Special Town Meeting to Decide Vacant Region 18 School Board Seat

OLD LYME, CT – Old Lyme voters will decide July 21 who will fill a vacant Region 18 Board of Education seat left open by Susan Fogliano’s resignation from the nine-member board.

The board’s eight current members are all affiliated with, or endorsed, by the Democratic Party.

The meeting will be held at 6 p.m. in the Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School auditorium.

Fogliano, a Democrat with 18 years on the school board, was most recently elected to a four-year term in November 2023. She said Friday that she resigned on June 26 when she and husband Michael Fogliano closed on the sale of their home as part of a pending move to Essex. 

Michael Fogliano’s resignation from the Zoning Commission led to the controversial appointment earlier this week of former First Selectwoman Bonnie Reemsnyder, a Democrat, by the Board of Selectmen. Vacancies on regional school boards are handled differently, with state law and Region 18 policy dictating a special election must be held at a town meeting within 30 days.

Republican Brandy Campbell and Democrat Marianne DeBruyn have publicly announced their interest in the position. 

Campbell, a veterinarian, scientist and chair of the Old Lyme Conservation Commission, will return after an unsuccessful bid in the November election to vie against DeBruyn, a retired special education teacher who spent two decades working in Region 18 schools.

Democratic Registrar of Voters Jennifer Datum on Friday said additional nominations may be made at the meeting prior to the vote. 

“Anyone can be nominated from the floor,” she said. “And they’re not candidates until they’re nominated from the floor.” 

Only registered voters who live in Old Lyme may vote in the Region 18 Board of Education election. Additional items on the Special Town Meeting agenda involving revisions to the ethics and tax ordinances will be open to qualified non-resident property owners as well as registered voters. 

Whoever is elected will serve the remainder of Fogliano’s term, which runs through the November 2027 municipal election.

While most boards and commissions in individual municipalities are subject to state minority representation rules aimed at preventing either of the major political parties from holding all seats, the rules don’t apply to regional boards of education. 

Campbell has two children currently enrolled in Region 18 schools. She has emphasized her perspective as a parent and her professional experience as a veterinarian. In a letter, she said she would support transparency, fiscal responsibility, academic excellence and a positive school environment while encouraging input from all residents. 

“Our school board should reflect and respect the different backgrounds, experiences, viewpoints, and needs of the families it serves,” she said. “When a board includes a variety of perspectives, it is better able to ask meaningful questions, consider the impact of its decisions, and build trust across the community.” 

State Rep. Devin Carney, R-Old Lyme, endorsed Campbell. He described her in a letter as “an active parent” with a strong record of community service. He said Campbell would bring an independent perspective to a board that currently consists of Democratic and Democratic-endorsed members.

“A 9-0 one-party board does not accurately reflect the diversity of thought in the district. We have the chance to add one crucial seat representing a different, highly qualified perspective which represents a lot of parents in Old Lyme,” he said. 

DeBruyn, whose two children graduated from Region 18 schools, said she recently retired after 20 years as a special education teacher at Mile Creek and Center schools. In a letter announcing her candidacy, she cited her experience working in the school system and as a software product manager. She said her focus would be on supporting students, respecting taxpayers, ensuring resources are used effectively and staying informed about evolving trends. 

“I believe in listening first, asking thoughtful questions, and working collaboratively to find solutions,” she said. 

Fogliano endorsed DeBruyn in a letter. She described DeBruyn as “honest, compassionate, and hardworking” and said she would make fair-minded decisions based on facts and the best outcomes for students and taxpayers.

“My mantra over these many years has been that politics, big or small, have no place at the Board of Education table,” Fogliano said. “The work is hard enough without adding to the mix.”

The Vote

Datum said the registrars expect significant interest in the Board of Education special election. 

She said the middle school auditorium seats 397 people, with officials preparing the school cafeteria as an overflow area if more people show up. 

She predicted attendance would rival last year’s annual budget meeting, which included votes on five new or amended ordinances on topics like golf carts in the beach areas. That meeting drew approximately 200 attendees to the high school auditorium, which seats up to 550 people.

Earlier that year, a Zoning Commission public hearing on the proposed Halls Road Overlay District filled the high school auditorium to capacity, with a line at the door. 

First Selectwoman Martha Shoemaker said she told school officials she needed a large venue for the meeting and was directed to the middle school auditorium by the facilities director. 

Shoemaker pointed to the auditorium’s layout, with three seating sections divided by two aisles, as well suited to the voting process planned for the Board of Education election.

Datum said voters will receive chits at check-in for the Board of Education election. The chits will be placed in ballot boxes, then counted and double-checked by election workers from both major political parties. 

“It’s going to be like at the movie theater or communion at church,” she said. “A row gets up, walks down, does what they have to do and goes back.”

The ordinance revisions will likely be addressed through a voice vote unless the results are not clear, according to Datum. 

Shoemaker said the meeting will be overseen by first-time moderator Fred Behringer, with Town Attorney Kristi Kelly there to ensure the proceedings follow Robert’s Rules of Order. Behringer will run the meeting, and the registrars will handle voter check-in and ballot counting. 

Shoemaker said the town has been working with school and election officials to prepare for the expected turnout and ensure the meeting runs smoothly.

Information on the proposed ordinance changes is available through the Town Clerk’s Office and on the town website.