2007 Annual Report - Town of Wilton
2007 Annual Report - Town of Wilton
2007 Annual Report - Town of Wilton
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<strong>Town</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Wilton</strong> OfficialsFirst SelectmanWilliam F. BrennanSelectmenAlice L. Ayres through 8/6/07Susan A. BruschiHarold E. ClarkRichard F. CreethTed H<strong>of</strong>fstatter from 8/6/07Animal ControlOfficer: Robert J. NapoleonAssistants: Herbert F. Roome, Mary AnnKleinschmitt, Kelli BakerAssessorDavid LisowskiDeputy: Michelle GuideraBuildingOfficial: Robert RootAssistant: Mark Lawrence from 6/18/07Environmental AffairsDirector: Patricia M.P. SestoEnvironmental Analyst: Michael ConklinFinanceChief Financial Officer: Joseph A. DolanController: Richard McArdleFireChief: Paul MilositzDeputy Chief: George Peters through 4/2/07Mark Amatrudo from 7/16/07HealthDirector: Steven H. ScholeAssistant Sanitarian: Jennifer ZbellMedical Advisor: Dean N. Martin, M.D.Human Resources, Labor Relations andAdministrative ServicesDirector: Sarah L. TaffelInformation SystemsDirector: Richard Tiffen through 5/30/07John Savarese from 11/26/07Parks and RecreationDirector: Stephen M. PierceGrounds Superintendent: James FlynnAssistant Recreation Director: Scott KierasPoliceChief: Edward KulhawikExecutive Officer: Captain Michael LombardoPublic WorksDirector: Thomas ThurkettleField Engineer: Harry KabasakalianHighway Superintendent: Frank Booththrough 8/3/07Robert Flemming from 12/1/07Registrars <strong>of</strong> VotersClementina L. GardnerMargaret A ReevesSocial ServicesDirector: Catherine PierceSenior Services: Lauren Hughes,Lizabeth DotyYouth Services: Colleen Nee Fawcett,Allyson Cussen from 1/8/07Superintendent <strong>of</strong> SchoolsGary Richards, Ed.DTax CollectorPhilip J. DamatoDeputy: Theresa D. Lepoutre<strong>Town</strong> ClerkBettye J. RagognettiAssistants: Ann R. Fiteni,Kathy M. Cooper<strong>Town</strong> CounselG. Kenneth Bernhard, Jr.Associate <strong>Town</strong> Counsel: Patricia Sullivan<strong>Town</strong> HistorianCarol M. RussellPlanning & ZoningPlanner: Robert NerneyAssistant: Daphne WhiteZoning Enforcement Officer:Timothy BuntingTreasurerJanet H. BondesonTree WardenPaul R. YoungConstablesChristopher Dubrowski, ChristopherGardner, Deborah McFadden, ColleenMarie O’Brien, Richard Boyle Mitchell,Arthur Shulman, Richard ZieglerJustices <strong>of</strong> the PeaceEric Bosch, Lois L. Bruce, Harold E. Clark,Karen M. Danvers, Charles P. Flynn,Edward E. Greene, Louise W. Herot,Charles B. Lewis, Jr., Dean Price,L. Michael Rudolph, Thomas M. Sinchak,Roger R. Valkenburgh, Jr.,Barbara Wasserman, Candice C. Zarr,Judith B. ZuckerPhotos courtesy <strong>of</strong> Alex von Kleydorff from theexcept where notedDesigned and produced bySQUARESQUAREDCover: Eleven-year-old Jenna Gunnell paints thestripes on her flag and jack-o’-lantern creation ata window in <strong>Wilton</strong> Center, part <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Wilton</strong> ArtsCouncil Halloween window painting event.
ContentsIntroduction.............................................................................................1Board <strong>of</strong> Selectmen................................................................................1Board <strong>of</strong> Finance.....................................................................................5Treasurer..................................................................................................7<strong>Town</strong> Clerk...............................................................................................7<strong>Town</strong> Counsel..........................................................................................8Registrar <strong>of</strong> Voters..................................................................................8Tax Collector............................................................................................9<strong>Town</strong> Historian......................................................................................10Board <strong>of</strong> Education .............................................................................. 11Parks & Recreation...............................................................................14<strong>Wilton</strong> Library Association, Inc...........................................................15Fire Department.....................................................................................16Police Department.................................................................................18<strong>Wilton</strong> Volunteer Ambulance Corps....................................................21Commission on Social Services..........................................................21Nursing & Home Care............................................................................23Health Department................................................................................25Municipal Animal Control.....................................................................26Building Department.............................................................................27Planning and Zoning Commission......................................................27Zoning Board <strong>of</strong> Appeals.....................................................................28Conservation Commission...................................................................29Inland Wetlands Commission..............................................................30Historic District & Historic Property Commission.............................31Department <strong>of</strong> Public Works................................................................32Tree Warden...........................................................................................33Water Commission................................................................................33Water Pollution Control Authority.......................................................34Audit <strong>Report</strong>..........................................................................................35<strong>Wilton</strong>’s Demographic InformationFounded....................................................................................... 1726Incorporated................................................................................. 1802Government..................................<strong>Town</strong> Meeting/Board <strong>of</strong> SelectmenPopulation................................................................................. 17,965Households................................................................................. 5,923Area Size..................................................................... 27 square milesPublic Open Space............................................................1,413 acres
During the year, we formed several committees<strong>of</strong> highly-respected and experienced <strong>Wilton</strong>citizens to address several other governanceissues. One committee drafted a proposedrevised Code <strong>of</strong> Ethics. A second committeereviewed <strong>Wilton</strong>’s Elderly Tax Relief Program.And an Energy Commission was createdto study the <strong>Town</strong>’s use <strong>of</strong> energy and toexplore viable, safe, efficient and greenenergy alternatives.The work <strong>of</strong> all three committees was fruitful.A new <strong>Wilton</strong> Code <strong>of</strong> Ethics, which appliesto all <strong>Town</strong> <strong>of</strong>ficials and employees, wasfinalized and implemented. The committeethat reviewed <strong>Wilton</strong>’s Elderly Tax Reliefprogram, a needs-based program thatallows property tax credits or the deferral <strong>of</strong>taxes subject to certain income limitations,recommended a number <strong>of</strong> improvements,which were subsequently approved by theBoard <strong>of</strong> Selectmen. The Energy Commissionhas already made great strides in studyingand analyzing the <strong>Town</strong>’s use <strong>of</strong> energy and inexploring alternatives. These three initiativesserve as perfect examples <strong>of</strong> the power<strong>of</strong> participation.DevelopmentThe Route 7 widening project has madevisible progress. Overall, the project is ahead<strong>of</strong> schedule, aided by favorable weatherconditions, which have allowed the contractorto maintain a high level <strong>of</strong> construction activity.Periodic community information meetings withthe Connecticut Department <strong>of</strong> Transportation(DOT) representatives to outline constructionplans and to keep the community informedhave been well attended and we believethis is an excellentway to communicateconstruction plansand to respond tocitizen questions.At <strong>Wilton</strong>’s Cannondalerailroad station, wesuccessfully negotiatedthe constructionrequirements <strong>of</strong> newrestroom facilities withthe DOT. Constructionactivity is currently inprogress, which whencompleted will upgradethis station’s facilities forcommuters andother riders.Substantial developmentactivity is also underwayin both the <strong>Town</strong>Center and along thecommercial Route 7corridor. “<strong>Wilton</strong> is in play” as an attractiveinvestment opportunity! Two new buildingsand improvements to another were approvedfor construction in <strong>Wilton</strong> Center, which willadd attractive new <strong>of</strong>fice and retail space. Newrestaurants are scheduled to open in the village<strong>of</strong>fering a wider range <strong>of</strong> dining experiences forboth citizens and visitors. Municipal lamppostswere installed along River Road and in thevillage improving the lighting at night andenhancing pedestrian safety.Along Route 7, Westy’s Storage Center openedtheir storage facilities to the public and recentlya branch <strong>of</strong> the HSBC Bank opened in animpressive new building. At 60 Danbury Road,Davis-Marcus Partners began building a newcorporate <strong>of</strong>fice complex. When these twonew buildings are completed, Davis-MarcusPartners will have over 800,000 square feet <strong>of</strong>Class A <strong>of</strong>fice space in <strong>Wilton</strong>. This investmentis a noteworthy endorsement <strong>of</strong> the commercialdesirability <strong>of</strong> our community and the firm’sconfidence in the future <strong>of</strong> <strong>Wilton</strong>.Most important, this development activity isconsistent with the <strong>Town</strong>’s Plan <strong>of</strong> Conservationand Development. These projects will alsocontribute significantly to the health <strong>of</strong> thelocal economy by providing employment andservice opportunities, as well as increasedtax revenues.Administration2
