and I do not represent the Board of Education in any capacity.
For comprehensive information on the oil spill incident, you can find all the details on the Region 18 website at this link: https://www.region18.org/district-information/central-services/facilities-department under the “Main Campus Oil Spill” section.
If you’re seeking a more detailed timeline of events, please refer to this document: https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1676652958/region18/asukhiz0exepsamd88f6/Oil_Release_Timeline_02-17-23.pdf which provides a thorough account of the oil release incident. It is worth noting that the spill initially occurred in August, but it wasn’t until January that we became aware of any contamination beyond the boiler room. Once we discovered this, immediate steps were taken to inform the public.
When I expressed my surprise at the lack of direct public contact, it was in reference to the numerous discussions on social media platforms rather than reaching out to me, any member of the Board of Education, or the Region 18 staff. I’ve consistently encouraged anyone with questions or concerns to engage with us directly, as it is a more reliable means of obtaining accurate information and answers, especially when compared to social media, where information can often go unnoticed.
The installation of the pump and treat system was done as a precautionary measure. The complete testing schedule and results are available on the linked page, but in brief, there have been no credible reports of contamination affecting drinking water in the potentially impacted area.
I’d like to stress that this situation was new to most of us, and we operated under the direct guidance of DEEP (Department of Energy and Environmental Protection). Throughout the entire process, we acted with prudence and responsibility. We consistently listened to the concerns of the public, refined our methods, and adjusted our communication policies. Our commitment to transparency has been upheld, but it’s essential to remember that we never promised perfection. Even with the benefit of hindsight, I stand by the decisions made and the actions taken.
The BOE hid the information about the spill from the public for many months. It only came to light because a contractor alerted neighboring homeowners to have their wells tested. This was a serious breach of trust with the community. As Chairman it was your job to let people know about this situation. Several other decisions have been rushed through without adequate study or taking people’s concerns seriously, It’s time for a change on the Board of Ed. The democratic slate of candidates have many years of experience, and will stand for transparency and respect for the community which have been sorely lacking to date. Vote Row A!
falselyMichael,
My property abuts District 18’s. On several occasions I have contacted school officials concerning issues relating to activity taking place on their property, they have always been prompt and helpful
resolving my concern. I suggest you get your facts straight before criticizing, what I and many of my neighbors a well managed school district.
falselyWilliam,
The Old Lyme Historical Society property abuts Region 18, and our well is shared with their water system. We reached out numerous times to the school board and we’re told, “it’s under control, don’t worry about it.” We did receive good communication from Ian Neviaser’s office, but the school board stonewalled us or ignored our inquiries entirely. A pattern of arrogance and dismissiveness.