Griswold, endorsed for reelection, still has work to do in Old Lyme
Old Lyme — First Selectman Tim Griswold, who has been endorsed by his party for reelection, said he feels a "certain responsibility" to follow to completion the projects that have kept him busy over the past two years.
Griswold, 76, held the first selectman's seat from 1997 to 2011, when he was ousted by Democrat Bonnie Reemsnyder in her fourth bid to unseat him. In 2019, he petitioned to be added to the ballot after reports of Reemsnyder's brief, troubled stint as chairwoman of the Connecticut Port Authority. He won with 1,774 votes to Reemsnyder's 1,403, and Republicans made a nearly full sweep of the town's contested races.
He said some of those projects he wants to complete include getting sidewalks added to Ferry Street and Halls Road, sewers installed in the Sound View Beach area and two single-family affordable housing units built on the former McCulloch property off Flat Rock Hill Road.
Griswold was at the top of the slate of candidates endorsed by the Old Lyme Republican Town Committee on Thursday. The committee also endorsed unaffiliated candidate Matt Ward for selectman. Ward is a retired state trooper and current part-time police officer in town, according to Griswold.
The first selectman said he is running again not only because he feels a responsibility to see the projects through, but also so he can help train a successor.
"If we can get Matt used to the job that he might be more than qualified in a couple years to take over, some of these projects will be wrapping up," Griswold said.
Republican Town Committee Chairman Chris Carter said Griswold is a proven asset to the town.
"He truly approaches it from a public service perspective and we're enormously grateful to him for his wonderful expertise and steady hand at the tiller," Carter said.
Republican Town Committee Vice Chairman David Kelsey described Ward, 46, as a family man active in various facets of the community. He said Ward and his wife have five children.
The full Republican slate includes Vicki Ubrowicz for town clerk; Andrew Russell and incumbent Judith Read for Board of Finance; incumbents Maria Marchant and Matthew Olson for Board of Finance alternate; Chris Staab, Laura Dean-Frazier (unaffiliated), Michael Presti and Mona Colwell (unaffiliated) for Board of Education; Sloane Danenhower (unaffiliated) and incumbent Jane Marsh for Zoning Commission; incumbent Todd Machnik for Planning Commission; incumbent Dan Montano for Zoning Board of Appeals; Steven Cinami for Zoning Board of Appeals alternate; and Griswold, an incumbent, for Board of Assessment Appeals.
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