Old Lyme — As Election Day nears, residents in Old Lyme will soon choose from a slate of more than 35 candidates.

With candidates running for elected positions on seven boards and commissions, voters will see 13 contested races this year, with the ballot featuring a mix of both new and familiar names.

For the Board of Selectmen, Democrat Mary Jo Nosal and Republican Chris Kerr — both incumbents — are looking to resecure their positions on the three-seat board. But because of town majority rules, their positions are not guaranteed.

According to Town Clerk Vicki Urbowicz, whichever candidate loses the first selectman's race automatically becomes a candidate for the Board of Selectmen. The top two vote-getters among the unsuccessful first selectman candidate and the two selectmen candidates will then earn spots as selectmen, meaning that First Selectwoman Bonnie Reemsnyder or her Republican rival, Tim Griswold, could end up on the board, bumping either Nosal or Kerr off.

Nosal, 62, has been a selectwoman since 2011 and is running for her fifth term on the board. She said that as a selectman, she will strive to “increase the collaboration and the communication and support of the community.”

“Between Bonnie and I, we’ve brought more business-like, systematic approaches to town government, while at the same time, have opened lines of communication and stressed customer service,” Nosal said.

Nosal added that she has worked closely with Reemsnyder to present a stable budget every year, stating that, “even though (the budget) is very, very tight, with very little movement to do a lot, we still save money, year after year. And that’s because of our planning. We plan for our projects and we look for offsetting project costs to the tax payers.”

Nosal, is married with three daughters, is a substitute teacher for Lyme-Old Lyme Schools and volunteers for the Old Lyme Historical Society. She also leads the Community Connectivity Grant Committee, overseeing the recent sidewalk improvements in the Sound View neighborhood, which were completed in 2018 with the help of an 80 percent reimbursement from a federal grant, as well as another upcoming sidewalk project in the area.

Aside from her years in town government, Nosal has experience in clinical research project management and business development and holds a Masters in Science degree in health services administration.

Kerr, 51, is running for his second term on the Board of Selectmen. A lifelong resident of town, Kerr has about 20 years of experience in town government, after he was first elected onto the Board of Finance when he was 29 years old and later came on to the Planning Commission. Kerr held those seats until 2017, when he was elected onto the Board of Selectmen while running with first selectman candidate Judith Read.

Kerr said that as a selectman, he tries to be a voice of reason when deliberating new projects and initiatives in town, while also trying to balance responsible growth for the town.

“People, for the most part, moved to Old Lyme because they love the way it is,” Kerr said. “But there are also people who want changes, as well, so you try to balance the needs out, while moving forward and finding that responsible growth. ... It’s thinking of everyone’s needs and the big picture.”

Aside from being a selectman, Kerr owns Riess Appraisal Company, a real estate appraisal company based out of Norwich, and does excavation and site work throughout the local area. He also has been a volunteer firefighter with the town for the last 35 years, he said.

Running for tax collector — an elected position — is Republican Judith Tooker, who currently fills that role, and Democrat Sarah Michaelson.

As for town treasurer, Griswold, who currently holds the position, is running against Democrat Michael Reiter. Griswold, who is also running for first selectman, said in an interview earlier this week that should he be elected both as first selectman and treasurer, he would give up his seat as treasurer.

Running for seats on the Board of Finance are Democrats David Rubino and incumbent Anna Reiter against Republican incumbents Janet Sturges and David Kelsey. Running for alternate positions on that board are Democrats Craig Taliento and incumbent Adam Burrows, while Republican incumbent Judith Read is running alongside Republican Matthew Olson.

Republican incumbent David Evers Jr. is running uncontested for his seat on the Board of Assessment Appeals.

Democrat incumbent Alexander Klose and Republican incumbent Steven Ross are both running for a five-year term beginning in 2019 on the Planning Commission, while Republican Planning Commission Chair Harold Thompson is running against Democrat Jim Lampos for a five-year term on the commission beginning in 2020.

Running for a five-year-term beginning in 2019 on the Zoning Commission is Democrat incumbent Harvey Gemme against Republican Tammy Tinnerello, while Democratic Zoning Commission Chair Jane Cable is running against Republican Michael Miller for a five-year term beginning in 2020.

Zoning Board of Appeals Chair Nancy Hutchinson, who is an independent but endorsed by the Republican party, is running for a five-year term against Democrat Mara Lowry, while Republican incumbent Stephen Dix is running for a five-year term beginning in 2020 against Democrat Kathleen Tracy.

Running uncontested for alternate positions on the Zoning Board of Appeals are Republicans Sherry Johnston and Devin Carney, who is a state representative, as well.

Running for three spots on the Board of Education are Democrats Sarah Bowman, Lorianne Panzara-Griswold and Jason Kemp, and Republican Suzanne Thompson, Jennifer Miller and Steven Wilson. None of these candidates is an incumbent.

The chairs of both the Republican and Democratic town committees, David Kelsey and Christine Gianquinto, noted their slates of “dedicated” and “qualified” candidates this year in seperate interviews with The Day on Friday. Both expressed excitement about the diverse candidates, ones they said bring both a wealth of knowledge and excitement into town government.

“There’s a lot of new faces for us this year, and I think there’s a lot of interest. There’s a lot of people willing to step up and play a role in how this town is governed. It’s refreshing,” Gianquinto said. “The Democratic Town Committee looks carefully at all the candidates, that they are all carefully chosen, that they are thoughtful, people with critical thinking skills that would serve our town well.”

Speaking toward the Democratic party’s vision, Gianquinto said Democrats are looking to “move this town forward,” through long-range planning efforts, including the current efforts to create a dynamic vision for Halls Road.

“We don’t want to look backwards, we want to look forward and we want to plan for the future,” Gianquinto said.

Gianquinto also added that, over the last two years, during Reemsnyder and Nosal’s terms, "there’s been a better sense of community, a better sense for reaching out to town’s people for input than there has been in the past. I think they are very approachable, and we are going to continue that.”

Republican Town Committee Chair Kelsey said that besides focusing on “fiscal prudence,” “good governance” and “putting Old Lyme priorities first,” the Republican Party intends to strive for a more conservative approach to town initiatives and projects, many of which Kelsey said have taken too long to complete.

Citing the Hains Park bathrooms and the Sound View area sewer project, which the town recently approved by referendum, as some examples, Kelsey said Republicans have also been concerned with proposed Halls Road improvements plans, which he said are preventing sidewalks and crosswalks from being installed in the area.

“We can get all that done quickly, instead of this very grandiose, 20-year plan that is being planned and which is, right now, holding people up from making decisions about their properties,” Kelsey said. “A lot of projects that have been undertaken in town have created uncertainty.”

Kelsey also highlighted the need for bringing “integrity back into politics,” stating that Reemsnyder’s recent scandal with the Port Authority has raised a lot of questions about whether she has made any ill-formed decisions within town.

“There are obvious questions, and the town hasn’t gotten clear answers yet as to what happened,” Kelsey said, explaining that the Republican party, going forward, would make sure that processes and plans in town are being completed with diligence and “integrity.”

Reemsnyder defended her actions with The Day earlier this week, stating that she had made a mistake, though she had recused herself from decision-making related to the scandal, and that her reputation for always making sound governing decisions over her eight years as first selectwoman speaks for itself.

m.biekert@theday.com