Seeking Understanding in Wilton Community, Jewish Resident Publicly Shares Reflections with BOS on Past Year’s “Highs and Lows”

The Nov. 4 Board of Selectmen (BOS) meeting included one member of the public who delivered a heartfelt statement during the public comment portion of the meeting.

Joshua Kesselman, a longtime Wilton resident and a member of the Jewish community, offered his reflections on many events of the past year, which he said have included both “highs and lows” in Wilton since the Oct. 7 terrorist attack in Israel.

Kesselmen felt compelled to use the public forum to help improve Wilton residents’ and town officials’ understanding of what many Jewish residents have been experiencing.

“I’m really here just to explain how hard this year has been,” Kesselman began.

He described finding comfort in the community, at events such as Wilton’s interfaith gathering just days after the Oct. 7 massacre and the vigil on the Town Green a few weeks later. However, Kesselman also described “the backlash,” the rise of antisemitism which he experienced firsthand, and most recently, the controversy at the Wilton Library, which left Kesselman deeply concerned about his own community.

“Missteps happen, but I’m glad [the library] corrected it,” he said. “But Oct. 7 was devastating. I’ve never felt this unsafe.”

Kesselman thanked Toni Boucher for her “tireless work as First Selectman and for making me feel heard as a Jewish family in town… she has absolutely been there for us.”

“Antisemitism [is] a real issue for people in this community. I never thought I would be talking in public about things like this,” Kesselman said.

Kesselman emphasized the ubiquity of the problem. “I hope that we understand this is a serious issue that’s not going away. It’s global, it’s the U.S., and it’s local,” he said. “It’s everywhere.”

Kesselman sent a longer statement as a letter to the editor, which is running in GOOD Morning Wilton today.

Read “Letter to the Editor: One Wilton Jew’s Ongoing Experience Post-Oct. 7, 2023”

More BOS News

The BOS took action on several matters during the Nov. 4 meeting:

• They voted unanimously to approve a contract for fixed license plate reader (LPR) technology, pending review by Town Counsel. Wilton Police Department (WPD) Deputy Chief Rob Cipolla attended the meeting to discuss the proposed contract and the benefits of the LPR tool in investigating stolen vehicles, burglaries, hit-and-runs, and other criminal activity. Selectmen Bas Nabulsi raised questions about the Town’s potential exposure to lawsuits for warrantless surveillance or other Fourth Amendment issues and emphasized the need for input from the Town’s attorneys before proceeding.

• The board also approved a grant application that would provide funds for WPD’s DUI enforcement efforts through next Labor Day weekend. WPD has relied on the annual grant funding to supplement patrols for DUI enforcement. Over the last five years, Wilton has averaged 32 DUI arrests per year, and roughly 10 motor vehicle crashes per year related to alcohol or drugs, according to statistics cited in the grant application.

• As outlined in two memos from Department of Public Works officials, the selectmen approved the transfer of funds and appropriations to enable several Board of Education maintenance projects to proceed, including the Cider Mill elevator replacement (which is now expected to cost more than the $275,000 voters approved for bonding) and a number of other repairs that do not meet the criteria for bonding.

• Following a confidential executive session to discuss the matter, the board voted unanimously to hire Stephanie Rowe as the Social Services Department director. Rowe has been employed in the department since December 2018, most recently as the assistant director.

• The board voted unanimously to appoint Mark Shaner to the Parks and Recreation Commission.

• The board unanimously approved the 2025 holiday schedule for Town Hall employees.

The next BOS meeting is scheduled for Nov. 19.