To the Editor:
We now know that Old Lyme’s First Select-Person, Martha Shoemaker, directed the town’s Public Works Director to remove NOWAY OVERLAY (stet) signs from various locations around town. Prior to the removal of the signs there was no attempt, by any town official, to work with either the property owner or the group responsible for installing the signs to work out the matter.
What is further concerning is that Martha Shoemaker is a member (ex officio) of the Hall’s Road Improvement Committee that has put forth the Zoning Regulation proposal that the NOWAY OVERLAY signs are in opposItion to. Is this a conflict of interest or at least the appearance of a conflict?
When wire political signs are posted during election season, neither the town’s Zoning Enforcement Officer nor the Historic District Commission, which disfavors wire signs, remove them. With respect to the Hall’s Road Overlay proposal – also a matter of great public and local political concern – why should signs taking a position on that issue be treated differently? And why are some wire signs along roadways, on a variety of topics, left intact and only signs in opposition to the Overlay removed?
At a meeting that I attended on March 19 at the town hall that included the First Select-Person, the town’s Public Works Director and the Zoning Enforcement Office, I attempted to offer a less confrontational approach with enforcement of our town’s zoning regulation involving signs.
I suggested an approach that a member of the town’s Historic District Commission (HDC) and I discussed in a recent phone conversation. The first attempt of the HDC to regulate structures concern in the District is to contact the property owner, and then invite the property owner to meet, discuss, and try to work out the matter.
The conflicting views of the issues surrounding the Overlay Zoning proposal and the rights of free expression have resulted in the erosion of public trust of many of our public officials. So where do we go from here? The following is my recommendation.
The Town of Old Lyme’s Code of Ethics ( Section 43-8 (8) includes a provision whereas the Ethics Commission can initiate a complaint and investigate such complaint.. It does not require the filing of a complaint specifically from a town resident.
I believe the Ethics Commission is the proper forum ( town agency) to address the issues stated above.
Sincerely,
William Folland,
Old Lyme.