To the Editor:

It’s that time again, for Wilton’s Annual Town Meeting on Tuesday, May 7 at 7 p.m. at the Clune Center (395 Danbury Rd.).

The “Town Meeting” is the oldest form of local governance in the nation and traditional to small New England towns. It is a form of direct democracy in which the whole community comes together to determine local policy and budgets.

What happens at a Town Meeting?

Citizens are legislators. Neighbors sit side by side and work out what they think is best for the community they share. The volunteers serving on Wilton’s town boards present their recommended school budget, town budget, bonding proposals and other critical issues facing the town. Residents pose questions, get real information, and debate merits and concerns. Then they vote on the budgets and particular resolutions the boards have submitted for consideration.

Who can come, and who can vote at the Annual Town Meeting?

All Wilton residents can attend. All residents registered to vote in Wilton can vote; and in addition, U.S. citizens who have real property and/or vehicles valued at $1,000 or more on Wilton’s last-completed Grand List can vote.

Will the Annual Town Meeting represent the wishes of town residents?

Yes, if residents show up. According to Wilton’s Town Charter:

  • Meeting attendees can move to decrease a budget line item on the BOS municipal budget proposal, or the overall BOE school budget proposal, but not to increase either.
  • Voters at the Annual Town Meeting have three ballot options for the budget:
    • Yes, approve
    • No, the budget is too high
    • No, the budget is too low
  • Unless a minimum of 15% of eligible Wilton voters show up, the budget is automatically passed as proposed by Wilton’s elected boards, so…
  • …when the minimum 15% threshold is present at the Annual Meeting (and at the adjourned vote the following Saturday), then the voters do determine the outcome.

That is: if too few eligible voters attend the Annual Town Meeting, they are allowing others to speak for them.

Do folks actually show up?

Voter turnout at Wilton’s Town Meeting waxes and wanes considerably. In high-constituent-interest years, debate is quite lively, and residents make budget motions from the floor to decrease the budget, which are then voted on. In low-constituent-interest years, fewer than 15% of eligible voters turn up to cast their votes and the budget passes by default.

Turnout last year in 2023 was 20.59%, well above the minimum threshold of 15%, with many voters posing questions to the Boards from the floor. This reflected high voter interest in the aftermath of a somewhat contentious process during last year’s budget development process. However, turnout is often much lower; in 2022, fewer than 150 eligible voters showed up, far below the 15% benchmark, and there were no comments from the floor. And prior to 2023, the last time Wilton exceeded the 15% benchmark was 2017, when the ballot included a change in the town’s liquor ordinance.

When is the next Town Meeting & Budget Vote?

The Annual Town Meeting is generally held on the first Tuesday evening in May with an adjourned vote on the following Saturday for those unable to attend the meeting in person. This year the 2024 Annual Town Meeting has been set for Tuesday, May 7, at 7 p.m. at the Clune Center. The Adjourned Vote will be Saturday, May 11, from ∫, also at the Clune Center.

What’s on the 2024 Annual Town Meeting ballot?

Each year Wilton’s elected representatives on its town boards — particularly the Boards of Selectmen, Education, and Finance — work assiduously to determine the proposed town budget. (Wiltonians actually vote on the mill rate derived from this proposed budget, in essence voting on the taxes needed to cover what the town will have to spend to provide the operations and services outlined in the budget.)

In the 2024 Annual Meeting, voters will consider a proposed budget that entails a year-over-year 4% increase; however due to Grand List revaluations this year, the associated proposed mill rate will decrease to 23.9435. As well, voters will consider five bonding referendum questions totaling $9.5 million, including $1.6 million for repairs on Scribner Hill Rd; $540,000 for other road repaving, nearly $1.6 million for Town Hall repairs; and two items collectively totaling nearly $5.8 million in Middlebrook School repairs. Finally, voters will decide whether to permit beer manufacturers/ breweries in town.

Can I see the ballot in advance?

Yes, with a caveat. For most elections, ballots are printed in advance and our Registrars of Voters post samples on the town website, as do the Wilton League of Women Voters and GOOD Morning Wilton. Because there is a possibility that voters who show up to the Town meeting could move to decrease a specific line item on the BOS [budget] or [the overall] BOE budget, the Town Meeting sample ballot is technically a “proposed” sample ballot rather than its definitive final form. (For the same reason, the ballot is not available in advance for Absentee Voting.)

The Wilton League hopes you join us and other Wilton neighbors on May 7 for democracy in action!

The Wilton League of Women Voters