Emergency PreparednessEmergency planning and preparationcontinues to be a major focus for the <strong>Town</strong>,involving all public safety departments, healthand school <strong>of</strong>ficials, as well as volunteeremergency workers, emergency medicaltechnicians and CERT team members. Anumber <strong>of</strong> accomplishments occurred in thisarea addressing policy drafting, personnel,training, and equipment issues.The <strong>Town</strong>’s emergency operations plan wasupdated, revised, reviewed and approvedby Connecticut’s Department <strong>of</strong> EmergencyManagement and Homeland Security. Thisupdate was an important goal and we werepleased to receive a complimentary letter fromGovernor Jodi Rell recognizing our emergencyplanning accomplishments.Changes occurred in the Fire Department’spersonnel and fleet. A new Deputy Fire Chiefwas hired, and he has been rigorously workingto enhance operations management and staffdevelopment. Two new fire engines weredelivered this year and put into service. Our fireprotection fleet is now well equipped with thebest and most modern apparatus available.In September, a very successful emergencyservices day was organized at the <strong>Town</strong>Hall Complex. Emergency service unitsdemonstrated equipment, rescue operations,SWAT team procedures and recommendedhome emergency preparation supplies.Connecticut’s State Police also thrilledthe crowds by demonstrating their rescuehelicopter. It was a great day and fun for all.In October, we had our first influenza/pandemicflu shot drill using Miller and Driscoll Schoolsas the inoculation site. It was a very successfulexercise with over 500 citizens inoculatedquickly proving mass inoculation procedures, ifever required in the future, would be possible.The <strong>Town</strong> plans to continue various emergencydrills in the future to sharpen our skills andto be prepared for various potential weatherrelated,public health or other disasters.Utilizing an Emergency Management andHomeland Security grant, the <strong>Town</strong> acquireda reverse 911 message system, that whenprogrammed, will provide an updatedcapability to send emergency messages tothe community as a whole or to selectedgeographical segments <strong>of</strong> the community.To build our shelter resources, we conductedshelter training for appropriate personnel andvolunteers. We also acquired additional cotsand blankets to assist displaced citizens duringa severe storm or other major emergency.<strong>Town</strong> FacilitiesDuring the year, the stadium and fields projectwas completed. The visitor and home standswere opened for public use, a complete newtrack surface was installed, team rooms werecompleted in time for the first varsity homefootball game and a new concession stand andlavatory facilities were finished well ahead <strong>of</strong> theAdministration3
contracted construction schedule. Extensivenew fencing, improved stadium lighting, aswell as an emergency light system, were alsoinstalled at the stadium complex.Funds were approved for the initial design andengineering <strong>of</strong> renovations to the high schooland the expansion <strong>of</strong> Miller/Driscoll pre-kspecial education facilities. Activity is underwayon these projects including the retaining <strong>of</strong>Turner Construction to provide pre-constructionand project management planning expertiseduring the critical design and budgeting phases.The Comstock Community Center project,which includes a new senior center, is alsomoving forward. A steering committee wasformed with members who have architectural,construction and other related skills. Thiscommittee’s role will be to develop a statement<strong>of</strong> requirements, plus preliminary design andcost estimates for eventual approval at the May2009 <strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Town</strong> Meeting. A member <strong>of</strong> thenewly formed Energy Commission is also onthis committee to ensure that energy reductionconcepts and technology are incorporated intodesign considerations.At Ambler Farm, major renovations weremade to the yellow house last summer anda caretaker/educator and his family movedin as a tenant to assist in the preservationand development <strong>of</strong> Ambler Farm. A steeringcommittee has been formed to start thefirst phase <strong>of</strong> renovating the historic whitefarmhouse. Improvements to other farmbuildings were also made during the past year.SummaryAs initially stated, <strong>2007</strong> was a good year for<strong>Wilton</strong>. Our finances remain strong and majorprojects made steady progress thanks to theefforts <strong>of</strong> many citizen volunteers who servedon various steering committees, boards andcommissions. Without this active citizenparticipation in <strong>Wilton</strong>’s “public square”, thebreadth <strong>of</strong> activity across our communitycould not be maintained.In closing, I would also like to express myappreciation to my colleagues on the Board<strong>of</strong> Selectmen for their many long hours <strong>of</strong>municipal service and generous support. Inaddition, our <strong>Town</strong> employees deserve a biground <strong>of</strong> applause! <strong>Wilton</strong> is fortunate to havea very dedicated group <strong>of</strong> employees whosepr<strong>of</strong>essional efforts and sacrifices have greatlycontributed to our communal safety andquality <strong>of</strong> life.William F. Brennan,First SelectmanAdministration4
Board <strong>of</strong> FinanceUnder the <strong>Town</strong> Charter, the Board <strong>of</strong>Finance’s principal responsibility is to developthe <strong>Town</strong>’s annual general fund budgetand recommend the tax rate to the <strong>Annual</strong><strong>Town</strong> Meeting. Other responsibilities includereview <strong>of</strong> bonding proposals, selection <strong>of</strong> theindependent auditor, review and approval<strong>of</strong> the annual audit report and approval <strong>of</strong>supplemental appropriations. Furthermore, infulfilling its responsibility for general oversight<strong>of</strong> financial operations, from time to time theBoard will arrange for internal audits <strong>of</strong> variousfunctions and processes. The areas to auditare chosen after consulting with the Board <strong>of</strong>Education and the Board <strong>of</strong> Selectmen. Recentaudits have covered the Transfer Station,payroll processing and documentation andthe use <strong>of</strong> Board <strong>of</strong> Education facilities byexternal parties.Overview<strong>Wilton</strong>’s overall financial condition remainssound. Reserves are well above average. Debtservice continues to decline and Moody’sInvestors Service once again has affirmed<strong>Wilton</strong>’s long-standing Aaa rating.Like many other towns, however, <strong>Wilton</strong>faces increasing budgetary pressures fromstate and federal mandates, especiallyin education, costs <strong>of</strong> employee healthinsurance and pension benefits and escalatingenergy costs. Some <strong>Town</strong> revenue may beaffected by the recent and ongoing turmoilin the real estate market. Furthermore, asthe <strong>Town</strong> has become more mature andopportunities for development more limited,Grand List growth has leveled <strong>of</strong>f from anaverage <strong>of</strong> approximately 2.0% over the pastseveral years to 1.0% for the most recentGrand List <strong>of</strong> October 1, <strong>2007</strong>. Therefore, t<strong>of</strong>ulfill mandates from the federal and stategovernments, and to maintain the quality<strong>of</strong> public services residents have cometo expect, <strong>Wilton</strong> must rely primarily onproperty taxes and other internally generatedrevenues while also adopting stringent costcontainment efforts.In April <strong>of</strong> 2006, the Board <strong>of</strong> Financerecommended a Fiscal <strong>2007</strong> General Fundbudget <strong>of</strong> $94.9 million. Although this increasewas 6.9% over Fiscal 2006, the mill rate <strong>of</strong>23.39 was an increase <strong>of</strong> only 3.7% dueprimarily to the use <strong>of</strong> $1.4 million <strong>of</strong> theGeneral Fund balance.Adjusted Budget Actual Favorable (Unfavorable) VarianceRevenues $93,622,029 $96,038,859 $2,416,830Expenditures 95,539,487 95,571,672 2,967,815Positive (Negative) Variance $(1,917,458) $ 3,467,187 $ 5,384,645Revenue Budget-to-Actual VariancesInvestment income $1,073,645Property taxes & interest 334,605Fees, permits, rents and other 55,837Grants 952,743Expenditure VariancesBoard <strong>of</strong> Selectmen$1,207,355Operating and CapitalDebt Service (5,808)Board <strong>of</strong> Education 1,009,892Charter Authority (contingency) 756,376$492,523 <strong>of</strong> the $1,207,355 are unexpended capital appropriationswhich, by the Charter, are continued to FY 2008Administration5
Fiscal Year Ended June 30, <strong>2007</strong>The June 30, <strong>2007</strong>, audit shows a totalending undesignated and unreserved generalfund balance <strong>of</strong> $13.9 million. Actual Fiscal<strong>2007</strong> revenues were $2.4 million more thanbudgeted, while expenditures were $3.0 millionunder the budget. The combined effect was afavorable variance <strong>of</strong> $5.4 million.It should be noted that budget-to-actualvariances in grant revenue and the Board<strong>of</strong> Education’s expenditures were to someextent the result <strong>of</strong> statutory accountingrequirements for the Excess Cost SpecialEducation grant. In Fiscal <strong>2007</strong>, the totalgrant was $1,659,370 <strong>of</strong> which $741,080was treated as a reduction <strong>of</strong> Board <strong>of</strong>Education expenditures.The unreserved, undesignated generalfund balance was 13.8% <strong>of</strong> revenues. Ona generally accepted accounting principlesbasis (GAAP) the total fund balance was19% <strong>of</strong> revenues. This is one <strong>of</strong> the primarymeasures used to determine a credit rating.While Moody’s minimum standard is 5% <strong>of</strong>revenues, 10% is preferred.The Fiscal 2008 BudgetThe Board’s budget process formallycommenced with the late February and earlyMarch, <strong>2007</strong>, submissions <strong>of</strong> the Board <strong>of</strong>Selectmen’s and Board <strong>of</strong> Education’s budgetrequests. During March, meetings were heldwith both boards, followed by two publichearings at the end <strong>of</strong> the month. Duringthe first week <strong>of</strong> April, the Board <strong>of</strong> Financecarefully reviewed all aspects <strong>of</strong> the budgetand recommended a budget <strong>of</strong> $102,078,176and a mill rate <strong>of</strong> 24.23, an increase <strong>of</strong> 3.6%over the previous year. The <strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Town</strong>Meeting approved the budget by a vote <strong>of</strong>862 to 346 on May 5, <strong>2007</strong>.Capital Improvement Bonding ProposalsUnder the <strong>Town</strong> Charter, any proposal forbonding must be submitted to the Board <strong>of</strong>Finance for comment prior to action by the<strong>Town</strong> Meeting. If the Board objects to anyaspect <strong>of</strong> the proposal, it must report itsreasons to the <strong>Town</strong> Meeting.The table below shows the bondauthorizations that were acted upon at the<strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Town</strong> Meeting on May 1, <strong>2007</strong>.In November, <strong>2007</strong>, the <strong>Town</strong> issued$3,740,000 in bonds to finance these projects.Through final maturity on November 15, 2022,the bonds carry interest rates ranging from3.75% to 4.00%. Moody’s Investors Servicereaffirmed the <strong>Town</strong>’s credit rating <strong>of</strong> Aaa.As <strong>of</strong> June 30, <strong>2007</strong>, the <strong>Town</strong>’s long-termdebt decreased by $1,830,000 to $69,330,000.The following table shows the long-termfinancing activities during the fiscal year.Bonds and notes outstandingat June 30, 2006ConclusionThroughout much <strong>of</strong> Fiscal <strong>2007</strong> the Board<strong>of</strong> Finance members were Richard Dubow(Chairman), Robert Kelso (Vice-chairman),Carl “Andy” Pforzheimer (Clerk), LenorePalmer, Warren Serenbetz and Lee Wilson.Lenore Palmer resigned in June <strong>2007</strong> andwas replaced by Alicia Lindgren. Lee Wilson’sfour-year term expired on December 1, <strong>2007</strong>and he was replaced by Al Alper. RichardDubow reached his term limit after eightyears on the Board, the last as Chairman.Dick was succeeded by Jim Meinhold. Onbehalf <strong>of</strong> the Board and <strong>Wilton</strong> taxpayers, IProject Amount Yes NoHigh School Boiler Replacement $925,000 1,040 183High School Improvements Design $200,000 873 353Miller/Driscoll Spec. Ed. Expansion Design $150,000 825 398Middlebrook West Canopy $190,000 810 410<strong>Town</strong> Hall Emergency Generators $350,000 1,012 212Ambler Farm Improvements $555,000 711 513<strong>Town</strong> Center Street Lighting $550,000 631 587Athletic Fields $820,000 709 511Total $3,740,000$ 71,160,000Principal payments (5,985,000)New bonds issued 4,055,000Bonds outstanding atJune 30, 2006$ 69,230,000Administration6
