WILTON – The annual town meeting will be held tonight in Kinneowatha Park at the Recreation office parking lot, beginning at 6 p.m.
Voters elected two town officials last week by way of secret ballot. Selectman Phil Hilton was reelected with 157 votes with challenger Evret Greer receiving 35 votes. Gwendolyn Doak was elected to the Regional School Unit 9 Board of Directors with 117 votes; Tammy Mayhew received 79 votes.
A budget of $3.79 million will be considered at the meeting. That amount, recommended by the Board of Selectpersons, is only $1,000 higher than the recommendation from the Budget Committee. If adopted by voters, it would represent a $372,218 increase from the current fiscal year. Accounting for projected revenue, residents would be asked to raise $2.32 million of the total amount, an increase of $88,968 from 2020-21.
The largest jump in proposed expenditures is for paving, covered by Article 26. Voters approved $320,000 for the line item at the 2020 Town Meeting, and will be asked to approve $591,000 for 2021-22. According to Town Manager Rhonda Irish, that figure is offset by $55,000 from state Local Road Assistance Program funds, and both the Selectboard and Budget Committee recommend appropriating an additional $265,000 from the Unassigned Balance account. Irish said they felt as though the town was getting behind with the amount of work that needs to get done, and the increased amount would allow them to catch up.
Several ordinances will be voted on, including a new ordinance regarding marinas on Wilson Lake. If approved, the ordinance would allow waterfront businesses such as docking facilities; boat related sales, repair, storage and fueling services; and bait and tackle shops. Marinas would be required to obtain a permit from the Planning Board before operating.
