Wilton voters discuss funds at town meeting

Thursday, March 4, 2010

WILTON – Voters at Town Meeting on Thursday, March 11, will address a number of topics in addition to the usual contributions to capital reserve funds.

The proposed operating budget totals $3.96 million, which is about a 3 percent reduction from 2009.

Special articles include $10,000 for an engineering study of the old reservoir dam, plus another $10,000 to be placed in a capital reserve fund for the eventual restoration or removal of the dam, depending on what the engineering study suggests.

A new fence along the Maple Street side of Cooley Park is estimated at $7,500. Cooley Park is the area at the Western end of the Town Hall.

Funds will come from the Cooley Park Improvement Project Capital Reserve Fund.

Selectmen are asking that $20,000 be removed from the Town Hall Repair Project Fund to replace ceiling tiles and light fixtures in the courtroom and to begin addressing the mold problem in the building.

Repair of the electrical, heating and ventilation systems and insultation improvements to the police station are estimated at $18,300. The library is asking for an additional $10,000 for repairs to the upstairs historical rooms.

Equipment purchases include $7,500 for a new sander; $18,440 for various needs of the fire department; $40,000 for a new highway truck and plow. Funds will come from general taxation.

Contributions to existing capital reserve funds include closure of the old landfill ($25,000), police equipment ($16,000); fire department vehicles ($100,000); highway equipment ($10,000). Creation of a new fund for ambulance radios is estimated at $7,500.

The meeting will be at 7:30 p.m. at the Florence Rideout Elementary School gym.

Voting will take place Tuesday, March 9, from 10 a.m.-7 p.m., in the Town Hall court room.

Jessie Salisbury can be reached at 654-9704 or jessies@tellink.net.