would like to thank Lee and Lenore for theirvery capable dedication and insight. I wouldalso especially thank Dick Dubow for eightyears <strong>of</strong> service. His votes and decisions werealways influenced by open-minded fairnessand balance, resulting from his prior years <strong>of</strong>service on the Board <strong>of</strong> Education and Board<strong>of</strong> Selectmen. As Chairman <strong>of</strong> the Board <strong>of</strong>Finance, his gentle and effective leadershipguided us to consensus on several majorpolicy issues such as the funding <strong>of</strong> pensionand post-employment benefit liabilities.Board members’ perspectives will differ fromtime to time, but we unanimously believe that<strong>Wilton</strong>’s finances must remain strong. Thisbelief and the willingness to act accordinglyare amply demonstrated by the very favorableFiscal <strong>2007</strong> results and the reaffirmation<strong>of</strong> the Aaa credit rating. Of course, thebest-conceived financial plans rely on thecooperation and support <strong>of</strong> those affectedmost by them, the Board <strong>of</strong> Selectmen andBoard <strong>of</strong> Education. We thank members <strong>of</strong>both boards for their contributions as well.Last but not least, the <strong>Town</strong> and the Board<strong>of</strong> Finance are extremely fortunate to benefiteach year from the capable, pr<strong>of</strong>essional,and dedicated staff we have. Especiallyto be noted are the outstanding efforts <strong>of</strong>Joe Dolan, <strong>Wilton</strong>’s Chief Financial Officer;Richard McArdle, Controller; and Ken Post,Director <strong>of</strong> Financial Planning and Operationsfor the Board <strong>of</strong> Education. They providethe essential support needed to enable sixvolunteers with many other commitments t<strong>of</strong>unction successfully as a Board <strong>of</strong> Finance.Robert H. Kelso,ChairmanTreasurerAn important function <strong>of</strong> the Treasurer’s Officeis the generation <strong>of</strong> income from investingavailable <strong>Town</strong> funds while maintainingworking accounts at safe operatingminimums. The joint efforts <strong>of</strong> Joseph A.Dolan, the Chief Financial Officer, and the<strong>Town</strong> Treasurer contributed $2,608,308 ininvestment earnings to the <strong>Town</strong> revenues.Of this income, the invested balances in theGeneral Fund brought in over $1,784,426while proceeds from General Obligationbonds yielded nearly $219,219. The remaining$604,663 was earned from available cashbalances in other governmental funds <strong>of</strong>which nearly $515,630 came from SewerAssessment and Operating Fund investments.The <strong>Town</strong> Treasurer is also the custodian<strong>of</strong> performance bonds which are requiredbefore construction permits are issued,safeguarding and releasing them only uponsatisfactory completion as determined by thePlanning and Zoning and/or Inland WetlandCommissions. During Fiscal <strong>2007</strong>, forty-oneperformance bonds were received for newprojects, while forty-seven were released.Janet M. Bondeson,<strong>Town</strong> Treasurer<strong>Town</strong> ClerkThe year <strong>2007</strong> showed another markeddecrease in activity in the Clerk’s <strong>of</strong>ficereflecting the rise in interest rates and theslowdown in the housing market. There were4,434 documents recorded. <strong>Town</strong> Clerkfees collected were in excess <strong>of</strong> $956,000.Recording and conveyance tax feesaccounted for the greatest amount <strong>of</strong> revenuefollowed by fees for map copies, certifiedcopies <strong>of</strong> land records, copies <strong>of</strong> documents,marriage licenses, filing fees, certified copies<strong>of</strong> vital records, and notary filings andcertifications. Sport licenses and dog licensesfees made up a portion <strong>of</strong> the revenue. This<strong>of</strong>fice also sold Transfer Station decals andcoupons for the Department <strong>of</strong> Public Works.Renewal notices are sent out every June.Transfer station revenue totaled over $82,500.In all elections, the <strong>Town</strong> Clerk is responsiblefor developing the ballot, arranging forprinting, issuing and keeping a record <strong>of</strong>absentee ballots issued and those returnedand coordinating with the Registrars <strong>of</strong> Votersfor a smooth election process.We are continuing to restore the recordsthat are beginning to deteriorate. We againreceived a $7,000 Historic Document grantfrom the Connecticut State Library, restoringthe Vital Records from 1970 through 1980.Our staff includes Assistants Ann R. Fiteni andKathy M. Cooper and Clerk Sheilah Pastore.Bettye Joan Ragognetti,<strong>Town</strong> ClerkAdministration7
<strong>Town</strong> CounselThe <strong>Town</strong> Attorney’s <strong>of</strong>fice, located in <strong>Wilton</strong><strong>Town</strong> Hall, remained an integral part <strong>of</strong> thedaily activity in <strong>Town</strong> Hall. The <strong>Town</strong> Attorney,Ken Bernhard, who is also a partner withthe law firm <strong>of</strong> Cohen and Wolf, P.C., servedhis sixteenth year as the <strong>Town</strong> Counsel. Mr.Bernhard’s partner, Pat Sullivan, served hertwelfth year as Assistant <strong>Town</strong> Attorney.Mr. Bernhard and Ms. Sullivan meet with townpersonnel in <strong>Town</strong> Hall on Tuesday afternoonsand come to <strong>Town</strong> Hall when requested.Mr. Bernhard meets regularly with the FirstSelectman on Thursday afternoons. The <strong>Town</strong>Attorney and his Assistant are also availableby phone and by email. In this way, the <strong>Town</strong>’sdepartments, boards and commissions haveregular and easy access to counsel whenrequiring legal advice. Mr. Bernhard and Ms.Sullivan attend evening meetings, includingthe <strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Town</strong> Meeting, when legal advice issought or required.In <strong>2007</strong>, the issues facing the <strong>Town</strong> Attorney’s<strong>of</strong>fice were varied and challenging. They rangedfrom relatively simple questions concerningcharter or statutory language interpretationto complex negotiations and documentpreparation. This past year a number <strong>of</strong>enforcement actions were brought to ensurethat property owners were in compliance with<strong>Wilton</strong>’s land use regulations.While the <strong>Wilton</strong> <strong>Town</strong> Charter provides that the<strong>Town</strong> Attorney should give advice to <strong>Wilton</strong>’sboards, commissions and departments,residents were <strong>of</strong>ten seen in the <strong>Town</strong>Attorney’s <strong>of</strong>fice seeking guidance on how todeal with municipal laws and regulations. Aslong as there was no conflict <strong>of</strong> interest, Mr.Bernhard’s <strong>of</strong>fice endeavors to help citizenswith the complexities <strong>of</strong> municipal government.Mr. Bernhard’s regular companions, a retiredguide dog named Ubie and a rescued GermanShepherd named Joey, wereregularly in attendance at<strong>Town</strong> Hall.G. Kenneth Bernhard,<strong>Town</strong> AttorneyRegistrar <strong>of</strong>VotersThis year the entire State <strong>of</strong>Connecticut upgraded its votingsystems, transitioning fromlever-style voting machines tooptical scanning technology—with paper ballots—and ahandicapped accessibletelephone/fax system for voterswith disabilities. <strong>Wilton</strong>’s Registrars <strong>of</strong> Voters,as the local representatives <strong>of</strong> the Secretary <strong>of</strong>the State, dedicated significant efforts to voteroutreach activities and re-training <strong>of</strong> electionsworkers to make this transition proceed assmoothly as possible.Photo: J. SavareseThe Registrars broadcast public serviceannouncements about Connecticut’s newvoting systems on <strong>Wilton</strong>’s community accessTV channel (Channel 79), made presentationsto community organizations, and served asinstructors in the League <strong>of</strong> Women Voters<strong>of</strong> Connecticut’s statewide voter outreachprogram—Stop, Look, and Listen: New VotingMachines Are Coming Your Way! In the spring<strong>of</strong> <strong>2007</strong>, the Registrars and League <strong>of</strong> WomenVoters volunteers registered twenty-five newvoters at two voter registration sessions at<strong>Wilton</strong> High School. In June, fifty-three pollworkers from <strong>Wilton</strong> were honored by theSecretary <strong>of</strong> the State in a public awardsceremony recognizing the “unsung heroes <strong>of</strong>our democracy.”<strong>Wilton</strong>’s Registrars <strong>of</strong> Voters, elected for aterm <strong>of</strong> two years, administer all federal andstate elections, primaries, municipal elections,town meetings, and referenda. The Registrarsare responsible for hiring and training theelection <strong>of</strong>ficials who serve at every electionand town meeting. They safeguard one <strong>of</strong> themost basic rights <strong>of</strong> citizenship—the right toAdministration8
vote—and promote the exercise <strong>of</strong> that rightwith op-ed articles and letters to the editor inthe local newspapers.This year the registrars supervised the following:• <strong>Wilton</strong>’s <strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Town</strong> Meeting—to adoptthe annual budget and approve the rate <strong>of</strong>taxation for the town—was held on May 1 andadjourned for further voting on May 5. Elevenpercent <strong>of</strong> the electorate voted.• <strong>Wilton</strong>’s municipal election was held onNovember 6, with a voter turnout <strong>of</strong> 20.5%.First Selectman William F. Brennan wasreelected to a second term <strong>of</strong> <strong>of</strong>fice.• The <strong>Town</strong> held a Special <strong>Town</strong> Meeting onNovember 15—which was adjourned forfurther voting on November 17—to approvean extension <strong>of</strong> an option agreement between<strong>Wilton</strong> Commons and the <strong>Town</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Wilton</strong>. Theproposal passed with a voter turnout <strong>of</strong> 3.9%.As <strong>of</strong> December 31, <strong>2007</strong>, <strong>Wilton</strong> had 10,882registered voters: 4,157 Republicans, 2,638Democrats, 4,078 Unaffiliated, and 9 other(minor party status).We would like to thank our deputies, CaroleYoung-Kleinfeld and Joan Starr for theirassistance in registering new voters andpreparing for the municipal election. Inaddition, we are grateful to our dedicatedmoderators and poll workers.Clementina L. Gardner,Margaret A. Reeves,RegistrarsTax CollectorOnce the annual mill rate is approved by the<strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Town</strong> Meeting, the Tax Collector’s Officeis responsible for calculating <strong>Wilton</strong>’s taxesfor each property owner, preparing the annualtax bills for mailing in June and collecting thetaxes due on a timely basis. Also, the Officeis responsible for billing and collecting sewerassessments, water assessments, the annualsewer usage charge and alarm management.The three categories <strong>of</strong> <strong>Wilton</strong> property taxrevenues are Real Estate, Motor Vehicle andTax Statistics <strong>2007</strong>Personal Property (business) with Real Estatebeing the dominant source <strong>of</strong> revenue at91% <strong>of</strong> the total Fiscal Year <strong>2007</strong> propertytax billings. In summary, the Fiscal Year <strong>2007</strong><strong>Wilton</strong> tax billings are stated in the table below.The taxes are based on assessed propertyvalue (defined as 70% <strong>of</strong> 2002 market value)multiplied by the annual budgeted “mill rate”expressed in thousandths <strong>of</strong> a dollar. Thecurrent mill rate for <strong>Wilton</strong> in Fiscal Year 2008 is24.23, which is equivalent to $24.23 <strong>of</strong> tax foreach $1,000 <strong>of</strong> assessed property value.Of the total billed revenues for Fiscal Year<strong>2007</strong>, the collection rate was 99.5% or$84,334,488. Maintaining a high collectionrate is the foremost objective <strong>of</strong> the TaxCollector’s Office. The result is a low level <strong>of</strong>delinquent taxes.In addition to the Tax Collector, the Office isstaffed with Assistant Tax Collector TheresaLepoutre and Head Tax Clerk Tammy Cole.During the peak collection periods <strong>of</strong> mid-June to early August and mid-Decemberto early February, an additional tax clerk ispresent to assist in processing collections andanswering questions.Philip J. Damato, Tax CollectorCategory <strong>of</strong> Tax Number <strong>of</strong> Accounts Billed RevenuesReal Estate 6,519 $77,572,896Motor Vehicle 19,311 $4,531,200Personal Property 1,341 $2,924,442Totals 27,171 $85,028,538Administration9
