Hello Wilton and Happy Glorious Spring
It has been a few weeks of unveilings, commemorations, inductions, and general fanfare around some people who make our town so special. After weeks of grueling town budget talks, it was a joy to celebrate some of our neighbors who embody the best of Wilton.
Annual Town Meeting
Registered voters will have the opportunity to discuss and vote on our town’s Fiscal Year 2025 Budget at the Annual Town Meeting on Tuesday, May 7th, 2024, at the Wilton High School Clune Center Auditorium at 7 pm. Voting on the budget will take place at the end of the meeting. For those who cannot attend or need to leave before voting begins, another opportunity to vote will take place on Saturday, May 11th, from 8 am until 10 pm, also at the Clune Center Auditorium.
This year presented town boards with major, unprecedented headwinds. The Board of Selectmen, Board of Education, and the Board of Finance collaborated to navigate a state-mandated revaluation which dramatically increased property values, a new requirement by Moody’s to maintain a Fund Balance ratio of over 25% versus 10%, and critical school and town building repairs that can no longer be delayed. In these extraordinary circumstances, the boards listened closely to residents and then worked together to strike a balance between educational and town needs while maintaining fiscal discipline.
The proposed 2025 operating budget for the town and schools is $140,339,906, a 4.0% increase from 2024. The Board of Selectmen’s budget is $35,736,501, a 3.7% increase from 2024. The Board of Education’s budget is $93,238,159, a 4.5% increase over 2024. The combination of the two results in a 5.2% increase from 2024.
Bondable Items
Beyond the general operating budget, there will be five bondable items to vote on and one town resolution to consider. These bondable large expenditures are for repairing or replacing critical infrastructure priorities:
- Public Works
- 7 miles of road repair - $540,000 (note that there is $2 million yearly for roads but we had a surplus last year that we will use for 2025)
- Bridge replacement on Scribner Hill Road - $1,600,000
- Town Hall
- Town Hall Repairs- $1,585,000 to replace the boilers that were installed in 1992; replace the 1930’s era, single-pane windows on the front and sides of Town Hall; add supplemental heat; replace ceiling tiles; repair and buttress the front entry columns, stairs, plaster, and railings; restore fallen brick and cement; repair the vault to prevent it from falling through the floor
- School Buildings
- Middlebrook roof replacement over the 1992 addition - $1,902,935
- Middlebrook Chiller and Unit Ventilator replacement - $3,261,041
- Middlebrook replacement of ceiling tiles as part of Chiller work - $600,000
- Resolution Question
- Shall breweries be given permits in Wilton to make their beer in town for on-site and take-away consumption and be allowed to operate under the same hours as current restaurants and package stores do? Our public hearing on this ordinance showed unanimous and widespread support for it.
Why Invest in Town Infrastructure
In a year when many Wilton property owners have seen their home values skyrocket, why should we invest in town infrastructure? The answer is that these bondable items have been put off for so many years that they have reached a crisis point. The past administration recognized this and to their credit hired consultants to assess the critical needs for our schools and municipal buildings such as roof repair, water damage, refrigeration, and heating systems. The report identified over $130 million dollars of priority items that should be addressed over the next 10-15 years. The good news is that most items can be bonded without adding new costs to the taxpayers. Since many of the past bonded items are being paid off, Wilton has significant bonding capacity so debt service will not go up over the period of time that building needs can be addressed. It stands to reason that due to inflation, the longer we wait to fix these issues, the more expensive they become.
Brewery Ordinance
The Brewery Ordinance on the ballot is a potential bright spot for Wilton. When the question of allowing breweries in town was posed at the First Selectmen’s meeting in December, several members of the public spoke in favor of them, citing how they foster community and tourism, support local farmers by using local ingredients in their brews, offer employment opportunities, and bring variety and interest to downtown Wilton.
These are the choices before us when we vote next week. Town leaders are acutely aware that this is a tough financial landscape for many. The well-being of our citizens has been top-of-mind as we weighed what is needed against what is urgent for fiscal year 2025. A sample of the ballot you will be given at the Annual Town Meeting on the 7th and the 11th, is below for your consideration.
A Change to Wilton’s General Fund Balance Ratio
One of the factors affecting taxes this year is the change in policy by Moody’s rating agency, a firm that grades towns like ours on our fiscal responsibility. Having a AAA rating, as we do, assures lenders that we are a responsible borrower able to pay our debts. This allows us to receive loans at the best interest rates available. Without this rating, building and infrastructure projects would be prohibitively expensive.
