Mayoral Candidate Questions Size of Ledyard PD

Robert Lawrence may not be a household word in town, but that’s OK. As a candidate for mayor of Ledyard, he is part of a four-man race in which a reputation can be as much a liability as an asset.

Lawrence, 57, has lived in Ledyard for about 15 years, at his current residence at 1 Village Drive for about two years. He is running for mayor, he said, because he is tired of the “dysfunction” he has observed in local government.

“Personally, I like Fred Allyn,” he said, referring to the controversial incumbent who is seeking re-election as a petitioning candidate. “But Fred has had a polarizing effect on town government.

“It’s time to knock off all the dysfunction and start getting along with one another, and solve some problems. It’s time for someone to take charge and get something accomplished, not just pass the buck,” he said, sounding like a cross between Harry Truman and Dr. Phil.

Lawrence has been a member of the Connecticut Green Party for about 10 years, but is he running for mayor as an unaffiliated petitioning candidate. He describes himself as fiscally conservative and socially liberal.

On the fiscal side, he said, “we have a limited amount of money and we need to spend it as responsibly as possible.” On the social side, he added, “no one should be looking at what goes on in our bedrooms. We don’t need anyone policing our lives.”

Too many police?

And on the subject of police – and fiscal responsibility – Lawrence questioned the size of the Ledyard Police Department.

“My best friend is a cop, but we’ve got a fiscal situation in this town that has to be addressed,” he said, noting that Preston has no officers working under its two Resident State Troopers. "What are we doing, right next to Preston, with 22 police officers on the payroll? This is not a high-crime area.”

A steam-fitter by trade, Lawrence grew up in Newington and lived for a time in Port Aransas, Texas, where he ran unsuccessfully for Town Council. He holds an associate’s degree in food service management. He and his wife, Luellen, have three children.

Active in youth sports

Lawrence may not be a household word, but he has been active in youth sports in town, where he has met and gotten to know a lot of people.

“You don’t have three kids playing sports at the high school and not have a lot of people know who you are,” he said.

And, unlike Democratic candidate Tony Saccone, Lawrence has some experience in town government. He served as an alternate on the Ledyard Planning Commission, and also was a member of the Ledyard Center Committee when it conducted a UConn-sponsored study on the town.

“We did a study on what the town could be and how it could look,” he said. “Nothing was ever done about it. To me, it ended up being another exercise in futility.”

Lawrence was a contractor at the Kleen Energy Systems gas plant in Middletown in 2010 when the explosion occurred that killed six and injured at least another dozen workers. He said he has not had steady employment since February.

“I never wanted to be a politician,” he said. “I want to be a statesman. I want to do what’s best for everyone. That’s why I’ve never belonged to a major party. I’m not trying to benefit personally. I want to be a mediator.”

If elected, one thing he would do is erect an electronic sign at the town’s busiest intersection that would display a schedule of town meetings and events. He also would work to abolish the “pay-to-play” system at the high school, he said, arguing that athletics should be a considered a regular part of a public education. 

“I think I have a chance,” he said in answer to the question. “I guarantee one thing, I’ll get some votes.” 

Note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated the number of workers killed in the 2010 Kleen Energy plant explosion in Middletown.