The Town of Wilton held its Annual Town Meeting last night, and while officials were satisfied with the moderate turnout and numbers of voters, they still hope to see more Wilton voters come to the Clune Center this Saturday, May 10 for the continued vote. According to the registrars of voters, Carole Young-Kleinfeld and Tina Gardner, 155 people cast their ballots after the conclusion of the meeting, a slight uptick over last year’s meeting-night vote of 129.
They added that they hope larger numbers also turn out Saturday for the adjourned vote.
Board of Selectmen budget
At the meeting, town officials presented their proposed budgets and tried to make the case to residents for supporting the expenditures. “I think it’s important to recognize that a progressive community must invest in its future,” said Bill Brennan, Wilton’s first selectman. “The first objective is to maintain essential municipal and public safety services for the community, and support efforts to enhance safety in school and town facilities. Next, make required infrastructure and facility investments to preserve and maintain town and school assets.”
He added that energy conservation and efficiency was an important town investment, and developing a cost-effective operating and capital budget was necessary.
Brennan advocated for supporting the budget as prudent action required of stewards of the town’s infrastructure.
“The town of Wilton is a complex organization that provides a variety of essential services to the community. As citizens, we are the collective owners of the array of community assets. To provide public safety and reliable services to the community, these assets must be maintained. Like our individual residences and automobiles that require regular maintenance, occasional repairs and replacements, and periodic renovations, therefore we must continue to invest in the future of Wilton, and to support essential capital projects. If we fail to do so, facilities and roads will deteriorate; our schools will decline, and eventually our home values will fall, as Wilton becomes a less attractive community to live in, raise a family or operate a business.”
He summarized the year-to-year budget increase of 2.65 percent as being driven mostly by “employee compensation increases, increased facility maintenance costs and teamsters union pension withdrawal costs, offset by reduced medical insurance costs, reserve fund reductions, lower pension contributions, and lower fuel costs.” The operating capital portion ($1,184307 of the total $31,766,767 Board of Selectmen’s budget) was necessary to replace vehicles; information and communication equipment; and police, fire and paramedic safety equipment.
In addition to promoting the town’s budget, Brennan urged voters to support the five capital programs on the ballot, noting they were all “unanimously recommended by the BoS and have been endorsed by the Board of Finance.”
Fire Engine: Selectman Dick Dubow explained why Wilton’s 20 year old fire engine–the oldest pumper truck the town has–needed to be replaced to the tune of $595,000 “Engine #3 is considered the workhorse of Wilton’s fire department. All of us depend on this fire truck, which typically is the first vehicle on the scene of any emergency. It is capable of getting water to a fire the most quickly, and it can get closer to a fire than any of our other vehicles can. Not only is it vital to the operations of our department, it is also essential to the safety of our firefighters as well as the safety of everyone who lives, works and travels through Wilton.
Dubow added that signs of rust and corrosion on the engine indicate another reason to replace the fire truck.
Road Restoration: Brennan argued in favor of a $3,464,000 bonding for road restoration, saying this funding of a second, two-year phase of a road repaving project would allow Wilton to continue to “catch-up” in repairing our “high percentage of badly deteriorating roads…the roads we all own collectively.” In the first two years, which was “strongly approved by citizens of Wilton,” 21 miles of road have been repaved (44 town-owned roads). This bonding would continue the program, repaving an additional 20 miles of road (45 town-owned roads), equitably distributed among the four geographic sectors of Wilton, over the next two years.
Brennan said, “This is an economically sound program, as asphalt prices continue to increase, and interest rates are still relatively low. Deferring repaving would not be wise or cost efficient, as many of our roads are still in disrepair. We have a statutory obligation to maintain safe roads in our community.”
Comstock Community Center Renovation: This $9,900,000 project would be for design, engineering, renovation and reconstruction work for Comstock. Selectman Jim Saxe outlined the history of repairs and updates that have been made to the building in the past few years (new roof, new generator, new boiler, Senior Center updates), but pointing out that, “The reality is we still had a 50-60 year old building that had none of its infrastructure improved over that time. Through due diligence (hired experts, engineers) it was determined the structure could support another 20 years, so we made the decision to extend the life 20 more years.”
Saxe said that because the building is used by so many Wilton groups and constituencies–Senior Center, Parks and Recreation offices, recreation programs, Social Services, Garden Club, the food pantry, as well as an emergency relief center, the project goal is to renovate the building to serve the existing needs as well as “to design for the future, to be flexible to accommodate future uses.”
He pointed out the 10.6 percent growth in senior center usage, as well as 31,000 users over the past year for Parks and Rec programs, with a combined 40,000-plus people using the building in 2013. “The building definitely is being used a lot. The investment would be justified.”
The improvements include improved HVAC, and making Comstock a “more secure, energy efficient building” and including improved safety for the toddlers and elderly, with a new fire alarm, security system, exterior lighting and sprinkler system. The plan also addresses accessibility–through changes in the parking areas, improved mobility accessible design; and improved flow. As well, bathrooms are to be renovated, and an additional bathroom would be built in the basement.