<strong>Town</strong> Historian<strong>Wilton</strong> appointed its first <strong>Town</strong> Historian in1994 in compliance with a requirement <strong>of</strong>the Connecticut General Assembly. It is theresponsibility <strong>of</strong> a town historian to promotea central repository and awareness <strong>of</strong> the<strong>Town</strong>’s heritage, periodically update the<strong>Town</strong>’s historical records and create factualpresentations for the betterment <strong>of</strong>future generations.During <strong>2007</strong>, the Historian assisted residents,students and researchers in their study <strong>of</strong><strong>Wilton</strong> history and family and house genealogy,spoke to local groups and provided historicalinformation when requested. A brief summary<strong>of</strong> <strong>Wilton</strong>’s history is posted on the <strong>Town</strong>’s website. A more extensive history <strong>of</strong> <strong>Wilton</strong>, writtenby Robert Russell, entitled <strong>Wilton</strong>, Connecticut:Three Centuries <strong>of</strong> People, Places, andProgress, is available to purchase at the <strong>Wilton</strong>Historical Society Museum or to borrow fromthe <strong>Wilton</strong> Library.The <strong>Town</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Wilton</strong>’s historical records are locatedin the <strong>Wilton</strong> History Room in the <strong>Wilton</strong> Libraryand in the <strong>Town</strong> Clerk’s <strong>of</strong>fice in <strong>Wilton</strong> <strong>Town</strong> Hall.Contact either the <strong>Town</strong> Historian or the <strong>Town</strong>Clerk for access to these records.Carol M. Russell,<strong>Town</strong> HistorianAdministration10
Board <strong>of</strong> EducationWe take great pride in the mission andperformance <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Wilton</strong> Public Schools. Amajority <strong>of</strong> residents with children <strong>of</strong>ten citethe schools as the reason that they chose tolocate in this community. Our community hasgenerously supported the <strong>Wilton</strong> Public Schoolsand the pr<strong>of</strong>essionals, support staff andvolunteers who serve the school system takethe responsibility <strong>of</strong> stewardship very seriously.We strive to address the challenges before usand to provide a solid return on the investmentthat the community has made in its schools.The Board <strong>of</strong> Education consists <strong>of</strong> sixmembers who serve under the provisions<strong>of</strong> Connecticut General Statutes: they “shallmaintain good public elementary and secondaryschools, implement the educational interests <strong>of</strong>the state and provide such other educationalactivities as in its judgment will best serve theinterests <strong>of</strong> the school district.” This provisionunderscores the dual role <strong>of</strong> Board <strong>of</strong> Educationmembers. The members <strong>of</strong> the Board <strong>of</strong>Education are municipal <strong>of</strong>ficials serving the<strong>Town</strong> as well as state agents charged with theresponsibility for implementing the educationalinterests <strong>of</strong> the state. The Board is responsiblefor three elementary schools, one middleschool, and one high school, which provideeducational programs to 4,326 students as<strong>of</strong> October 1, <strong>2007</strong>, in addition to 42 prekindergartenstudents, and 27 out-<strong>of</strong>-districtspecial education tuition students.School and District Statistics <strong>2007</strong> - 2008School & Principal<strong>Wilton</strong> High SchoolTimothy Canty, PrincipalMiddlebrook SchoolJulia Harris, PrincipalCider Mill SchoolVirginia Rico, PrincipalIna E. Driscoll SchoolLynnette Tinacci, PrincipalTilford A. Miller SchoolCheryl Jensen-Gerner, PrincipalGradeEnrollment Pr<strong>of</strong>essional Staff Teacher Aides /Level10/1/<strong>2007</strong> 10/1/<strong>2007</strong> * Sec./ Cust.9 – 12 1,259 99.53 44.0006 – 8 1,015 81.00 18.0003 – 5 1,049 74.20 17.750K – 2 491 33.85 12.375K – 2 512 34.85 12.325Special ServicesPreK – 12 **43253.6689.890Ann L. Paul, Director/SpecialServicesOut <strong>of</strong> DistrictPreK2723 (+19 peer model students)Central Office***26.200AdministratorsTech Coordinator,Resource Teachers4.001.004.65Total 4,326 386.74 220.540* Pr<strong>of</strong>essional Staff includes: Administrators, Regular Education Teachers, Reading Teachers, Special Education Teachers, Guidance Counselors,Librarians/Media Specialists, Psychologists, Social Workers, Speech and Language Specialists, Pre-School Teachers, Adaptive P.E. Teachers &Technology Coordinator, District English Language Learners Teacher/Coordinator (.2).** Special education students are also included in enrollment figures for each school, except for 16 students who are enrolled in out-<strong>of</strong>-district specialeducation schools.*** Dr. Gary G. Richards, Superintendent; Arlene Gottesman, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum & Instruction; Ellen Andrews, Director <strong>of</strong> HumanResources & General Administration; Ann L. Paul, Director Special Services; Linda Lyall, Assistant Director Special Services; Heidi Carlin, AssistantDirector Special Services; Kenneth Post, Director, Financial Planning & Operations; James Dey, Technology Coordinator; Bonnie Campbell & EllenTuckner, K-5 Language Arts Resource Teachers; Kevin Meehan & Jane Giresi, Science (K-5) Resource Teachers; Ann Scozzafava, BEST ResourceTeacher; and Patricia Gould, District Testing Coordinator.Education, Culture, & Recreation11
The ChallengeThe greatest challenge the Board <strong>of</strong> Educationfaces is to respond in an educationally soundand fiscally effective manner to a diversestudent population. Our district priorities forthe <strong>2007</strong>-2008 school year included plans to:• Improve student skills K-12 in reading andwriting across the disciplines• Unify general education and specialeducation services in order to meet allstudents’ needs in developing literacy andother academic skills• Continue focus on differentiated instructionand learning experiences to support thelearning needs and styles <strong>of</strong> all students• Continue revisions in K-12 scienceprogram to align with national and statestandards, upcoming state assessments,and best practices in sequence andinquiry-based approach• Examine district world language program todefine appropriate scope and sequence <strong>of</strong>learning for students• Ensure special education programs andservices align with appropriate state andnational guidelines, current research, andbest practices in meeting the needs <strong>of</strong>students identified with autismspectrum disorders• Provide a personalized school communityto support academic, social and emotionalneeds <strong>of</strong> each child• Increase understanding and appreciation<strong>of</strong> diversity among staff, students andparents through curriculum and instruction,personnel practices, staff developmentand protocols to address concerns andfoster interaction with other racial, ethnic,linguistic and socio-economic peoples• Begin building expansion project for <strong>Wilton</strong>Public Schools Pre-School program• Plan for significant renovations at thehigh schoolAcademic Accomplishments• The following <strong>Wilton</strong> High School studentswere named Semi-Finalists in the 2008Merit Scholarship Program: Daniel Cole,Sherry Liu, Miri Park, Clay Skipper andDavid Zhu.• The following <strong>Wilton</strong> High School studentswere named Commended Students inthe 2008 Merit Scholarship Program:Susannah Apuzzo, Andrew Brown, IanCathcart, Jeffrey Fieber, Brendan Fox,Patrick Hackett, Evan Johnson, JamesKachadoorian, Douglas Kauffman, CurtisKisielius, Alexander Larned, Michaek Millas,Sangeetha Nair, Julia Pogust, JonathanSarezky and Purvi Sarup.Education, Culture, & Recreation12
• In the 2008 National AchievementScholarship Program competition CelsoWhite was named an Outstanding Participant.• WHS student Keith Heyde was selected asone <strong>of</strong> five state finalists in the AAA TracelHigh School Challenge.• Grades 3-8 CMT mastery scores aretraditionally strong (latest data: masterypercentages range from 78 – 90% or above).• Math, science, reading, writing Grade 10CAPT mastery scores are all in top half<strong>of</strong> reference group (9 towns with similardemographics).• <strong>2007</strong> SAT average scores: CriticalReading-591, Writing-590,Mathematics-602.• High Advanced Placement programparticipation and performance rates - 46%<strong>of</strong> the senior class took one or more APcourses and scored at least a 3 out <strong>of</strong> 5.• In the 2006-<strong>2007</strong> school year a randomlyselected group <strong>of</strong> 106 WHS fifteen-year-oldstudents took the Program for InternationalStudent Assessment (PISA) test whichmeasures student learning in science and willbenchmark our students against fifty-sevenother nations.• Impressive post-secondary plans: 89% fouryearcolleges, 5% two-year colleges, 5%military, employment, or fifth-year program.• College-bound students: 50% attending“most” or “highly” competitive collegesas labeled by Barron’s Pr<strong>of</strong>ile <strong>of</strong> AmericanColleges Competitive Categories.• All five <strong>Wilton</strong> schools received certificatessigned by Governor Rell recognizingparticipation in the Governor’s SummerReading Challenge for <strong>2007</strong>.• Approximately 30% <strong>of</strong> high school studentsparticipated in band, choir or orchestra.• Approximately 30% <strong>of</strong> high school studentsenrolled in an art course.Athletic Accomplishments• Over 60% <strong>of</strong> high school studentsparticipated in at least one interscholasticathletic team.• Approximately 75 clubs and intramurals<strong>of</strong>fered in grades 3-12.Staff Recognition• Middlebrook Teacher, Susan Graybill wasinstrumental in bringing a production <strong>of</strong>“Jackie, Vi and Lena” to Middlebrook school.• James Lucey was awarded the SeimensAward for Advanced Placement Teaching.• Marcy Carreras was presented with thePegasus Pride Award at the ConnecticutCouncil <strong>of</strong> Language Teachers conference.Additional Support<strong>Wilton</strong> is blessed with a supportive PTAthat is active in all facets <strong>of</strong> school life.Their varied activities provide thousands <strong>of</strong>hours <strong>of</strong> volunteer service to the studentsand staff <strong>of</strong> our schools each year. The<strong>Wilton</strong> Education Foundation, Inc. seeks toenhance public education (K-12) in <strong>Wilton</strong> bymobilizing community support, commitmentand resources. This past year, the Foundationprovided financial support for summer teachertraining programs.The Continuing ChallengeAs enrollments have increased, the Board <strong>of</strong>Education has continued to respond to the<strong>Town</strong>’s fiscal situation by controlling utilitycost increases through energy conservationmeasures and charging our students aninsurance fee in order to participate inathletics. However, rapidly escalating healthinsurance costs, competitive salary increasesneeded to keep up with the employmentmarket and increases in Special Educationcosts will place continued upward pressureEducation, Culture, & Recreation13
