As budget-related dialogues unfold regarding new firefighters and other positions, the Town of Wilton faces ongoing challenges in filling some roles for which it has already budgeted, especially in the Finance Department.

“Municipal finance is a shortage area where it is often difficult to find experienced people with this type of background,” First Selectman Toni Boucher said. “It [is] an issue in many towns.”

“Unfortunately, Wilton has experienced a number of retirements and serious health-related vacancies recently that has left it short-staffed in this area of town government,” she said.

Fully staffed, the Finance Department would have six employees. But according to Sarah Taffel, Wilton’s director of human resources, labor relations and administrative services, there are actually three vacant positions in the Finance Department, including one position that has been unfilled for a year and a half, and another that just recently opened up because of a retirement.

“They are an accounts payable clerk, vacant since August 2024, but covered by a temp until January 2025; senior accountant [which] will be vacant at the end of this month; and a manager of financial systems and payroll,” which has been vacant since September 2023.

“With respect to the manager of financial systems and payroll, we are seeking someone with very strong financial and HR/payroll computer systems expertise, as well as strong financial credentials,” Taffel said, adding that they would ideally like to find a certified public accountant.

“This combination of skills, expertise and experience has been difficult to locate in one individual,” she said. “At this time, we are considering adjusting the responsibilities of that position, as some of the functions can be absorbed by the senior accountant, possibly resulting in us being able to fill the manager position more easily.

Depending on how you look at it, the timing to do so may be fortuitous given Taffel now needs to find a new senior accountant as well.

“We have just begun recruitment for the senior accountant position,” Taffel said, “as the person currently filling the role only recently gave notice.”

“We have a number of potential candidates for the accounts payable clerk position, and I anticipate the position will be filled within a month’s time,” she added.

Taffel, who has held the HR post for several years, echoed Boucher’s comments about the difficulty of finding qualified candidates.

“Recruitment for municipal jobs can be challenging due to the unique qualifications of many of the positions,” Taffel said, “often requiring specialized training and/or certifications.”

“This has been the topic of discussion both at the local and state level in an attempt to identify steps that can be taken to increase the pool of qualified candidates,” she added.

While Wilton’s Chief Financial Officer Dawn Norton did not respond to multiple inquires from GOOD Morning Wilton regarding open positions in the department she leads, she did make some comments relating to vacancies at the Feb. 12, 2025 Board of Selectmen meeting.

“I’ve increased the full-time salary line by moving the one position that we had in the reserve in the past year as a savings, because I have my fingers crossed that we’re going to fill that position by next year,” she said at the time.

“Hopefully we have that position filled this year, and so I moved some of the budget money into the full-time salary line to fill that position that’s been vacant for the last couple of years,” Norton said.

The Finance Department’s budget is planned to increase by 12.4%, from $907,111 to $1,019,315. That includes a full-time salary increase of 7.76% for the department, from $662,518 to $713,908.

“We have increased the number of recruiters we are using and currently have several good prospects being interviewed,” Boucher said.

Taffel noted there is also an opening for a driver with the Department of Public Works, which she said became vacant in January 2025.

“We typically supplement the full-time Public Works staff with seasonal snow plow drivers,” she said, “and did so this winter with four seasonal employees to assist in covering for any vacancies or other absences during the winter season. 

As of Monday, Mar. 31, the following job openings were listed on the town’s website:

  • Accounts Payable Clerk: With a salary starting in the mid-$50,000 range, this position does not require a college degree, but at least three years of experience with bookkeeping as well as various administrative skills are included in the job description.
  • Senior Accountant: A complex position involving a deep understanding of financial analysis, systems and accounting, the role requires at least eight years of experience, with a starting salary of at least $85,000.
  • Manager of Financial Systems and Payroll: Originally posted on Sept. 5, 2023, this position starts at $90,000 a year and requires five years of “progressively responsible experience in finance, preferably in a municipal environment.”
  • Senior Programs & Social Services Coordinator: This 30-hour-a-week position starts at $65,000 and is responsible for administering and coordinating needs and activities through the Wilton Senior Center. [Editor’s note: Following publication, Taffel contacted GMW to say that the Town extended an offer to a candidate and it was accepted. Apr. 7 is the anticipated start date. “We take the position posting down once all the pre-employment checks have been completed.”]
  • Building Monitor: With pay up to $15 per hour, this part-time position under the auspices of the Parks and Recreation Department largely centers at Comstock Community Center and includes various concierge-type duties. [Editor’s note: Taffel said the post for this position is “a standing opening” and not a vacancy. “It is very helpful to have part-time Building Monitors to supplement existing staff.”]
  • Entry-Level Police Officer: The current post states the closing date for applications as being Feb. 19, 2022, but it’s still listed on the Human Resource Employment Opportunities page on the Town of Wilton website. More specifics can be found through a link provided in the posting.

Taffel said that police recruitment is handled through the Wilton Police Department itself and the Police Commission.

The article has been updated to clarify the status of two job postings on the town website.