OLD LYME — The first item on Old Lyme Planning Commission’s agenda for their regular meeting being held this evening is a Public Hearing for the ‘Adoption of the 2020 Plan of Conservation & Development.’
The meeting, which starts at 5 p.m. and will be held via via WebEx, will consider and hear comments on the plan, a draft of which has been published on the Town of Old Lyme website at this link.
Readers can join the meeting by using this link: https://
The plan opens with this statement: In compliance with Section 8-23 of the Connecticut General Statutes, the Old Lyme Planning Commission periodically reviews and updates its local Plan of Conservation and Development. The comprehensive plan makes fascinating reading and contains a blueprint for the future of the town.
This Public Hearing offers an opportunity for members of the public to comment on the draft plan prior to its submission to the state.
This evening, Thursday, Jan. 14, at 7 p.m., the Friends of the Lyme Public Library present “Climate Change & You,” a Zoom presentation by Climate Reality Leadership Corps member Patricia Sisson.
The presentation will address some of the many specific threats posed by climate change, identify societal approaches for dealing with them and highlight the most powerful actions individuals can take.
To register for this free program and receive the Zoom invitation, email [email protected].
The Board of Selectmen will meet Tuesday, Jan. 19, at 3:30 p.m., at Lyme Town Hall. This is a meeting that will be held in person at Town Hall and take place on Zoom. To view the agenda or see instructions on how to attend the virtual meeting, visit this link.
The First Congregational Church of Lyme will join the National Lighting Ceremony, Tuesday, Jan. 19, at 5:30 p.m. when all are welcome to gather on the church lawn for candle lighting in memory of those lost to COVID-19, and conclude with prayers for peace during the Presidential Inauguration being held the following day.
This will be a very short event and held only if the weather permits.
Attendees are requested to wear masks, and households should distance from other households.
Even if the weather does not allow the gathering, local residents should listen for the church bells, which will toll at 5:30 p.m. in concert with churches all over the country celebrating the National Lighting Ceremony.
LYME/OLD LYME — Lymes’ Youth Service Bureau (LYSB) and two other organizations* host an interactive online workshop via Zoom, Tuesday, Jan. 19, at 7 p.m. for parents, caregivers, and adults who work with youth.
This presentation is extremely important because:
- One in five Lyme-Old Lyme (LOL) youth in grades 7-12 report vaping.
- By 12th grade, over 40 percent of LOL youth report vaping.
- Data says that youth are at risk for developing nicotine addiction that becomes a gateway to other substances, and physical harm from vaping.
Titled, Hidden in Plain Sight, participants are invited to browse a mock bedroom that is filled with items that can be easily used to hide drugs and paraphernalia.
This will be followed by a drug education workshop on ways to:
- Understand the types of inexpensive, easily accessible products available.
- Recognize warning signs of drug use, both obvious and hidden.
- Determine what to do if a problem is suspected.
- Practice skills for having tough conversations with young people in your life.
- Learn about resources available in your community.
This program is free and open to the public. Register at this link.
For more information, contact Alli Behnke, MSW, Prevention Coordinator at abehnke@lysb.org.
*This program is presented by Connecticut Association of Prevention Professionals, Lyme-Old Lyme Prevention Coalition and LYSB.
OLD LYME — The Old Lyme Phoebe Griffin Noyes Library hosts a Mindfulness Workshop, Wednesday, Jan. 20, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Explore different meditation forms with Dr. Julie Liefeld, RN, LMFT, Phd, ERYT 500. Liefeld is an experienced registered yoga teacher with over 500 hours of training at the Yoga Shop and Certified Yin Instructor through Josh Summers and North End Yoga Boston Mass.
Experience the numerous benefits the world of meditation has to offer in this series featuring Yoga Nidra and more.
Set up for success with comfortable clothing, a pillow, blanket and space to lie down on your back. No experience necessary and all abilities welcome. Attend one or all sessions. This workshop is virtual (via Zoom), select the date above to register and receive a link to this program.
To receive a link to this program, register here or email: [email protected]
LYME — Lyme Land Trust and the Friends of Lyme Public Library co-host a fascinating program about birds of prey with teacher/naturalist Joe Attwater, who leads many of the bird-related educational programs for the Connecticut Audubon Society.
Attwater will identify which species of raptors are common to Connecticut, how to identify them and what makes these birds such incredible hunters.
It is free and open to all, made possible with funding from the Friends of the Lyme Public Library.
To register for this program and receive the Zoom invitation, email [email protected].
For more information, call the library at 860-434-2272.
OLD LYME — The Old Lyme Annual Town Business Meeting will be held Monday, Jan. 25, at 7:30 p.m. in the Old Lyme Town Hall Meeting Hall at 52 Lyme St., in Old Lyme. A maximum of 25 people will be allowed in the Meeting Hall and an additional number will also be permitted in the foyer.
