Honoring "Mike G."— East Lyme's Director of Public Works Passed Away Oct. 29.

East Lyme Board of Selectmen opened Wednesday's meeting with a moment of silence mourning the loss of Michael Anthony Giannattasio, 52, of East Lyme who died on Oct. 31, 2012, after a short but valiant battle with cancer. He will be "sorely missed," said East Lyme First Selectman Paul Formica.

"Mike G.," as he was fondly known to his many friends and colleagues at Town Hall, was Public Works Director for the town of East Lyme, and ran several departments, including public works, engineering, building maintenance, and the water and sewer departments.

Giannattasio provided leadership for many town enhancement projects including the streetscape project on Main Street in Niantic, McCook Point Beach's new bathrooms, the new public works facility on Capitol Drive, the regional water connection between East Lyme and New London, and the recent reconstruction of Walnut Hill Road, Upper Walnut Hill Road, and Holmes Road. 

In many ways, these projects will be Giannattasio's lasting legacy but the East Lyme Board of Selectmen wanted to go one step further to honor him. On Wednesday, they voted to name the town's Field Services Building after Giannattasio. The dedication will be made officially at a ceremony to be scheduled in the not-too-distant future. 

Giannattasio's family, including his wife of 28 years, Patty Doolittle Giannattasio and their daughters, Rebecca Leah McCoy (husband Keith, new baby Caleb Michael) and Molly Megan, will be holding a private memorial service on November 19. This service is for immediate family only but everyone who knew and loved Giannattasio is invited to celebrate his life on November 20, at 11 a.m. at the Groton Bible Chapel 66 Toll Gate Rd., Groton, where Giannattasio was a church elder.

Giannattasio had always wanted to use his expertise as an engineer to help bring abundant clean water, not just to the town of East Lyme, but to other places in the world that don't have access to safe water. To help fulfill that dream, the family is asking that people make donations to Groton Bible Chapel's "Wells for Haiti" fund in lieu of flowers.