This week the Board of Selectmen and the Board of Finance approved sending the following projects to a Town Meeting: 

• To approve an additional appropriation of $54,776 for the Zoning Regulations Update.
• To approve an appropriation of $87,000 for survey/CAD Drawings of the Halls Road area for the Complete Streets project and additional engineering/drawings for the fishing pier as part of the bridge and pier project.  
• To approve an appropriation of $60,000 for the construction and paving of American Disability Act (ADA) compliant parking spaces within the Sound View Parking lot and on Hartford Avenue.
• To approve an appropriation of $144,500 for the Hawks Nest Beach Sluiceway Reconstruction.

We will announce the date for the Town Meeting early next week. Also at the Town Meeting we will vote on:

• To approve an inter-departmental transfer of funds within the FY 2023/2024 Town Budget to the Transfer Station of $71,000.
• To adopt Town Ordinance 150-15 regarding Tax Abatement under Article VII Tax Relief for Housing for Low or Moderate-Income Persons.
• To adopt Town Ordinance 150-16 regarding Tax Credits under Article VII Tax Relief for Housing for Low or Moderate-Income Persons.

Tax Collector Suzanne Thompson asked me to remind you that delinquent tax payment reminders are going out this month for Motor Vehicle taxes and for the first installment of Real Estate and Property Taxes. These were due July 1 and delinquent after August 1, 2024, so interest is accruing at 1.5 percent per month. If a taxpayer has delinquent taxes and interest from previous years, these will be included. State statute requires that past years taxes and interest must be paid first. Please check the status of your tax bills and payments through the Tax Collector portal, click on the Check Payment Status button and follow the prompts.

We have a few employment opportunities listed on our website. These are for part time positions. Please apply if you are interested.

If you have fall cleaning on your "to-do" list please remember that your clean textiles can be dropped off in the textile bin at the Transfer Station. The town does receive revenue from donations. The Town Hall has a flag box to properly discard old, faded and tattered flags. The flags are collected by the Lyme-Old Lyme Boy Scout Troop 26 for their annual flag retirement ceremony.  

Bound for the Sound takes place tomorrow, Saturday, September 21^st. Residents should take note that runners will be on the following roads: Hartford Avenue, Cross Lane, Mile Creek Road, Buttonball Road, Shore Road, and Hawks Nest/West End Drive on Saturday morning. If you are interested in participating, you can still register tomorrow morning.  

This past weekend I received an email from someone who grew up in Old Lyme. She wanted me to know that one of our Public Works employees, George Martin, had gone out of his way to help her mother and a friend when they were trying to change a tire at the Essex Fire Station. George noticed this and intentionally turned around to help change the tire. The daughter said he was “polite, friendly, and competent, and changed the tire with a smile and many kind words.”  She ended her note stating, “when I see that kind of spirit live on in this community, it makes my heart smile.”  
I think that is a perfect ending to this week.