Re-elect Reemsnyder

Under the leadership of First Selectwoman Bonnie Reemsnyder, things are getting done in Old Lyme.

After years of talk, improvements will soon be getting underway in the Sound View section, the town’s busy summertime hangout.

Likewise, there is progress in addressing wastewater pollution problems in Old Lyme’s beach communities, where sandy soils and dense development overwhelm the ability of septic systems to provide sufficient environmental protection. The Rogers Lake Dam project was completed under Ms. Reemsnyder’s watch and migratory alewives have returned to the lake via its fish ladder. Her administration also oversaw the closure of the landfill.

The Democratic incumbent does not deserve full credit for such progress. She is happy to share it with the full Board of Selectmen, along with the committees and individuals who lent their time to such efforts

The point being made by Catherine Carter, her Republican opponent in the race for the top elected position in town, is that not all of these things have gone smoothly. She faults inadequate planning. Yes and no; it is true there have been problems, and lessons should be learned, but not all missteps are foreseeable, and few projects go off without a hitch.

Sound View will get wider sidewalks, new streetlights, a bicycle lane and reconfigured parking. The town will utilize a state transportation grant to reimburse $532,000 of the $751,000 total project cost. But the original plan called for restrooms, which are badly needed. Cost overruns put the kibosh on that. Ms. Reemsnyder said, if re-elected, she will seek another grant. So would her opponent. The adjustment in the project is hardly extraordinary.

There have been starts and stops in dealing with the wastewater situation, but a plan has taken shape to connect three beach association communities to the New London sewer system. More controversial was the administration’s decision to extend the pollution review to Hawk’s Nest, where residents are not convinced they have a problem.

Ms. Carter criticizes the incumbent for “inviting in” the state environmental agency to Hawk’s Nest. Ms. Reemsnyder instead deserves credit for being proactive. The state was not going to ignore it.

The bottom line is that while Ms. Reemsnyder is not batting 1.000, no one does. Overall, she has been effective and she deserves re-election. The Day gives its endorsement for Old Lyme first selectwoman to incumbent Bonnie Reemsnyder.