on school budgets in <strong>Wilton</strong>, in Connecticut,and in the nation. The quality, dedication andpassion <strong>of</strong> our pr<strong>of</strong>essional staff combinedwith the active support <strong>of</strong> parents and thecommunity are the primary reasons thatour students perform at such high levels inacademics, athletics, and the arts. For thiswe are grateful.Board <strong>of</strong> Education LeadershipIn <strong>2007</strong> the following were members <strong>of</strong> theBoard <strong>of</strong> Education: Karen Birck, Lisa Bogan,Dona Waskom, Troy Ellen Dixon, RobertGarland and Susan Bruschi. In January, <strong>2007</strong>,Mrs. Bruschi resigned to become a member<strong>of</strong> the Board <strong>of</strong> Selectmen. Mr. Gil Bray waschosen to become a member <strong>of</strong> the Board <strong>of</strong>Education as her replacement. In July, <strong>2007</strong>,Mr. Garland passed away. Mr James Furnivallwas chosen as his replacement.Members <strong>of</strong> the Board <strong>of</strong> Education for 2008are Karen Birck, Chairman; Gilmore Bray,Vice-Chairman; James Saxe, Secretary;Richard Dubow; James Furnivall; andBarbara Myers.Board <strong>of</strong> Education meetings, which areopen to the public, are held on the secondand fourth Thursdays <strong>of</strong> each month at 7:30p.m., unless otherwise indicated, in the <strong>Wilton</strong>High School Distance Learning Classroom(D101) at 395 Danbury Road. The Board <strong>of</strong>Education meeting schedule is posted on thedistrict web site in addition to other importantinformation concerning the <strong>Wilton</strong> PublicSchools: www.wilton.k12.ct.us.Karen Birck, ChairmanParks & RecreationThe <strong>Wilton</strong> Parks & Recreation Departmentprovides active and passive recreationalopportunities for residents <strong>of</strong> all ages,eighteen months through senior citizen. TheDepartment’s <strong>of</strong>fice is located in the ComstockCommunity Center at 180 School Road. The<strong>of</strong>fice is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.,Monday through Friday.Many Parks & Recreation activities are heldin the Comstock Community Center, whichincludes a gym, a dance studio, an art roomand a toddler activity room. Several multipurposerooms are available for programs andfor meeting space for local organizations.The Department also operates the MerwinMeadows Park that <strong>of</strong>fers a family swimmingarea for residents. The park includes picnicfacilities, changing rooms, a great playgroundand outdoor relaxation. It is connected by biketrails to the schools and to <strong>Wilton</strong> Center.The <strong>Town</strong> has installed two synthetic turffields, the Tom Fujitani Field at MemorialStadium and the Kristine Lilly Soccer Field.The <strong>Town</strong> has completed a modern stadiumfeaturing 3,500 seats, a new rubberized track,restrooms, concession stand and team rooms.Programs <strong>of</strong>fered by the RecreationDepartment include karate, Irish dancing,summer camps, sports camps, arts and crafts,tennis lessons, line dancing and aerobics.Other <strong>of</strong>ferings include basketball for childrenin first grade through eighth grade, adultbasketball, adult s<strong>of</strong>tball, open gym, travelcamp, day trips, ski trips and more. Programsuggestions from residents are encouraged.Special events include luncheons for seniorcitizens throughout the year, the <strong>Town</strong>’sannual Fourth <strong>of</strong> July celebration and ahayride with Santa in December. Picnics forsenior citizens are held at Merwin Meadowsevery Wednesday during the summer. TheDepartment also <strong>of</strong>fers a summer daycamp for children ages five through twelve.Camp is from 8:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m., andan extended day is <strong>of</strong>fered until 6:00 p.m.A minimum <strong>of</strong> one week is required forregistration. A half-day program is <strong>of</strong>feredthree days a week for children ages threeand four. Other camp programs scheduledduring the summer include basketball, ballet,volleyball and baseball.Members <strong>of</strong> the Parks and RecreationCommission in <strong>2007</strong> were: Chris Giovino,Chairman; Jamie Van Acker, Vice Chairman;Kevin O’Brien, Secretary; Christine Finkelstein;and Dave Wallace, Commissioners.The Parks & Recreation staff in <strong>2007</strong> included:Steve Pierce, Recreation Director; ScottKieras, Assistant Recreation Director; JimLewicki, Program Coordinator; and BeverlyEducation, Culture, & Recreation14
Hodge, Administrative Secretary. The Parks &Grounds staff was comprised <strong>of</strong>: Jim Flynn,Superintendent; Doug Katz, Foreman; ElioMignogna; Mike Pirre; John Guerra; and PatD’Agostino, Crewmen.Chris Giovino, Chairman<strong>Wilton</strong> LibraryAssociation, Inc.<strong>Wilton</strong> Library’s expansion, completed in April,2006, has created an exceptional resourcefor the community and an oasis for lifelonglearning, culture and exchange <strong>of</strong> ideas at theheart <strong>of</strong> <strong>Wilton</strong> Center. The project won twoprestigious design awards in <strong>2007</strong>: The ChicagoAthenaeum American Architecture Award andthe Connecticut Excellence in Public LibraryArchitecture Award. We are proud not only <strong>of</strong>the structure itself, a collaboration <strong>of</strong> elegantand functional modernist design by Eliot Noyes(1975) and Tai Soo Kim Partners (2006), butalso <strong>of</strong> the outstanding programs, services andcollections that are delivered within its walls andthe continuing partnership between Library and<strong>Town</strong> that underlies all funding.The building, its staff and programs have allreceived significant statewide and nationalattention for innovation and high quality inrecent years. Regional meetings and tours haveestablished <strong>Wilton</strong> Library as a model for librariesin communities across Connecticut. Those whovisit are enthralled with the magnificent BrubeckRoom used for lectures, panel discussions,concerts and social events. They marvel at theNortheast’s first drive-up window, a boon for pickup and delivery when parking spaces are filled orweather is inclement. They understand our pridein the number and variety <strong>of</strong> meeting spaceswithin the building – and most <strong>of</strong>ten find themfilled with municipal, business and organizationmeetings, classes, study groups and seminars.The Teen Area with its fabulous murals (designedand executed by <strong>Wilton</strong> teens themselves),comfortable chairs and extensive collectionsis a particular focus for visitors, as is the broadexpanse <strong>of</strong> the Children’s Library where artworkand books provide a magnificent backdrop foryoung listeners and readers and the craft/storyroom allows flexibility in a busy and creativeprogram schedule for children and parents.A spirit <strong>of</strong> continual improvement has been thehallmark <strong>of</strong> <strong>Wilton</strong> Library programs, collectionsand services this past year. An increase inopen hours from fifty-four to fifty-nine perweek took effect in July, <strong>2007</strong>, allowing us toserve commuters and students better. A new“world languages” collection <strong>of</strong> magazines,newspapers and books now extends serviceto those who speak and read languages otherthan English. Recent technology advancesinclude the ability to simulcast programsin auxiliary spaces within the Library toaccommodate overflow crowds for concertsand speakers and the broadcast <strong>of</strong> programrecordings on our web site. In addition, a selfcheckstation permits customers to check theirown materials out, providing faster service forthose with busy schedules.Our new building and the educational andcultural <strong>of</strong>ferings it makes possible are not theonly source <strong>of</strong> pride for our community. Othertowns in Connecticut are increasingly interestedin the public-private partnership that existsbetween the <strong>Wilton</strong> Library Association andthe <strong>Town</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Wilton</strong>. <strong>Annual</strong>ly, the Association,a not-for-pr<strong>of</strong>it 501(c)(3) organization, raisesapproximately 22% <strong>of</strong> its budget from privatesources, while the <strong>Town</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Wilton</strong> providesthe balance through a municipal grant. Duringthe recent capital campaign, private donorscontributed $6.6 million toward the project atthe same time that residents voted by largemajority to support the expansion with a $4.8million bond. Working together, the <strong>Town</strong> andthe Association have continued over the yearsto provide the very best in library service tothose who live and work in <strong>Wilton</strong>.Kathy Leeds,Director <strong>of</strong> <strong>Wilton</strong> LibraryEducation, Culture, & Recreation15
Fire DepartmentThe <strong>Wilton</strong> Fire Department takes pride inits service to the community and strivesto provide the highest quality and mostpr<strong>of</strong>essional fire protection services possible.Our mission statement says it all: “Ourmission is to protect the lives and property<strong>of</strong> our citizens by providing the highestquality fire suppression, emergency and nonemergencyresponse assistance, life safetycode enforcement and education. We willstrive to lessen the impact <strong>of</strong> disasters, largeand small, man-made or natural on the peoplewe serve. We will provide all services to thebest <strong>of</strong> our abilities in the most humane andcaring manner possible.” We are pleased toreport that we continue to meet our missiongoals and we stand ready to continue to meetthem every day.We are pleased to report two major additionsto our firefighting vehicle fleet. The <strong>Town</strong>purchased and the Department placed inservice two new frontline fire engines. Thenew engines are state <strong>of</strong> the art firefightingvehicles and replaced two twenty-year-oldpieces <strong>of</strong> apparatus. We anticipate the newapparatus to serve well the residents <strong>of</strong><strong>Wilton</strong> for years to come. In addition to thenew fire engines, the Department applied forand received a competitive grant from theU.S. Department <strong>of</strong> Homeland Security. The$115,000 grant was to develop and implementa mandatory firefighter wellness and fitnessprogram aimed at reducing the risk <strong>of</strong> thenumber one killer <strong>of</strong> firefighters, cardiacrelatedinjuries and to help reduce the risk <strong>of</strong>on-the-job injuries to our personnel. The grantfunds purchased physical fitness equipmentfor both fire stations and supervised wellnessprograms for all our firefighters. This successfulprogram has better prepared our firefighters t<strong>of</strong>ace the challenges and risks associated withour firefighting pr<strong>of</strong>ession.To accomplish our mission, the Departmentis organized into three divisions: Operations,Office <strong>of</strong> the Fire Marshal, and Office <strong>of</strong> theFire Chief. Each division has a unique andvaried role to play in the accomplishment <strong>of</strong>our overall mission but rely on each other toget the job done.The Operations Division is the traditionalbackbone <strong>of</strong> the Department’s organizationand is usually what first comes to mindwhen people think <strong>of</strong> the fire department. Itis responsible for fire suppression, rescue,hazardous materials mitigation and nontransportemergency medical services. TheDivision operates from two fire stations,<strong>Wilton</strong> Fire Headquarters and the Marh<strong>of</strong>ferFire Station on Ridgefield Road in North<strong>Wilton</strong>. The Operations Division is made up<strong>of</strong> twenty-four career firefighting personnelsupplemented by a small cadre <strong>of</strong> volunteerfirefighters. In addition to responding t<strong>of</strong>ire-related emergencies, the Division isan integral part <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Town</strong>’s three-tieredemergency medical response system. Fireengines at both stations are equipped withemergency medical equipment, includingautomatic defibrillators, for use duringcardiac emergencies, and are staffed forquick response. To help ensure the bestPublic Safety & Welfare16
