WILTON — Wilton residents will weigh in on their town budget and proposed changes to Wilton’s zoning ordinance Monday at their annual Town Meeting.
The meeting is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. in the Academy Hill School cafeteria. Voters participated in municipal elections last week.
In this year’s warrant articles, voters will be asked to approve $871,850 for the highway department, a $12,000 increase over last year’s budget. The select board and finance committee have requested $492,374 for the Wilton Police Department, a more than $8,000 increase, and $135,760 for the town fire department, a more than $14,000 increase. The board and committee have submitted a $20,000 boost to funding for the public safety building, or $51,280 total. Other budget items that will see increases if approved include general government administration which at $293,700 would represent a $13,300 increase over last year’s budget.
Some budget lines would see decreases. If approved, the Northstar ambulance subsidy would decrease from $30,577 last year to $20,206. Funding for the transfer station and recycling department would decline slightly while the select board and finance committee have voted to cut any additional funding for an updated watershed survey for Wilson Lake, Varnum Pond and Pease Pond.
Overall, town manager Rhonda Irish said the total budget will be approximately $11,000 lower than last year’s due to revenue gains. Irish said those gains were primarily due to increases in projected state revenue sharing.
The select board and finance committee recommendations differed slightly on only one line item. The committee has recommended $15,732 for animal control while the board is seeking to maintain last year’s funding level at $15,532.
Residents will also consider a series of recommendations from the Wilton planning board including amendments to the zoning ordinance that would prohibit mobile homes in the downtown village zone, editing the presentation of the ordinance for easier understanding and rezoning the lot at 319 U.S. Route 2 East from residential to commercial to better conform with surrounding commercial lots.
In municipal elections on Tuesday, Wilton residents voted in an uncontested election to replace two members of their select board and fill a vacancy on the RSU 9 board of directors. David Leavitt will replace John Black on the select board while Keith Swett will replace Jeffrey Rowe. Black and Rowe declined to run again after their terms expired this year. Irving Faunce will replace Swett on the RSU 9 board of directors.
Kate McCormick — 861-9218
kmccormick@centralmaine.com
Twitter: @KateRMcCormick
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