WILTON – A public servant will be bidding his town a fond farewell later this month, after nearly seven years of service.
Peter Nielsen said that his final day in the town office will be Dec. 19, just two months shy of seven years as the town’s manager. After spending a couple weeks with his family, he’ll be back to work in Oakland.
“Certainly, I’ve enjoyed my time in Wilton,” he said.
Nielsen has a background in municipal work, in Clinton and Wayne, before taking up employment in Wilton. He said that the decision to take up the Oakland town manager position was partially an economic one. He noted that a part-time job he had storing boats for people during the winter, ended last winter, when the building he used collapsed beneath the heavy snow. This put “quite a dent” in his income, as Nielsen puts it.
“[Oakland] made an offer I couldn’t refuse,” he said.
There are other reasons for the change as well. Nielsen said the new town with new opportunities and challenges would give him the ability to “recharge” after seven years in Wilton.
“We fought through some tough issues here,” he said, “and a new position will be good for that.”
Nielsen also said he has friends in Oakland that he knew from his stint in Clinton and other nearby towns. He was offered the Oakland town manager position four years ago, and was intrigued enough to apply when the position became vacant once again.
“Things I’ve learned in Wilton,” he said, “will be useful in Oakland.”
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Town Manager Peter Nielsen, at left, will sit in on his last Wilton selectmen’s meeting on Dec. 16. |