Saxe concluded by saying the project “will provide an economically and environmentally friendly building” with a target date for completion in early 2016.
Improvements to the Raymond Ambler House at Ambler Farm: The town is seeking to bond $250,000 to complete renovation of the Raymond Ambler farm house at Ambler Farm. Selectman Hal Clark explained that, per an existing covenant in the original Ambler Farm purchase agreement, the town agreed to improve the white farmhouse at the farm. Conditions were imposed that the Friends of Ambler Farm would raise matching funds to what the town committed. For the first phase of renovation (which has been completed), “That was done. The first year they raised $125,000 and the town contributed $125,000. In year two they did [the same].” With that funding, they completed exterior and infrastructure work, including “building a basement underneath the entire facility… gutting it to the bottom, new floors.”
This current bonding project, to raise a second $250,000 matching grant, would pay for interior work–electrical, plumbing heating, new floors, stairs, painting, fire doors, walkways, and retaining walls, with a goal to open the first floor in 2015.
“This is a public/private partnership that has been working. Ambler Farm has proven they can raise $250,000 and spend it wisely. They have proven they have broad support within the community. We urge town to approve a second two-year match program to continue the restoration.”
Installation of security and emergency management system upgrades: Clark explained to voters that this $500,000 capital bonded program fits into the way schools now must approach security and trying to prevent school violence. “Our strategy is to deter anyone from trying something; to detect them before damage is done; to delay them if they’ve start creating a problem; and to respond quickly.”
Clark, as chair of the Wilton Security Task Force, described the process of identifying and countering existing deficiencies in the schools, adding new personnel (a new school resource officer and a threat assessment coordinator, covered through the school budget) and improving the physical security measures. Declining to elaborate on specifics so as not to publicly identify vulnerabilities in each school building the bonding project is meant to strengthen perimeter security–“making sure it’s harder to get into the school”–and interior security–“making they can’t get around the school and into classrooms easily.” In addition the project includes a “mass communication system–making sure the calls go out quickly for rapid response”– and other miscellaneous improvements.
Clark added that most of the funds would be spent at Wilton High School, Cider Mill and Middlebrook, explaining that most of the money would be allocated to schools not being renovated.
Board of Education Budget
The budget was presented by the BoE chair Bruce Likly, who started off his presentation thanking outgoing superintendent Dr. Gary Richards. His remarks were greeted with sustained applause.
Likly started off by saying, “I believe the budget has been thoroughly developed, scrutinized by many, approved by the Board of Finance, and it deserves the town’s full support.”
He pointed out that “our expenditures per child are in line with neighboring towns.” Touting our high-performing school district, and listing the many accomplishments, including graduation rates, awards, testing achievement and athletic rankings, Likly asked: “Is there any other town you’d rather raise your children in?”
Likly also explained that this year’s special education costs will be over budget, but the overall numbers are expected to be on budget, due to spending freeze and reimbursement from the state for excess special education costs.
The proposed $78.4 million BoE budget reflects a 2.97 percent increase over the current year’s budget.
“We are a high-performing school district. While our costs are higher than some would like, we certainly are working hard to manage them while we focus on delivering the highest quality education possible. Our outstanding student achievement and district results are attributed to the strong community support that you all give us; the commitment to the district’s community-developed strategic plan; the capacity to attract top employees; the depth and breadth of our curriculum; our award-winning academics, arts and athletics programs; and the dedication of hundreds of employees and volunteers. Our schools are our town’s greatest asset. They are the primary reason people move to Wilton as opposed to neighboring towns. This budget has been thoughtfully prepared and it deserves the town’s full support.”
Public Comment
Neil Gluckin: I’m speaking on behalf of the Friends of Ambler Farm. It’s true that the money requested for Ambler Farm will be spent on construction, to give an old house a new life. But this is much more than a construction project. It’s as much about the hundreds of volunteers of all ages, who devote their energy to creating events for the community. It’s also about the thousands of neighbors, friends and visitors who come to the farm to enjoy the programs. The restored farmhouse will allow us to expand and enrich the programs we offer. We have profound respect at Ambler Farm for all we can learn from our past, but we are equally about our future.”
Alex Ruskewich: Since the year 2000 my tax bill has gone up 83 percent. The cost of living has gone up 33 percent. The taxes have gone up 2-1/4 times what the cost of living has gone up. We had excessive increases in the middle years in the total spending we were making. In a particular case, we have the highest average salary of teachers in our neighboring towns. We went from second lowest to number one. A lot of our spending is not just in salary, but in benefits. The last contract we signed last year, we still saw the same increases in salaries and benefits. We cannot continue this spending and still have the town we want to live in.
You have education, and take a look we have athletics. Since when do athletics become education? We are spending $1.4 million on athletics. We are spending $2,400 per hockey student. Two hockey players are the equivalent of what we give to the elderly as their benefit.
Gail Moskow: We have one of the best educational systems in this state. It is the main reason young families move to this community. We moved here 43 years ago with two young girls. There were very caring, thoughtful, forward-looking senior citizens who were more than willing to pay their taxes even though they had no children benefiting from them at that time. We now are senior citizens, we are more than willing to pay our taxes to continue the outstanding educational system in this town.
