Sensible Wilton Collects Petition Signatures Outside Polls

Perhaps the biggest story about Wilton’s Election Day on Nov. 4 was not the results of the election but the effort put forth by Sensible Wilton, the ad-hoc citizens group upset by the results of September’s Miller-Driscoll Renovation Special Town Vote. The group set up tables outside each of Wilton’s three polling places to collect signatures for a petition they say would compel town officials to schedule a revote on the question.

The group circulated an email Monday, the day before the statewide general election, notifying supporters of their intent to collect signatures this way. The email asked for residents to support the group’s “concerns that one of Wilton’s largest bonding projects has been approved without thorough and proper consideration. The razor thin approval of a $50M project by only 27 votes deserves reconsideration. Sensible Wilton believes the project could be completed faster and at significantly reduced cost if alternative options are considered.”

Sensible Wilton’s treasurer Kurt Noel manned the group’s table outside Cider Mill, asking voters there to sign the group’s petition supporting their wish for a revote on the project.

As Wilton voters passed him on their way in or out of the poll, he tried to engage each one, explaining to many who stopped, “We don’t think it needs $50 million, more like $10-15 million for a good renovation of Miller-Driscoll. You don’t need to tear down buildings and rebuild them 100 feet away. A lot of people didn’t know about the vote, and the town did a lot of illegal stuff in their ‘Vote Yes’ campaign.”

During the brief time GOOD Morning Wilton visited the polls, many residents stopped by the Sensible Wilton tables to sign the petition sheets. And the group manned tables at each of the polls late into the night.

According to Noel, he was finding a lot of sympathy for the group’s effort–and a lot of anger toward town officials.

“There’s a lot of hostility out there for what they’ve done, and what they’re trying to do now. That’s what we find as the people come through here,” he says.

Noel said that as of 11 a.m. he believed he’d already collected well over 200 signatures at just the one table. The group’s belief is that, per the Town Charter, they can compel the Board of Selectmen to schedule another Special Town Meeting and adjourned vote–a revote–if they collect signatures from 2-percent of registered voters, or 230 voters, supporting their efforts.

“We could have that at this table, just today. Our objective is to get 1,000 signatures,” Noel said.

Sensible Wilton’s president Alex Ruskewich, who was posted outside the Clune Auditorium at Wilton High School, said they found a lot of support Tuesday.

“I asked people if they know what they’re getting for the $50 million, and just about to a one, they say, ‘We’re not exactly sure what’s in there.’ That’s the biggest complaint that people had:  ‘What am I getting for the $50 million and is it justified?’” Ruskewich explained. “We’re just a small group of people trying to get the transparency.”

Standing at the table gathering signatures with Ruskewich was Ann Nunes, someone who doesn’t seem like the stereotype of the Wilton resident opposed to all things concerning spending on schools. As a parent of two young, school-aged children she stood out amongst her older companions at the petition table asking for signatures.

“I feel very frustrated by the process that was followed to get to where we are now,” Nunes says. “I have two children in school in Wilton but not in Wilton Public Schools. We did not really hear much about the vote, the referendum and the whole process until just before it actually occurred. It was because I happened to bump into [M-D Building Committee chair] Karen Birck and she told me to come vote, and I said, ‘Vote for what?’”

Nunes added that what little information she was able to get about the proposed project was from a “little flyer hidden at the library, literally just days before” the vote. She says she was uncomfortable with how the vote unfolded.

“When we saw that the margin [of 27 votes] was so slim, and we knew that the vast majority of people, at least my friends and acquaintances, had not heard about it beforehand. Especially hearing about the meetings at Miller-Driscoll being used for advocacy for the ‘Yes’ vote, it wasn’t disenfranchisement, but I felt outside of the process, even as a Wilton voter. I think another opportunity would make more sense, once more people are informed about it. Also, having a referendum vote separate from the regular election time was essentially unjust–so few people would come out. It was really a self-selected population who would come out to vote,” Nunes said.

She added that many of her friends — most with children and of a similar age — feel the same as she does. “They’re infuriated. And shocked. Because what they had understood to be the facts really aren’t the facts in terms of how it’s going to impact people’s taxes at an individual level. And we have a lot of international friends here, many of whom can’t vote, and they feel very frustrated, as residents.”

Sensible Wilton’s email Monday night did specify that volunteers collecting signatures “may ask for identification to ensure that the petition is signed by registered voters of Wilton.” That wasn’t always the case, however, as several signers were observed to add their names without offering any I.D.

One of the residents who signed the petition on his way out of the polling place was Jason Cutler.

“I was at the Town Meeting. I thought it was really strong-armed. I don’t know to what extent it was premeditated, but it was not what I’d call a democratic process,” Cutler said. “For one thing, you were limited to three minutes for questions, but the proponents [onstage] could speak as long as they would want, often 10-15 minutes. There was an extreme inequality allocated for different points of view. People who voiced thoughtful opposition, they were cut off at three minutes. The people onstage used up the time, then someone from the audience–who was really part of the in group–said, ‘Call it for a vote.’ There were quite a few people who opposed the vote that were cut off completely. In terms of the greatest spending in the history of the town, that that’s how it was run, even if you agree with it, it’s not the right way to do things.”

What seemed to bother Cutler more than the outcome of the vote was the process before and during the meeting.

“It deserves more data, it deserves a lot more thoughtfulness. The message was that all the various town boards have looked at it and everyone agreed, so trust us and lets get on with it. Well, that’s a lot of money. It might be the right answer but it was not the right way to come to that answer,” he said.

Not everyone was pleased by Sensible Wilton’s presence outside the polls. According to registrar of voters Carole Young-Kleinfeld, her office received a call complaining about the group’s presence outside the polls.

“There was a complaint that someone didn’t feel that they should be there, and they were questioning whether they were outside the 75-foot mark or not. We immediately called the polling place, had our moderator go out and make sure they weren’t. He said they were well outside the 75 feet. But at that time they were not blocking any access for the voters. So we just asked him to keep an eye on it through the day,” she explained.