At last night’s (April 16) Board of Selectmen (BOS) meeting, the board made some final preparations for the proposed FY 2025 budget and bonding referendums that will be presented to voters at the upcoming May 7 Annual Town Meeting (ATM).

The selectmen also tended to several other business matters, including an update from the Wilton Library Association, potential state legislative initiatives that could impact Wilton, and a tribute to a former Board of Selectmen member.

Final ATM Preparations

The selectmen put the final touches on the FY 2025 BOS budget proposal, following the Board of Finance’s April 2 decision to reduce the BOS budget request by $140,000. (A $300,000 reduction was also made to the Board of Education‘s budget request.).

Rather than take a major reduction in any one area, the selectmen identified 23 different line items from which to trim.

“This was not easy,” said Town Administrator Matt Knickerbocker, who worked closely with CFO Dawn Norton to find areas to squeeze for savings in a budget that had already been vigorously scrubbed in recent months.

Knickerbocker explained that vendor changes, insurance premium increase assumptions, timing of projects, and other tactics were used to “scrape together” the $140,000 needed to bring the BOS budget in line with BOF expectations.

Operating capital was not reduced, given the extraordinary number of capital projects on Wilton’s horizon.

The board also formally voted to refer a series of bonding referendums to the Annual Town Meeting. (The selectmen had previously agreed to bring the $9.5 million in bonded capital requests to the ATM — and secured the endorsement of the Board of Finance for those initiatives — but the formal vote was still needed.)

The BOS is not scheduled to meet again until May 6 — the eve of the ATM.

General Fund Balance Policy

The board continued discussions about a general fund balance policy, after initially discussing the topic at the April 1 BOS meeting.

The Town’s practices have been the subject of much discussion lately, with the Board of Finance indicating it would act to satisfy guidance from Moody’s in order to maintain Wilton’s Aaa credit rating.

Wilton does not currently have a written policy in place. The purpose of the new policy — as initially drafted by CFO Dawn Norton — would be to more clearly articulate the Town’s practices. As stated in the draft policy, the Town would set a target for the General Fund Unassigned Fund Balance of 15% to 17% of the budgeted operating revenues. (Norton noted that “committed” and “unassigned” fund balances are also critical factors in the complex calculations Moody’s examines, but are less under the Town’s control.)

The policy explicitly states that “the use of General Fund Unassigned Fund Balance will be limited to one-time, non-recurring purposes such as land acquisition, capital projects, emergency/storm response and other one-time, non-recurring uses” and, importantly, “will not be used to finance ongoing operating expenditures, programs and activities or used to alleviate a mill rate increase or offset taxes.”

The latter had been common practice in Wilton.

Based on the discussion with the selectmen, Norton agreed to fine-tune some of the language in the draft policy. The selectmen will also seek input from the Board of Finance and Town counsel before voting on the policy.

Honoring Former Selectman Judy Zucker

The BOS received a request for a permanent tribute to former Selectman Judy Zucker, who passed away in October 2023. The request was submitted by members of Wilton Kiwanis and on behalf of Zucker’s family to “memorialize the legacy of our longtime friend, quintessential Wiltonian and model of exemplary, selfless public service to our community.”

With Selectman Ross Tartell abstaining from the vote due to his involvement with Kiwanis, the board voted to approve a plaque in the Senior Center at Comstock Community Center. The Comstock location was fitting, as Zucker served as chair of the committee that oversaw the major renovations at Comstock — a three-year undertaking which was completed on time and under budget.

Zucker also served two terms on Wilton’s Board of Education, four terms on the Board of Selectmen, and 20 years on the Social Services Commission, among many other civic leadership roles.

First Selectman Toni Boucher had high praise for Zucker, and said she was “the ideal” person to be memorialized with the plaque.

“I’m thrilled that this is coming to fruition,” Boucher said.

The selectmen agreed Zucker was deserving of being the first person recognized under the board’s new naming policy, adopted in February, which outlined the criteria the BOS would use when presented with requests to commemorate individuals on Town-owned property.

“When we were talking about what we wanted the qualifications to be in the policy, [Zucker] represents all of the things that we were considering,” Second Selectman Josh Cole said. “I think it’s appropriate that she [is] the first person that’s going to be recognized under this policy.”

More BOS News

  • The BOS received a quarterly update from the Wilton Library Association (WLA). The Library’s Executive Director Caroline Mandler reported continued strong growth in library visits, circulation, programs and other key measures. She also discussed upcoming initiatives to address topics such as mental health and “civic dialogue.” Treasurer Mike Boswood discussed the latest financial summary and forewarned of an expected $30,000 shortfall in the Library’s operating budget for the next fiscal year — which he said would have “a real impact” on programming. “Something will have to go,” Boswood said, unless the Town could further increase the grant from the Town to the Library, beyond the 1.7% year-over-year increase the Selectmen approved in the proposed budget.
  • Town Administrator Matt Knickerbocker shared an update on potential state legislative proposals, as summarized by the Connecticut Council of Small Towns (COST). He noted that the latest legislative session has been particularly active, with over 600 bills being considered in committees. He highlighted several proposals pertaining to education funding reform; teacher salaries; climate resiliency in a municipality’s Plan of Conservation and Development; temporary housing for the homeless and refugees; sewer capacity for affordable housing development; housing authority jurisdiction; interest rates on delinquent property taxes; property tax appeals; and more.
  • Knickerbocker also reported that the CT Siting Council has issued a long-awaited “notice to proceed” on the proposed Verizon cell tower to be located on School Rd. He said he believes construction could begin this summer. Boucher is hopeful it will be completed by the end of the year.