×

Write-in candidate Kermit Williams wins seat on Wilton Board of Selectmen

WILTON – Winning an election by write-in isn’t easy, but Kermit Williams did just that on Tuesday, March 11.

His 287 votes for the seat on the Wilton Board of Selectmen were more than 100 more than the next highest finisher, Sandra Fisher, with 179.

“Personally, I was a little surprised I did as well as I did,” he said in a phone call on Wednesday, March 12. “And I give the credit to a lot of helpers who called people on my behalf. It’s hard to let people know you are running, and how you have to write in the name and then mark an ‘x’ or they won’t count it. It required a lot of work, and I am thankful for their help.”

Williams’ name was not on the ballot, he said, “because I hadn’t thought about running. When people started asking me, I decided.”

The seat opened by the retirement of Dan Donovan.

As a representative to the state Legislature, his time is pretty well taken up.

Those who he ran against, he said, were “nice people who want to contribute to the town, people who have their different opinions.”

While he has never held a town office – as the other candidates hadn’t either – his position in the Legislature has given him a knowledge of government, he said, “and I do know what goes on around town.”

Still, he admits he has a lot to learn.

“The Selectmen do a lot of work people don’t know about,” he said. “I talked to Dan Donovan and he said to figure on 30 hours a week. Now I have two jobs that take up all my time and don’t pay very much.”

He said the question of purchasing a conservation easement on the Frye Farm, the most controversial question on the warrant for Town Meeting, influenced his decision to run.

“All the people who asked me to run were people who feel we should spend the money,” he said. “I feel this is important and I support it. I will speak to it at Town Meeting, as a resident, not as a selectman since I won’t get sworn in until after the meeting.”

The easement passed with a vote of 220-91.

Selectman Bill Condra said he’s sure Williams will be a good addition to the board.

“We are on opposite perspectives of the political spectrum, but I think we will get along just fine,” Condra said.

Williams, a Democrat, was sworn in as a selectman at the start of the regular meeting on Monday, March 17.