WILTON – The parking violations around the access to Garwin Falls is as bad as it was last year and Select Board member Matt Fish said he wanted the police to take more action, patrol more often, ticket more cars, start towing the offenders. He said “people are parking under the No Parking signs on Isaac Frye Highway.”

He had “conducted an analysis,” he told the board on Monday, July 15, “and conducted a poll on Facebook which garnered 130 responses. “It’s out of control again.”

It was noted that there were more pedestrians on Isaac Frye, posing a safety hazard.

Police Chief Eric Olesen said his officers patrol regularly and ticket cars. They have not been towing unless the vehicle is a safety hazard. Asked if a car would be towed if it had more than one ticket, he said it would. He said an officer had to be present when a car is towed “to protect the tow truck driver.”

Select Board Chairman Kermit Williams noted that the town has limited resources and the whole town to cover. “We asked our Police Department, professionals, to use their best judgement and concentrate on safety. There are other things they have to deal with.”

Fish disputed that and argued with both Olesen and Williams. He said cars needed to be towed. “the place is a mess.”

Olesen said, “If you want them towed, they’ll be towed.”

When the argument got hotter, Williams closed it.

In other business on Monday, the board accepted $35,139 from Milford Area Communications Center, “a return of accrued surplus.” The money is to be used to upgrade the Fire Department radios to high band.

Clinton Lodge #52 was granted an abatement of the school portion of the property tax bills on the Masonic building, a long-standing practice.

Fish objected, saying the town lacked a policy on abatements for charitable institutions. “We need to have a workshop, determine what qualifies and what doesn’t. We shouldn’t have this discussion until we review it.”

He questioned whether the Masons were a “charitable” group. “Don’t grant anything until after a public debate on policy. We owe it to the taxpayers.”

Williams said the lodge was a small group and the board “had agreed for decades to provide a partial abatement. We wouldn’t want to see them lose their building.” The school portion was abated because the lodge “has no affect on the schools.”

Past Master Bob Farr said theirs was “strictly a volunteer organization.”

The abatement was granted with Fish abstaining.

A request from the school district for an early payment was granted “on a one-time basis.”

Williams said taxes were collected “on behalf of the school” and “it’s not our money.”

An extension of a one-year lease on property of Route 31 South (Greenville Road) was signed with Quinn Brothers. The time will be used to prepare a warrant article for Town Meeting. The lease covers an on-going gravel operation. The original lease expired last year.

The next meeting of the board, July 29, will be held in Milford jointly with the Milford board. The next regular meeting will be on Aug. 5.