To obtain their highest rating (or maintain that AAA, as in our case), Moody’s would like towns to maintain a higher Fund Balance Ratio or Liquidity Ratio. They also expect that the receipt of one-time, non-recurring revenues will not be used to finance ongoing operating expenditures, programs, activities, or to offset taxes.
Induction of New Firefighter
ASML Gift to Ambler Farm
The Friends of Ambler Farm received an extremely generous gift from ASML, a global leader in the semiconductor industry, whose largest research, development, and manufacturing site in the United States is here in Wilton. Not only are they Wilton’s top employer (3200) and largest taxpayer, but they are also community-minded. The company’s ethos of supporting equitable access to education and nature strongly aligns with Ambler Farm’s programs. ASML is backing their efforts with a $324,000 grant that will, over the course of four years, renew the educational gardens and animal habitats, and provide field trip scholarships to students attending Title One schools in Norwalk. Additionally, ASML has committed to providing 1,200 hours of volunteer hours to the farm. ASML has been an active, caring neighbor since they came to Wilton. We are so grateful for their continued investment in our town’s future.
In Honor of Judy Zucker
At the most recent Board of Selectmen meeting, a unanimous, even emotional, approval was passed to allow the recreation room in the Wilton Senior Center to be named for Judy Zucker. This was especially appropriate because Judy was Chair of the Comstock Renovations Building Committee and saw the $10 million project through to completion on time and under budget. But Judy had also been a tireless advocate for all things Wilton long before then. Among her many acts of service was her time spent on the Board of Ed for two terms in the 1970s, the Board of Selectmen for four terms from 1988-99, the Commission for Social Services for twenty years, the Affordable Housing Oversight Committee, and the Elderly Tax Relief Committee. She was elected the first female president of Kiwanis and is in their Club Hall of Honor. She was a member of the Wilton PTA and the League of Women Voters, who made her an Honorary Life Member. Judy also volunteered with the Food Pantry and the Playshop. The Wilton Riverbrook YMCA named her a Distinguished Citizen and she was given a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Wilton Democratic Town Committee. Besides her work ethic, Judy was universally loved for her kindness, generosity, bipartisanship, and her skill for getting things done. As someone who started her law career in her fifties, Judy remained a woman who surprised and inspired all who knew her throughout her long life. She is sorely missed, but her achievements and her soaring example of community service live on.
Tree Plantings on Arbor Day
On Arbor Day, Frank Simone, who serves on Wilton’s Conservation Commission, and Nick Lee, Wilton’s Inland Wetlands Commission Chair, were honored with having newly planted trees named for them. Frank, as the Tree Steward of 2022, was presented with a Flowering Dogwood, and Nick, as the Tree Steward of 2023, was presented with a Black Tupelo. It was also a great opportunity to declare Wilton’s commitment to protecting trees and woodlands. Wilton is proud to be officially designated as a Tree City USA.
Wilton Go Green
We had seven local winners in the 17th Annual Housatonic Resources Recovery Authority Recycling Billboard Contest. They competed against 94 entries from students K-12 in all of the 13 HRRA towns. All first-place winners went on to compete in the Regional Judging. One of the Regional Grand Prize Winners was 2nd grader, Chris Li. His drawing will grace the back of the regional HartBuses starting this month. All of Wilton’s winning artwork is displayed in Comstock. Congratulations to all of the winners!
A New American Citizen
34-year Wilton resident and active member of the Wilton Garden Club, Anne Gura, was sworn in as an American citizen recently. Born in Norway, Anne came to the US as an infant. She met her husband, Wayne, in New York after graduating from college and they settled here. After working and raising children, Anne had time to make official what she’d always felt herself to be, a full-fledged American. As Anne says, “I’m proud of my heritage and beyond proud of my home country. Our highest best ideals are second to none. And these United States have never in our history stopped working to achieve them.” Such a proud moment! Congratulations, Anne!
Blue Ribbons to Honor Child Abuse Prevention Month in April
We at Town Hall actively supported The Riverbrook Regional YMCA’s participation in the See. Know, Respond campaign to increase awareness of child sexual abuse during the month of April. Resources are provided to anyone, at any time of the year.
Minks to Sinks
A final reminder that the greatest tag sale in Connecticut is happening in Wilton this weekend. All proceeds benefit the Family and Children’s Agency, a multi-service community-based organization. Read more about their work here: Welcome to Family & Children's Agency (familyandchildrensagency.org) Saturday, May 4th 9am – 5pm Sunday, May 5th 12pm – 4pm (Bargain Day – Everything Half Off) Monday, May 6th 9am – 11am (Bargain Day – Fill a Bag for $10)
*Read Toni Boucher's update in its entirety https://www.wiltonct.org/home/news/may-3rd-news-first-selectmans-office