possible emergency response, all OperationsDivision career personnel are state-certifiedEmergency Medical Technician/Firefighters.The following chart is a quick look at thetypes <strong>of</strong> calls the Operations Division handledfor the year <strong>2007</strong>. The number <strong>of</strong> responsesfor <strong>2007</strong> is 4% greater than the number <strong>of</strong>responses for the previous year.180016001400120010008006004002000Fire RelatedEMS RelatedTotal869 752<strong>2007</strong>1673The Office <strong>of</strong> the Fire Marshal is our LifeSafety Division and provides fire prevention,fire safety education and code enforcementservices. These services include theinspection <strong>of</strong> buildings to ensure compliancewith the Connecticut State Life Safety Codes.Additionally, the Fire Marshal and staff areresponsible for enforcement <strong>of</strong> Connecticutflammable liquid and gas codes, conductingbuilding construction plan reviews,construction progress inspections, fire causeinvestigations and investigations <strong>of</strong> any otherreported violations <strong>of</strong> the State fire safetycodes. The Fire Marshal’s Office welcomesnewly promoted Fire Inspector Rocco Grossoto the staff. He fills the Fire Inspector positionleft vacant by the retirement <strong>of</strong> Fire Inspector BillMeehan. The Office <strong>of</strong> the Fire Marshal sharesthe lead role in the coordination <strong>of</strong> planningand hosting the annualEmergency Services Dayevent. This communityorientedspecial event, full<strong>of</strong> fun, games and surprises,is held annually at the <strong>Town</strong>Hall complex. The event isan opportunity for visitorsto learn more about theDepartment, fire safety, theservices we provide andeach <strong>of</strong> <strong>Wilton</strong>’s integratedemergency responseorganizations.The Office <strong>of</strong> the Fire Chiefprovides management,supervision and vehicleand administrative supportto the other divisions <strong>of</strong> the Department.Strategic planning, internal supervision,emergency management, command andcontrol <strong>of</strong> response forces, budget formulationand oversight, emergency vehicle repair,routine and preventive vehicle maintenance,vehicle fleet management service and alladministrative services are provide by theDivision. These critical services ensure thesmooth daily function <strong>of</strong> essential services tothe community. The Department welcomeda new Deputy Fire Chief, Mark Amatrudo, tothe staff. Mark fills the position left vacantfrom the retirement <strong>of</strong> long-time Deputy ChiefGeorge Peters.The <strong>Wilton</strong> Fire Commission providespolicy oversight to the Department andworks closely with the Fire Chief to developforward-looking plans designed to enhanceall levels <strong>of</strong> fire protection service to the<strong>Town</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Wilton</strong>. The Commission stronglyrecommends the installation <strong>of</strong> fire sprinklersystems in new homes. Built-in fire protectionand detection systems provide an effectivefrontline defense against and provide earlywarning <strong>of</strong> a fire in the home. Additionally, allresidents are encouraged to install carbonmonoxide detectors in their homes to helpsafeguard your family against the dangers <strong>of</strong>deadly carbon monoxide gas.The public is invited to contact or visit FireHeadquarters at 236 Danbury Road to getanswers to questions concerning any aspect<strong>of</strong> Department operations, fire safety or firecode enforcement.Paul Milositz, Fire ChiefRichard McCarty, Chairman<strong>Wilton</strong> Fire CommissionPublic Safety & Welfare17
Police DepartmentThe <strong>Wilton</strong> Police Department had anotheroutstanding year in <strong>2007</strong> as it continued toprovide excellent service to the community.Highlights include another decline in overallcriminal activity, an increase in traffic stopsand corresponding decrease in motorvehicle accidents and numerous successfulcommunity service programs.With respect to personnel, in September <strong>2007</strong>,Sergeant George Farrell retired after thirtytwoyears <strong>of</strong> distinguished service. OfficerRobert Smaldone was hired to replace him.He is expected to graduate in March 2008after completing the twenty-two week POSTRecruit training. Officer Robert Kluk waspromoted to Sergeant in September <strong>2007</strong> andhe is currently assigned as patrol supervisor.Crime Statistics <strong>2007</strong>In March <strong>2007</strong>, Officer Arnault Bakerreceived the Officer <strong>of</strong> the Year award atthe Department’s annual awards ceremony.This award is presented to an <strong>of</strong>ficer whodemonstrates outstanding service to thecommunity, above and beyond the call <strong>of</strong>duty. Officer Baker is an outstanding police<strong>of</strong>ficer, as well as a Paramedic and instructorfor all medical-related training.The Department continued its efforts toreduce criminal activity through aggressivepatrols and enforcement, including vigorouslyenforcing motor vehicle laws. In the tablebelow you will find the seven categories <strong>of</strong>serious crime statistics reported by the FBI,along with other significant categories. Thecomparisons are as follows:A rise in robberies was seen in <strong>2007</strong>, whichis consistent with the trend in the entireregion. This is an area <strong>of</strong> special concernand increased emphasis for the Department.Generally, however, the overall crimepercentages are down from 2006.Traffic and traffic-related incidents continue tobe a significant issue for <strong>Wilton</strong>, particularlywith the Route 7 widening project in fullswing. Several <strong>Wilton</strong> <strong>of</strong>ficers are workingdaily on extra duty to provide proper trafficcontrol and to ensure a safe work environmentfor the construction crews. Weekly briefingswith Connecticut DOT and <strong>Town</strong> <strong>of</strong>ficialshave provided excellent communicationthroughout this major project, which is onschedule and is expected to be completedin 2010. A considerable amount <strong>of</strong> theDepartment’s resources are consumedby traffic enforcement, traffic surveys andassessments and accident investigation. TheDepartment continues to monitor problemareas in <strong>Town</strong> in an effort to control speedand reduce incidents <strong>of</strong> traffic violations.The Strategic Traffic Patrol (STP) and routineIncidents Per Calendar Year 2003 2004 2005 2006 <strong>2007</strong>Criminal Homicide 0 1 0 0 0Rape 0 2 1 0 0Robbery 0 0 0 2 5Aggravated Assault 6 3 7 4 5Burglary 13 17 21 14 12Larceny 107 103 140 139 111Motor Vehicle Theft 3 7 3 2 0Burglar Alarms 1,993 1,795 1,658 1,703 1,586EMS Assists 920 971 978 1,054 1,103MV Accidents 993 977 965 894 866Public Safety & Welfare18
Photo: J. Savaresepatrols led to an increase in motor vehiclestops and a corresponding decrease in motorvehicle accidents for the second straightyear. In <strong>2007</strong> all patrol vehicles were outfittedwith ICOP digital-based video systems. Thisnew technology has enhanced the recordfor all motor vehicle contacts and providesoutstanding evidentiary value in court. TheSTP unit continued to target problem trafficareas, as well as addressing residents’individual traffic concerns. To that end,<strong>Wilton</strong> Officers made 6,660 traffic stopsduring the year, a 9.5% increase over 2006,and made 110 DUI arrests. These effortswere assisted by grants from the NationalHighway Traffic Safety Commission (NHTSA),which is administered by the ConnecticutDepartment <strong>of</strong> Transportation. As a result <strong>of</strong>these outstanding efforts, the Departmentwas awarded second place by the StateDepartment <strong>of</strong> Transportation and NHTSA inthe annual Law Enforcement Challenge. Thiscompetition is held annually and recognizesoutstanding initiatives in the area <strong>of</strong> TrafficEnforcement and Education.Community Programs <strong>of</strong>fered to citizens <strong>of</strong><strong>Wilton</strong> in <strong>2007</strong> were highlighted by the firsteverCitizen Police Academy. This academywas held over a twelve-week period and was<strong>of</strong>fered to residents who had an interest inthe inner workings <strong>of</strong> the Department. Theclasses were taught by different members <strong>of</strong>the Department who brought their expertiseto the class. Other community programsinclude Crime Prevention and NeighborhoodWatch, I-SAFE Internet Safety Training,Senior Safety and Education, The Yellow DotProgram, Police Explorer Post 58, StrategicTraffic Patrol (STP) and Child Safety Seatinstallations. The Are You Ok? (RUOK)program, which has been in existence formany years, provides computerized dailychecks on seniors within the community whosign up for the service.The Police Department continues to provideCentral Dispatching for all EmergencyServices in the community with a combinedPolice/Civilian Dispatch Model. CentralDispatch is the hub for all Police, Fire, andEMS calls within <strong>Wilton</strong>. Commonly knownas the 911/PSAP or Public Safety AnsweringPoint, specially trained <strong>of</strong>ficers and civiliandispatchers provide pr<strong>of</strong>essional guidanceto residents and are available 24/7. It is alsothe initiation point for the <strong>Wilton</strong> EmergencyNotification System. This system is free <strong>of</strong>charge and is a joint effort <strong>of</strong> the Departmentand <strong>Wilton</strong> Kiwanis. An e-mail notificationis sent to all participants <strong>of</strong> any significantincident that impacts traffic or disrupts amajor component <strong>of</strong> the community. Thisservice can be obtained through the <strong>Wilton</strong>Police web site.The <strong>Wilton</strong> Police Department, in conjunctionwith the <strong>Wilton</strong> Fire Department, continuesto train with the joint Dive-Rescue team on amonthly basis. This team is ready to respondto any water emergency. The Departmentcontinues to be a major player in the SouthWest Emergency Response Team (SWERT),comprised <strong>of</strong> six Fairfield County towns.This regional concept allows <strong>Wilton</strong> to dealeffectively with any critical incident that maytake place within the <strong>Town</strong>. The SWERT teamincludes five <strong>of</strong>ficers from <strong>Wilton</strong>, and hasa total complement <strong>of</strong> twenty-nine <strong>of</strong>ficersfrom area communities. They are highlyspecialized, drill monthly and are available forimmediate call out as the need arises. TheDepartment’s Honor Guard attended severalPublic Safety & Welfare19