The meeting will be conducted as a “hybrid,” as defined by the Governor’s Executive Order 9H. Instructions for attendance in-person and remotely are stated at the end of this article and are posted on the Town of Old Lyme website at oldlyme-ct.gov.
The agenda reads as follows:
1. To announce the recipient of the Board of Selectmen’s Citizen of the Year for 2020.
2. To accept the Annual Town Report for the fiscal year July 1, 2019 to June 30, 2020, as submitted by the Board of Finance.
3. To consider and vote on the following proposed “Ordinance to Establish Town of Old Lyme Affordable Housing Commission”:
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE TOWN OF OLD LYME, CONNECTICUT THAT:
a. Establishment. There shall be established an Affordable Housing Commission for the Town of Old Lyme.
Purpose. The Affordable Housing Commission will serve as a planning and advisory body, and as a center of expertise and communication, working through the Board of Selectmen and in coordination with other boards, commissions, and departments on matters pertaining to affordable housing.
Membership; terms of office. The Affordable Housing Commission shall be composed of five regular members and three alternate members who will serve staggered three-year terms, appointed by the Board of Selectman. The initial appointments by the Board of Selectmen shall be for one, two and three year terms, and thereafter all terms shall be for three years. The Commission is subject to Conn. Gen. Stat. § 9-167a (minority representation) and Ordinance § 101-16 shall apply to each regular and alternate member of the Commission.
Qualifications; vacancies. All Commission members and alternate members shall be electors of the Town of Old Lyme. Any vacancy in the regular or alternate membership may be filled for the unexpired term of such member by the Board of Selectmen.
Powers and duties. The Affordable Housing Commission shall, among other things:
A. Maintain an understanding of affordable housing needs in Old Lyme for the present and future, related statutory and regulatory requirements, public policy, and best practices; develop approaches to meet those needs and requirements. The term “Affordable Housing” shall be as defined by Conn. Gen. Stat. Ch. 126A (Affordable Housing).
B. Prepare an Affordable Housing Plan for adoption by Old Lyme, and perform periodic updates at least every five years, according to the provisions of C.G.S. § 8-30j.
C. Coordinate an annual review of housing data in preparation for publication of the Affordable Housing Appeals List by the Connecticut Department of Housing.
D. Work with the Old Lyme Planning, Zoning, Economic Development, and Open Space Commissions, and other town functions as appropriate, on planning and other matters related to affordable housing.
E. Advise the land use boards, commissions, and departments concerning applications that include affordable housing provisions as part of the approval process.
F. Make recommendations on housing policies and practices designed to meet the need for affordable housing in Old Lyme, including changes to zoning regulations and ordinances.
G. Develop and maintain a list of potential opportunities for affordable housing development; make recommendations and proposals to the Board of Selectmen.
H. Monitor legislation, regulations and public policy relevant to affordable housing.
I. Monitor the availability of grants, programs, partnerships and other resources to support affordable housing planning and development; make recommendations and proposals to the Board of Selectmen.
J. Monitor events, practices, and trends relevant to affordable housing
K. Develop and maintain a program of public engagement, communication, and education on the topic of affordable housing for the residents of Old Lyme.
L. Provide a point of contact and a forum for advocacy groups, not-for-profit organizations, and developers on matters pertaining to affordable housing.
M. Represent Old Lyme in regional forums and collaborations relevant to affordable housing.
N. Other responsibilities relevant to affordable housing as determined by the Board of Selectmen.
b. This ordinance shall become effective fifteen (15) days after the date of publication of notice of its passage, per Connecticut General Statutes § 7-157 (a).
4. To consider and vote on the following proposed amendment to Ordinance § 41-2:
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE TOWN OF OLD LYME, CT. that § 41-2 of the Old Lyme Code of Ordinances, the “Designation” of a Town polling place, shall be amended as follows: (material in parentheses is to be deleted from the existing text and underlined material is being added to it):
a. The (Cross Lane Firehouse on Cross Lane) Old Lyme Middle School Gymnasium, 53 Lyme Street, Old Lyme, Ct., is hereby designated as the municipal polling place for all purposes.
b. This ordinance amendment shall become effective fifteen (15) days after the date of publication of notice of its passage, per Connecticut General Statutes § 7-157 (a).
To join the Town Meeting by phone, dial 1-408-418-9388 and enter access code: 179 998 7712.
To join the Town Meeting via Webex on a computer, click here: https://oldlyme
OLD LYME — A new initiative, Pollinate Old Lyme!, will have its public launch on Tuesday, Jan. 26, via Zoom presentations at 12 p.m. and 6 p.m.
Interested participants will learn about Old Lyme’s new initiative and simple ways to be a part of a growing “pollinator pathway” where birds, butterflies, and insects are attracted to native plants and trees in yards or gardens.
