Due to excessive snow on Monday, Feb. 2, the regular meeting of Wilton’s Board of Selectmen scheduled for that evening was cancelled. Town officials had been scheduled to discuss the petition submitted by Sensible Wilton, which asks for a revote of the Miller-Driscoll Renovation Bond question. Now, first selectman Bill Brennan has said that the topic will be discussed at the next regularly scheduled meeting, on Tuesday, Feb. 17.
The topic is on the meeting agenda as an item to be discussed only by the selectmen. Typically such items are not open for public comment, but all BoS meetings include a time for comments from the public at the end of the discussion period at each meeting. As evident from the agenda for the Feb. 2 meeting when the subject was originally scheduled for discussion, it seems protocol is being set aside to allow for public comment to follow immediately after the petition is discussed by the selectmen.
Alex Ruskewich, the president of Sensible Wilton, confirmed that members of his group will attend the BoS meeting on Feb. 17.
“We look forward to presenting our position that the Town should hold a legal vote on the $50 million Miller-Driscoll Referendum, which is the largest capital bonding project in the Town’s history. We firmly believe that given the numerous and mounting election law violations, that the only appropriate method to address the illegalities is to hold a legal (re)vote whereby all citizens are notified and informed. We understand that the weather has interfered with the meeting, but we are ready to present our position,” he said.
During the most recent Board of Selectmen meeting, Brennan told other town leaders that because previous discussions on the matter have sometimes taken a heated tone, he has arranged to have a police officer present during the meeting, “…so that we treat this event in the civil manner that we all take for granted is the way we function in Wilton. Wilton has a reputation for being gracious when we discuss controversial issues, and we will do that on this particular issue also. I’m going to have a police officer here because I think it will be a lot of people here that night, and I want to make sure order will be maintained, because we have other things on the agenda.”
Sensible Wilton has filed complaints with the CT State Election Enforcement Commission alleging that town officials violated election laws prior to and during the Special Town Vote in September to approve the bonded project. Town residents narrowly approved the $50-million renovation proposal, with 979 votes cast in favor, and 952 against. Only 17% of the town’s eligible voters turned out to cast a vote.
The meeting will take place in Room B at Town Hall, at 238 Danbury Rd.