Wilton’s Board of Selectmen (BOS) managed a number of business matters at Monday night‘s (Oct. 7) BOS meeting, but one topic overshadowed the discussion: the controversy surrounding author Aisha Abdel Gawad and the Wilton Library‘s decision to cut ties with her as the Library’s writer-in-residence.
Several Wilton residents — and notably one selectman — took the opportunity during the BOS meeting to express deep disappointment over the Library’s decision and to also raise serious concerns over the public statement made by First Selectman Toni Boucher on Sept. 24, which may have played a part in the Library’s decision the very next day.
The feedback about the controversy came, coincidentally, on the one-year anniversary of the Oct. 7 terrorist massacre in Israel and amid the ongoing conflict in the region — and in the anguishing atmosphere of concern about antisemitism and hate in the U.S.
First Selectman Toni Boucher acknowledged the somber date.
“I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge that today is October 7, and of course, last year, on this day, Hamas launched an unprovoked attack on the people of Israel, and 1,200 lives were lost, and also 250 hostages were taken, including American citizens,” Boucher said. “I want to express my personal condolences, both to the Israelis and to the innocent Palestinians that unfortunately in the aftermath were injured, displaced or killed.”
Public Feedback
Several individuals who attended the BOS meeting in person and participated via Zoom chose to speak during the public comment portion of the meeting.
The first speaker, Norwalk resident Farhan Memon, introduced himself as the chairman of the Connecticut chapter of the Council of American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). He delivered a prepared statement to the board.
“Muslims throughout the state are concerned by Wilton’s treatment of [Gawad]” and “question whether the town of Wilton is hospitable to Muslims, Arabs, or those who care about the lives of Palestinians,” he said.
Memon asserted that Gawad was “smeared as an antisemite by an organized mob,” and then directed several comments toward First Selectman Toni Boucher, who he criticized for “facilitating the smear campaign by accepting the accusations at face value and threatening the Library board.”
He said he believes Boucher’s comments “pose a threat to free speech” and “undermine principles of open dialogue, fairness and inclusivity.”
“You should apologize for smearing her,” he told Boucher.
The next speaker, a two-and-a-half year resident whose name was unclear during the meeting, spoke about the “warm and welcoming” spirit in Wilton that attracted her to the Town, but said she was “disappointed” in how the controversy was handled, with not enough “investigation or consultation” before the Library’s decision was made.
Similarly, resident Madeline Wilken told the selectmen she was “terribly disappointed” at what she felt was a “knee-jerk reaction” and “rush to judgment” that resulted in the “shunning and ostracism” of Gawad.
Resident Julie Hughes, an archivist at the Wilton Library who said she met Gawad briefly, was also troubled by the process.
“None of us know exactly what she [Gawad] did or did not say… I just wish that we had all taken more time to understand what had actually happened,” Hughes said. “I think that this was done far too quickly, and that justice really does demand a much slower, more deliberate and calm pace.”
Another resident who spoke (whose name was also unclear) expressed the concern that “anyone who empathizes with Palestinians, anyone who at all seems the slightest bit pro-Palestinian equals antisemitism” — echoing a similar comment from the CT CAIR chair.
“To equate anything like empathy for Palestinians to antisemitism is terrible,” he said.
Saba Zahid, who said she has been a Wilton resident for five years, called the Library’s decision “deeply unfair and sets a troubling precedent for how institutions respond to public pressure.”
“In my opinion, the library should reflect on its decision [and] consider reinstating Aisha,” Zahid said.
Nabulsi “Nearly Resigned” and “Ashamed”
In a rare rebuke, Selectman Bas Nabulsi distanced himself from Boucher’s statement about the controversy, but not before acknowledging the significance of the day.
“I would like to first of all acknowledge it is October 7. I thought it was an unfortunate timing that the discussion that took place during public comment was on October 7, but it’s just the way the calendar worked out,” he said.
“I think that it took courage to come here and speak,” Nabulsi said of those who offered public comment on the Gawad controversy. “I found the comments to be very thoughtful and very constructive.”