ceremonial events as representatives <strong>of</strong> thePolice Department and the <strong>Town</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Wilton</strong>.Officer Richard Ross is the full-time StudentResource Officer (SRO). His primary functionis to work with <strong>Wilton</strong> school students <strong>of</strong>all ages to assist them with any matterthat police service can <strong>of</strong>fer. He promotesbetter understanding <strong>of</strong> the police role inthe community and provides education onlaws, drug awareness and the dangers <strong>of</strong>alcohol abuse. He is also charged with theinvestigation <strong>of</strong> criminal complaints andenforcement <strong>of</strong> all laws at the schools andwithin 1,500 feet <strong>of</strong> school property. OfficerRoss and Chief Kulhawik periodically meetwith School Administration to assess schoolsafety and security and to discuss emergencyplanning with representatives <strong>of</strong> the individualschools. Officer Ross also organizes theemergency lockdown drills for all the schools.The <strong>Wilton</strong> Police web site www.wiltonpolice.orgis available for visitors to learn about recentnews <strong>of</strong> interest, found items, special programsand events, as well as inquire about jobopportunities with the Department. In addition,you will find email links for every <strong>of</strong>ficer inthe Department. This web site has also beenutilized for notifying residents <strong>of</strong> emergenciesand the continuing Route 7 Widening Project.Several <strong>of</strong>ficers continued their formaleducation in <strong>2007</strong>, working towards advanceddegrees in Law Enforcement and CriminalJustice. Twenty-three <strong>of</strong> the Department’s<strong>of</strong>ficers have Law Enforcement degrees, fivehave postgraduate degrees, and two aregraduates <strong>of</strong> the FBI National Academy.The motorized equipment assigned to theDepartment consists <strong>of</strong> nineteen patrol vehicles(marked and unmarked), including four SUVs.The Department also has six bicycles and six<strong>of</strong>ficers are trained in bike patrol functions.In <strong>2007</strong>, the three-member <strong>Wilton</strong> PoliceCommission, appointed by the Board <strong>of</strong>Selectmen, assisted Chief Kulhawik and hisstaff with a complete overhaul <strong>of</strong> Departmentrules and regulations and Standard OperatingProcedures. This monumental task wascompleted in <strong>2007</strong> as part <strong>of</strong> an ongoingstate accreditation process which will beattained in 2008.The Police Commission has responsibility forthe general management and supervision <strong>of</strong>the Department, its personnel, property andequipment. They have exclusive authorityto appoint, promote, discipline and removemembers <strong>of</strong> the Department. The PoliceCommission renders an important leadershiprole in all police matters and also serves asthe Traffic and Parking Authority for the <strong>Town</strong><strong>of</strong> <strong>Wilton</strong>. Commission members for <strong>2007</strong>were Matthew C. Mason, Mark Ketley andChristopher Weldon.Edward V. Kulhawik,Chief <strong>of</strong> PoliceMatthew C. Mason, Chairman<strong>Wilton</strong> Police CommissionPublic Safety & Welfare20
<strong>Wilton</strong> VolunteerAmbulance CorpsThe <strong>Wilton</strong> Volunteer Ambulance Corps(WVAC) provides emergency pre-hospitalmedical services to persons who live in, workin or are passing through our town. WVACalso responds to adjacent towns with whomit enjoys mutual aid agreements. Patientsare stabilized and transported to NorwalkHospital’s Emergency Room.The WVAC roster consists <strong>of</strong> fifty members,forty-one <strong>of</strong> whom are state certifiedEmergency Medical Technicians. Currentpatient care protocols and refresher skillstraining is a Corps constant. Mandatorymonthly training sessions are supplementedby special hospital-sponsored seminars andHomeland Security planning meetings.WVAC volunteers represent a wide range<strong>of</strong> backgrounds: high school and collegestudents, business pr<strong>of</strong>essionals, independentbusiness contractors, homemakers andretirees. New members are regularly soughtand those interested can receive informationon this rewarding volunteer activity by visitingCorps Headquarters or calling 834-6245.The Corps operates and maintains a fleet <strong>of</strong>five emergency vehicles: two fully equippedambulances and three others dedicated toMass Casualty Incident Response and theprompt arrival <strong>of</strong> paramedic service. CorpsHeadquarters for personnel and vehicles iswell-located geographically within the <strong>Town</strong>Hall complex. The <strong>Town</strong>, in cooperationwith the <strong>Town</strong> <strong>of</strong> Weston, contracts withNorwalk Hospital to supply on-site Paramedicadvanced life saving skills twenty-four hoursevery day. The service is domiciled at WVACHeadquarters to ensure the fastest responsetime to medical and/or trauma emergencies.The <strong>Town</strong> employs a three-tier response to“911” calls <strong>of</strong> medical emergency nature.Simultaneous dispatch <strong>of</strong> police, fire, andEMS personnel will typically find the threeemergency services cooperating at anincident, affording <strong>Wilton</strong> citizens and visitorscertified pre-hospital care.In <strong>2007</strong> the <strong>Wilton</strong> Volunteer Ambulance Corpsresponded to more than 1,200 emergencycalls, the largest number <strong>of</strong> which weredirected to <strong>Wilton</strong> residences. Other siteswere <strong>Wilton</strong> businesses, doctors’ <strong>of</strong>fices,motor vehicle accidents, and seven residentialinstitutions. Medical emergencies range fromsudden cardiac arrest, childbirth, stroke,difficulty breathing, seizure and syncope tochild and infant distress. Trauma calls suchas motor vehicle accidents, falls, machineryaccidents and multi-trauma incidents representsome 40% <strong>of</strong> the 911 requests for service.During the last quarter <strong>of</strong> <strong>2007</strong>, donationsto WVAC have been dedicated towardthe upgrading <strong>of</strong> critical communicationsequipment and an investment in training <strong>of</strong>volunteer personnel.Officers <strong>of</strong> the Corps are: James Voulgarakis,President; Ronald Hitter, Vice President; JeanneRoberts, Secretary; Chris Gardner, Treasurer.James Voulgarakis,PresidentCommission onSocial ServicesThe Commission on Social Services works tocreate and maintain a supportive communityenvironment for all <strong>Wilton</strong> residents. In anadvisory capacity, it serves the Department<strong>of</strong> Social Services, the Board <strong>of</strong> Selectmenand other agencies and organizationsproviding human services within the <strong>Town</strong>. TheCommission identifies present and emergingsocial service needs in <strong>Wilton</strong> and, whenappropriate, makes recommendations to meetthose needs. The Department <strong>of</strong> Social Services,under the direction <strong>of</strong> Catherine Pierce, providesPublic Safety & Welfare21
crisis intervention, short-term counseling,information and referral on a wide variety <strong>of</strong>issues including advocacy for <strong>Wilton</strong> residents<strong>of</strong> all ages applying for benefits under federaland state programs. The Coordinator <strong>of</strong> SeniorServices assists <strong>Wilton</strong> seniors in obtainingservices available to them and keeps current onlegislation and resources that may affect thispopulation. Youth Services works closely withthe schools, <strong>Wilton</strong> Youth Council and Vision2020 partners on non-academic family issues,providing prevention and education as well asintervention. The Department also operatesa food pantry for <strong>Wilton</strong> residents. At holidaytime, the staff coordinated the distribution<strong>of</strong> gifts and food to more than thirty-five<strong>Wilton</strong> families and forty-five homeboundseniors assisted by <strong>Town</strong> organizationsand businesses.The <strong>Wilton</strong> Senior Center is also under theauspices <strong>of</strong> the Social Services Department.Its mission is to provide <strong>Wilton</strong>’s older citizenswith stimulating and creative opportunities fortheir social, physical and emotional well-being.Aware <strong>of</strong> the projected increase in <strong>Wilton</strong>’ssenior population, the Commission is committedto the proposed <strong>Town</strong> expansion <strong>of</strong> a SeniorCenter. In <strong>2007</strong>, the Senior Center bi-monthlynewsletter reached over 2,000 households in<strong>Wilton</strong>, informing them <strong>of</strong> events and activitiesthroughout <strong>Town</strong>.<strong>Wilton</strong> Youth Services works closely with<strong>Wilton</strong> Youth Council on many <strong>of</strong> its programs.<strong>Wilton</strong> Youth Council is a private, non-pr<strong>of</strong>itorganization consisting <strong>of</strong> dedicated parentvolunteers. Veronica Holz and Cathy Cathcartare co-presidents. <strong>Wilton</strong> Youth Councilprovides programming that addresses thesocial and emotional development <strong>of</strong> youthincluding: Youth-to-Youth (a community-baseddrug prevention and youth leadership program);PeerConnection (a program that developspeer-to-peer helping skills); Class Projects(parent networking and educational programs);and Parent Connection (informational forumsfor parents on timely topics). <strong>Wilton</strong> YouthCouncil and <strong>Wilton</strong> Youth Services publishedthe Crisis Resource Directory and co-sponsoredtwo Community Breakfasts for youth-servingpr<strong>of</strong>essionals with <strong>Wilton</strong> Public Schools. Inaddition, <strong>Wilton</strong> Youth Council partnered withthe Underage Drinking Task force on youthalcohol prevention activities. The task force iscurrently co-chaired by <strong>Wilton</strong> Youth Servicescounselor Allyson Cussen and <strong>Wilton</strong> Highschool student Christine Suchy. Its missionis to reduce underage use <strong>of</strong> alcohol througheducation and awareness, increasing youthuse <strong>of</strong> healthy alternatives and advocating forthe enforcement <strong>of</strong> current policies and lawsregarding underage drinking.Vision 2020 is <strong>Wilton</strong>’s positive youthdevelopment initiative founded by YouthCouncil, <strong>Wilton</strong> PTA Council, <strong>Wilton</strong> EducationFoundation, <strong>Wilton</strong> Public Schools, <strong>Wilton</strong>Department <strong>of</strong> Social Services, PositiveDirections and the United Way <strong>of</strong> Norwalkand <strong>Wilton</strong>. The Youth Services Coordinator,Colleen Fawcett, chairs Vision 2020 which nowhas more than twenty partners. This initiativeis dedicated to galvanizing the resourcesdedicated to positive youth development bycoordinating and collaborating on youth-relatedservices and securing the resources necessaryfor their success.Through active liaison positions, Commissionmembers support various organizationsrelated to the mission <strong>of</strong> social services. TheCommission supports the proposal by thenon-pr<strong>of</strong>it <strong>Wilton</strong> Commons to build affordablePublic Safety & Welfare22