Steve Hudspeth: I rise in support of all the items on the ballot, specifically the school budget, and the bonding issue of Comstock and phase two of the roadwork. But let me issue a very, very hearty thank you to all of you. In a year that has been remarkable challenging–in unremitting snowstorms, and unremitting claims of dubious validity–you all have acted remarkably, and you’ve done it with grace and style and thoughtful intelligence. For that we owe you an enormous debt of gratitude.
On the school budget, there is no question this budget has been very carefully thought through and presented. By my estimate, my two children got $250,000 worth of benefit out of this schools in their years of education that I didn’t pay a cent for. It’s time to pay it back, there’s no way this budget could be tighter than it is, it’s doing what it has to, we have remarkable schools, we are very fortunate to have them, we need to make sure they stay remarkable schools.
We have hit a sweet spot in bonding. Bond rates are staying lower. There is no better time to be bonding and there are no better things to be bonding than to get our roads fixed, particularly after this horrendous winter; and to get Comstock Center, that serves so many people from kids up to 9- plus year olds, and does it so well. To make that center work, to make it do the things we need it to do for the next 50 years, that’s what we need, that’s what we deserve as a town. To be served by a community center that does an excellent job as it does now, but going forward in the best way possible. I support this budget and all its bonding resolutions.
Keith Rogerson: I want to speak to the Comstock project.: We contribute a great amount to the state’s bonding capacity. We must be wise when it comes to the debt we take on and the debt service that we pass along to our children. I’m coming tonight to voice my concern that we are not utilizing all the resources that we can, and that we are taking on debt service that we needn’t, with our already high taxes, and the incredible amount of money–over a billion dollars over the last 10 years–that we have contributed to the state. I want to issue a charge: As citizens, as elected officials, that we try to find other resources, that we try to work with the state, with any other layers of public financing and with grants to lessen our debt service with our long term capital projects.
Milton Pohl: It’s hard to criticize the money that you are recommending spending. However, I grew up in a depression and a war, and one thing I’ve learned over my lifetime is that you have to be able to pay for what you want or feel you need. I’m a little short of statistics; I don’t know what the roll call has been in the system is going up or going down. But my big concern is the fact that several years ago I read an article which said that over 50 percent of the people in Wilton do not have children in the school system. I also read about a lot of older people do not have enough money for retirement. This is going to be a mojor problem in this country and this town. The thing I’m concerned about is if taxes go up, and people cannot afford to live here, the ones who cannot afford to live here will be the senior citizens, the people without children, and they will be replaced by people with children. This will either cause the school system to deteriorate or the cost to go up tremendously. This is something we ought to look at.
Also one thing bothering me is that we are constantly increasing the facilities that we provide to our citizens. We’ve doubled the library, we’ve added a teen center, we took over a school in Georgetown which is now an art center. We’re talking about expanding the town hall. My experience has been that when you expand square footage, you automatically expand people and other expenses. I would suggest we think about that very carefully.
Deborah McFadden: Grateful to see all of the energy efficiencies in all of the works and renovations being done. I’m very happy to see the priority we’re making in special education to keep the students in the district. I’m concerned with the participation fees, but I want to remind people that this is public education. This is a public school. When you go to private school you pay fees, when you go to a public school, we as the taxpayers pay, and I’m very against participation fees.
In terms of the common core, the fact that so many students are having challenges with the changes in math, I was pleased to see that there was additional help coming to Middlebrook. I’m concerned that there is nothing for the high school where there are students struggling. I’m thrilled to see the School Resource Officer and the Threat Assessment Coordinator, and I support all that has been proposed here. I support the budget. I am pleased with how tight it is. I support all of the bond issues, and I’m particularly pleased with Comstock. We spend most of the money in this town on our education; we need to make sure we also spend money on our senior citizens. Next year please consider increasing the amount [of the tax relief program] and increasing the guidelines. [The seniors have] given much to our community; we meed to make sure we give something for them as well.
In terms of the road restoration I’m thrilled we’re doing it because we did get behind.
Anthony Ragusa: I want to thank Bill Brennan for the cosmetic work to the senior center. He did a terrific job. The men and women who are now 45 to 50 years old will hopefully be the senior citizens of tomorrow. The parents of the young children who currently enjoy the many programs offered by Parks and Recreation are voters who need to consider how important Comstock is to so many members of our community, from the youngest to the oldest. I support question 4, we desperately need this renovation for all of us in the community.
Ken Dartley: I noticed that that there was a comment that we held the budget on senior relief. I think that’s where we can expand the budget. You really need to keep our seniors in town, and we are losing them. We started Stay at Home, and two of the board members had left town. We need to keep the grey hairs in this town.
One other issue I’ve had with Dr. Richards, we have an energy commission, and yet I see day after day, parents driving their kids to school. That is not energy efficient. Please lets have a program, put those kids on the school bus. It will do wonders for this town. We need to take another look at tax relief for seniors. I would not be a beneficiary, but I still think we need to keep those seniors in town.