“I share many of the concerns that were shared tonight,” Nabulsi continued. “I didn’t think that the communication that went out from the first selectperson was the communication that I would have written.”
“I gave serious thought to resigning from the Board of Selectmen when I received it… I felt like I wanted to be disassociated with that communication,” he said. “And I think that we need to do better in terms of evaluating the merits of situations and not allowing ourselves to be cowed by a campaign of communications which sought to express a view” with unclear “underlying facts.”
“I think that the ramifications for [Gawad] and for the Town are unfortunate, and I found it’s something that in my 15 to 20 years of public service in Wilton is the incident I’m most ashamed of,” he said.
Selectmen Ross Tartell, Kim Healy and Josh Cole did not comment on the matter.
Boucher did not respond to Nabulsi, other than to thank him for his statement, as she thanked all who spoke during the meeting.
GMW reached out to Boucher to ask for any comment about the meeting. She declined except to say, “I do respect everyone’s divergent views and opinions and the civil way they were expressed,” she wrote in a text message.
More BOS News
The board voted unanimously to enter into an agreement with OpenGov to provide an online permitting platform. Town Administrator Matt Knickerbocker called it a “game-changer” and a “long-awaited and carefully planned project.” Applicants will be able to complete applications for building permits, inspections and other related services online. Implementation will begin Nov. 1 and is expected to take about six months. Knickerbocker noted the platform’s cost of $137,055 is within the Town’s approved IT budget.
Knickerbocker also gave the BOS a status report on the Town’s Information Technology functions, notably reporting “significant progress” on reducing cybersecurity risks since a 2023 threat assessment. He cited improvements in employee training, operations and infrastructure which have reduced the number and severity of threats to the Town’s cybersecurity.
The board discussed staffing levels, including a number of open positions the Town is actively trying to fill, such as a financial systems and payroll manager; six police officers; and a director for the Social Services Department. The discussion also turned to several potential new positions to address understaffing, including two building maintenance workers.
The selectmen discussed easement agreements needed with property owners during work to be performed by the Town at two locations (the agreements are posted on the Town website):
- 71 Musket Ridge for culvert replacement
- 516 Danbury Rd. for Seely Rd. Bridge bridge rehabilitation
The board voted unanimously to appoint William Twersky to serve as an alternate on the Historic District & Historic Property Commission.
The board unanimously approved a resolution for the authorization, issuance and sale of refunding bonds, not exceeding $30 million. Refunding is used to achieve net present value savings or to restructure debt service payments of the Town.
The selectmen discussed an easement the Town requested from the state for handicap-accessible ramps and associated road work at the Town Hall entrance along Danbury Rd. The state granted the easement.
The board discussed several topics on confidential Executive Session, including:
- A possible candidate (Gail Cioffe) for the Economic Development Commission
- A contract strategy discussion pertaining to Waveny Health Systems
- “Conditions of all Town-owned properties and rental units”
- A cybersecurity review
British philosopher William Paley once wrote: “There is a principal which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments and which cannot fail to keep man in everlasting ignorance — that principle is contempt prior to investigation”. While I am not weighing in on what the ultimate decision should have been, I am troubled by how institutions and politicians live in such utter fear of populist pressure that they react before they thoroughly investigate. At least pause, and count to ten……
I would like to thank the Wilton Library Association and The First Selectman for doing the right thing even though I am sure it was a hard choice. I am sure they knew that they would face a backlash.
Aisha Abdel Gawad did not deserve to be writer-in-residence for our town. She was given a chance to respond and did not have a response that was worthy of her continuing that post as a writer-in-residence. The fact that she was already on record asking NYU to divest from Israel (BDS) before this latest kerfuffle leads me to believe the her brand of Anti-Zionism like most current brands are the new dog whistle for Antisemitism. Ms. Gawad help cancel a writer who had been empathic to the Palestinian cause of achieving their own state (not at the destruction of Israel but next to it) because that writer had the moral clarity to call out Hamas and it supporters and apologist as Antisemites.
I am sorry our town went through this I hope we choose better next time.