What is necessary to qualify a person to hold an elected office in a town? Plenty of information is circulated about the candidates at the top of the ballot, but as you go down, much less information is available. How do voters make decisions on whom to vote for? The foremost prerequisite is commitment and involvement in service to the community. Have they done that? Have they had a wide range of life experiences? Are they creative? Is the candidate a pleasant, hard-working person who can work well with others? Gavin Lodge, Democratic candidate for Board of Education of Lyme (and Old Lyme), possesses all these qualifications. He has founded his own business and is the executive director of 4A Arts —American Alliance of Artists and Audiences —a non-profit national arts advocacy organization. As an active participant in his children’s school lives, he was a PTA president and chaired a school on-line Auction Committee that raised $53,000. One of the best reasons to vote for Gavin is that, as a devoted father and concerned taxpayer, he is well aware of the delicate balance between a quality education and the cost of education. Lyme voters should vote for Gavin Lodge.

Phyllis Ross

Lyme