LYME REPUBLICANS ENDORSE WAYLAND FOR FIRST SELECTMAN

Lyme — The Republican Town Committee at its caucus Tuesday unanimously endorsed Selectman Mark Wayland to run for first selectman in the Nov. 7 municipal election.

The Republicans also endorsed Parker H. Lord, who has served as a selectman since 1997, for the Board of Selectmen and a slate of mostly incumbent candidates.

Wayland, who runs a small custom carpentry business in Lyme and is the Lyme/Old Lyme Boy Scouts Troop 26 scoutmaster, joined the Board of Selectmen on July 3 to fill the remainder of Steven Mattson’s term, as Mattson became first selectman. The changes came as former First Selectman Ralph F. Eno Jr. retired.

Wayland grew up in the town and said he’d watched a lot of friends move away over the years but never wanted to move, himself. “I knew at an early age how special our town is, and I want to keep it that way for future generations to enjoy as much as I have,” he said by email on Wednesday.

He will face Mattson, who was endorsed by Democrats on Monday to run for a full term as first selectman, in the November election.

The Republican Town Committee on Tuesday also endorsed Linda A. Winzer for town clerk; William L. Hawthorne for town treasurer; David M. Brown Sr., Kathryn R. Wayland and Peter S. Evankow for the Board of Finance; Dan Hagan for an alternate position on the Board of Finance; Hayden Reynolds for Board of Assessment Appeals; William T. Koch Jr. and E. Hunter Ward for Planning and Zoning Commission; Jack Sulger for Zoning Board of Appeals; Judith Davies for an alternate position on the Zoning Board of Appeals; and Diane Brown and Jack Sulger for library directors.

Town Committee Chairman Rowland Ballek said that Wayland is involved with community organizations, such as the Lyme Fire Co. and the Boy Scouts, and loves Lyme.