Pollinate Old Lyme! is an initiative of Sustainable Old Lyme and includes over a dozen Old Lyme partner organizations hosting anchor gardens and providing educational opportunities during 2021.
Email [email protected] with your name and location to register for one of the two Zoom presentations and obtain the log-in information by return.
OLD LYME — A new initiative, Pollinate Old Lyme!, will have its public launch on Tuesday, Jan. 26, via Zoom presentations at 12 p.m. and 6 p.m.
Interested participants will learn about Old Lyme’s new initiative and simple ways to be a part of a growing “pollinator pathway” where birds, butterflies, and insects are attracted to native plants and trees in yards or gardens.
Pollinate Old Lyme! is an initiative of Sustainable Old Lyme and includes over a dozen Old Lyme partner organizations hosting anchor gardens and providing educational opportunities during 2021.
Email [email protected] with your name and location to register for one of the two Zoom presentations and obtain the log-in information by return.
LYME/OLD LYME — Lymes’ Youth Service Bureau hosts a virtual screening of the compelling new documentary LIKE, Tuesday, Jan. 26, at 7 p.m. The event is free of charge and all are welcome.
Parents, educators and community members interested in attending must pre-register for the Zoom link either here or by visiting www.lsyb.org.
More than 2 billion people have smartphones today … and we check our phones on average 150 times every day. Technology makes our lives easier in so many ways – but what is the cost of our dependence, and our children’s reliance, on screens?
LIKE is a new documentary exploring the impact of social media on our lives. It reveals the true effects of technology on the brain and uncovers the impact social media can have on our lives. The film’s mission is to educate, inform and inspire people to effectively self-regulate their screen time.
Social media is a tool and social platforms are a place to connect, share and care… but is that what is really happening? When social media users chase “likes” or seek followers, they lose sight of the fact that their devices are now using them. The goal of the screening is to raise awareness about the hidden costs of social media as well as start a conversation about how to ensure our own, and our children’s, healthy use of technology.
The LIKE screening will be followed by an informative panel discussion featuring experts from the film.
The following day, Wednesday, Jan. 27, the film will be viewed by all students at Lyme-Old Lyme Middle and High Schools. This is a great opportunity to start conversation with your children about a real issue in their every day lives.
The film features interviews with experts including Max Stossel, Head of Education & Content at Center for Humane Technology; Leah Pearlman, Co-Creator of the Facebook “Like” button; Dr. Jerry Bubrick, Senior Psychologist at Child Mind Institute; Professor Jevin West, DataLab, iSchool, University of Washington; John Borthwick, CEO, Betaworks; and Professor Katie Davis, author of The App Generation.
To learn more about LIKE, visit http://thelikemovie.com
Editor’s Note: IndieFlix Group Inc is a global screening and streaming service that promotes and supports social impact films to create positive change in the world. IndieFlix screening service books offline community screenings in schools and corporations around the world while IndieFlix online streaming offers a monthly subscription based service to access thousands of high-quality shorts, features, documentaries, and series from around the world.
For more information, visit https://www.indieflix.com/
Join SECWAC virtually on Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2021 at 6 p.m. for a presentation by Peter Baker and Susan Glasser, New York Times and The New Yorker journalists, to speak on their book, ‘The Man Who Ran Washington: The Life and Times of James A. Baker III.’ Register in advance.
More information at http://secwac.org.
LYME — The Lyme Board of Selectmen meet Monday, Feb. 1, at 3:30 p.m., at Lyme Town Hall. This is a meeting that will be held in person at Town Hall and take place on Zoom.
To view the agenda or see instructions on how to attend the virtual meeting, click here.
LYME — Lyme Public Library will host a Valentine’s Day Workshop, presented by Lori Neumann, Saturday, Feb. 6, 2 p.m.
Embellish your own treasured keepsake set of Valentine Heart tins in this fun and simple project. The kit includes three vintage style heart tins, Dresden foil borders, Valentine scraps, stickers and an Italian Coccoina specialty Glue Stick. You need only have a pair of scissors available and your imagination.
Space is limited to 15 participants and there is a $15 materials fee.
Email [email protected] to receive the Zoom link for this event.
For more information, call the library at 860-434-2272.
LYME/OLD LYME — Connecticut Audubon hosts Superb Owl Sunday on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 7, at 2 p.m.
This popular live owl event is being held virtually this year. All are welcome.
Join Mary-Beth Kaeser from Horizon Wings as she introduces these local owl species: Great-horned, Eastern Screech, Northern Saw-whet, Barred and Barn owls.
The fee for this fun hour of owls is $5.
Register at this link and you will receive your Zoom link in your registration confirmation.
All proceeds benefit CT Audubon’s education and conservation programs in the Greater Hartford Region.