congregate housing with assisted living servicesfor <strong>Wilton</strong> seniors who may require help withthe activities <strong>of</strong> daily living. Its members areinvolved with Trackside Teen Center whosemission is to promote healthy, age-appropriatedevelopment for <strong>Wilton</strong> teens and pre-teens. Italso advises the <strong>Wilton</strong> Domestic Violence TaskForce which works to increase awareness onissues related to relationship violence.The staff <strong>of</strong> the Department <strong>of</strong> Social Servicesfor the <strong>2007</strong> year were: Catherine Pierce,Director; Colleen Fawcett, Coordinator <strong>of</strong> YouthServices; Allyson Cusson, Youth Servicescounselor; Lauren Hughes, Coordinator <strong>of</strong>Senior Services; Lizabeth Doty, Coordinator <strong>of</strong>Senior Activities; and Andrea Ragusa, ComputerLearning Center Coordinator.The Board <strong>of</strong> Selectmen appoints the SocialServices Commissioners for a two-year term.The <strong>2007</strong> Commission members were: StephenLanza, Chairman; Leslie Rogers, Secretary;Judy Zucker; Betty Jo Corridon; Ed Raposa;Amy Jeffereis; Judy Mabley; Beth Mason; andSusan Chalons-Browne. We acknowledgewith gratitude the time and effort <strong>of</strong> eachcommission member and especially StephenLanza who served for the last two years asChairman <strong>of</strong> the Commission.The Commission is honored to work with andsupport an eminently qualified and dedicatedstaff. All <strong>Wilton</strong> residents benefit from thepersonal commitment and <strong>of</strong>ten unseen efforts<strong>of</strong> the Social Services Department, its manyvolunteers and collaborative agencies.Leslie Rogers,ChairmanNursing & Home CareLocated in the Comstock Community Center,Nursing & Home Care is proud to providehome health care, public health and schoolnursing to the students <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Wilton</strong> publicschools, Our Lady <strong>of</strong> Fatima School and theMontessori School.For more than 85 years, Nursing & Home Care,and its partner Mid-Fairfield Hospice, havehad the privilege <strong>of</strong> providing pr<strong>of</strong>essionalnursing, compassionate hospice care for theterminally ill, health education, rehabilitationservices and community wellness programsfor individuals and families in <strong>Wilton</strong> andthroughout Fairfield County.Nursing & Home Care’s central mission is topromote health and wellness for individualsand their families by providing a continuum<strong>of</strong> superior home care, community health andsupport services.Nursing & Home Care is called upon to servein the following ways:• Our society has become more “connected”but increasingly isolated. Hundreds <strong>of</strong> <strong>Wilton</strong>residents live alone today, without the benefit<strong>of</strong> a family support system. The numbers<strong>of</strong> elderly, frail individuals living alone hascontinued to escalate throughout the lastdecade. Today many more people are livingwith multiple chronic illnesses which maylimit their ability to be independent. Nursing& Home Care provides much-neededsupport to enable individuals to retain theirindependence at home.• As more physically and mentally challengedchildren are attending the <strong>Wilton</strong> publicschools, there is a dramatic increase in thedaily health and medical needs <strong>of</strong> students.• Now, more than ever, our public healthnurses attend to the health and wellbeing<strong>of</strong> the entire community throughcommunity immunization clinics, strokescreenings, cholesterol screenings, bloodpressure screenings, health educationprograms and in our role with the <strong>Town</strong> <strong>of</strong><strong>Wilton</strong>’s Health Department in EmergencyPreparedness activities.2006-07: The Year in ReviewIn 2006-07, nursing care provided to childrenin the <strong>Town</strong>’s public and private schools –including accidents, illness and/or medicationadministration, as well as nursing activitiesPublic Safety & Welfare23
that included screenings, health classes andcase conferences – accounted for a total <strong>of</strong>136,994 school health visits. The primaryreasons that students visited the school health<strong>of</strong>fices were for treatment <strong>of</strong> acute illness andthe administration <strong>of</strong> medications.This was a highly active year for Nursing &Home Care in helping to maintain <strong>Wilton</strong>residents’ health, prevent illness and detecthealth problems at an early stage. Healthpromotion visits numbered 346. The Agencyprovided 498 blood pressure screenings andadministered more than 2,089 flu shots and74 pneumonia vaccines to <strong>Wilton</strong> residents.Nursing & Home Care provided 563 preschoolscreening visits in <strong>Wilton</strong> and a total <strong>of</strong>549 seniors were served at the Ogden Housesenior clinic.With the significant federally-imposedreductions in Medicare, more <strong>of</strong> our frailelderly are increasingly at risk. This isparticularly true for those with long-termchronic illnesses. Not surprisingly therefore,there has been a continued need for theAgency’s Health Supervision services inconjunction with the Department <strong>of</strong> SocialServices, which provides care to this mostunder-served sector <strong>of</strong> patients who needcare but are without insurance or theresources to pay for essential care.Nursing & Home Care expanded its HomeTeleHealth program this year. Using the latesttelecommunications technologies, HomeTeleHealth is an innovative method by whichNursing & Home Care is able to provide care,monitoring and education to patients in theirhomes. With Home TeleHealth, nurses areable to make “personal” visits to patientswithout leaving the Agency. This has becomeparticularly important in inclement winterweather when the roads are impassable.The nurse and patient are able to engage inpersonal, live, two-way interaction with clear,complete, visual and verbal communication.Accurate measurement and assessmentis made possible with digital, telephonicperipheral equipment such as glucose meters,IV pumps, pulse oximeters and stethoscopes.With Home TeleHealth, our nurses are able tocare for more patients and clinical outcomesare improved.Once again this year, Nursing & Home Careand its affiliates achieved accreditation fromthe Community Health Accreditation Program(CHAP). Nursing & Home Care participatesin nationally established patient satisfactionand clinical outcome benchmarking projects.The Agency has met or exceeded the nationalthreshold in critical patient care outcomeindications, determined by the federalgovernment as a measure <strong>of</strong> high quality care.Nursing & Home Care has been selectedto participate in a national demonstrationproject on home health pay-for-performanceto be conducted by the Centers for Medicare& Medicaid Services (CMS). The project isdesigned to determine the impact <strong>of</strong> incentivepayments to home health agencies for improvingthe quality <strong>of</strong> care <strong>of</strong> Medicare beneficiaries whoreceive home health services.In spite <strong>of</strong> diminishing State and Federalfunding support for home health care, and costPublic Safety & Welfare24
pressures exerted by the insurance industry,Nursing & Home Care remains steadfast in itscommitment to provide care to all those in ourcommunity in need, regardless <strong>of</strong> their ability topay for services or the extent <strong>of</strong> need.For more information, call 762-8958 or visit uson the web at www.visitingnurse.net.Sharon M. Bradley, RN, MSN,President and CEOHealth DepartmentThe <strong>Wilton</strong> Health Department is responsiblefor enforcing State statutes and regulationspertaining to septic systems, wells, watertesting and licensing <strong>of</strong> food serviceestablishments and day care centers. Inaddition, the Department advises the publicon a wide range <strong>of</strong> other public health issuesincluding Lyme disease, rabies, radon, leadpaint, asbestos, communicable diseases,public health emergency preparedness andother public health hazards.A permit is required for a septic systeminstallation. Permits are issued only after deeptest hole pr<strong>of</strong>iles are observed, percolationtests performed and an installation plan isapproved. Additions to residences or changesin use <strong>of</strong> a structure require septic systemsto be evaluated for adequate capacity. Theland area on the property must be able toaccommodate a replacement (B100a) septicsystem if required.Well construction is monitored for codeconformance through verification <strong>of</strong> theinstallation location and a review <strong>of</strong> thelaboratory analysis <strong>of</strong> the water quality. Apermit is required to drill a new well or torenovate an existing well.During the summer months, water samplesare taken at Merwin Meadows and at thepond on the Family Y property. Results <strong>of</strong> thewater quality analysis at these areas havebeen acceptable for bathing.A continuing program is in place to monitorany migration <strong>of</strong> the stabilized leachate plumefrom the closed <strong>Wilton</strong> landfill. The programmonitors five bedrock wells, seven surfacewater and seven homeowner supply wells.All food service establishments in <strong>Town</strong> areinspected regularly for conformance withoperating and sanitary standards. Daycarecenters are licensed and inspected jointly bythe state and the local Health Departments.The Department provides informationconcerning the prevention <strong>of</strong> Lyme diseaseand control <strong>of</strong> deer ticks. Specimens <strong>of</strong> 345ticks were sent to the Connecticut AgriculturalExperiment Station for testing. Twenty to thirtypercent <strong>of</strong> the ticks tested positive for theLyme spirochete.The potential <strong>of</strong> West Nile virus required amosquito control program. The <strong>Town</strong> staffapplied larvicide to 3,250 catch basins.Residents may obtain larvicide from theHealth Department. Mosquito monitoringwas performed by the ConnecticutDepartment <strong>of</strong> Environmental Protection.Public Safety & Welfare25
During the year <strong>2007</strong>, no West Nile virus wasdetected in <strong>Wilton</strong>.Public health preparedness and disasterrecovery are functions in which theDepartment has a planning and support role.In April <strong>of</strong> <strong>2007</strong>, a functional regional exercisewas conducted to test the ability <strong>of</strong> townand community agencies to respond andmitigate the health effects from a PandemicFlu epidemic. The Department participated inEmergency Services Day <strong>2007</strong> with an exhibitdetailing essential emergency home suppliesto store to prepare for a disaster.A Pandemic Flu Plan has been formulated tovaccinate or distribute antiviral medication tothe community. The <strong>Wilton</strong> Health Departmentcontinues to work with Police, Fire, other<strong>Town</strong> departments, Nursing & Home Careand the Westport/Weston Health District onthis Plan.Residents may obtain information aboutother public health concerns. Complaintsare investigated dealing with food service,environmental exposure, rodent harborageand sewage.The Department is currently staffed by:Steven H. Schole, MPH, RS, Director <strong>of</strong>Health/Chief Sanitarian; Jennifer M. Zbell,BS, RS, Assistant Sanitarian; Michael J.Vincelli, BA, CHS-III, Public Health EmergencyPreparedness Coordinator; William Mooney,BS, RS; Clarence Joseph, MS, RS, ParttimeSanitarians; and Alice K. Osborn,Administrative Secretary. Dean N. Martin, MDis the Consulting Medical Advisor.Steven H. Schole,Director <strong>of</strong> Health/Chief SanitarianMunicipal Animal ControlThe Department <strong>of</strong> Municipal Animal Controlis responsible for enforcement <strong>of</strong> all lawsrelating to domestic animals and the operation<strong>of</strong> the <strong>Town</strong>’s animal shelter. It also enforcesthe protocols and laws set down by the Statefor management <strong>of</strong> rabies-exposed domesticanimals and responds to rabies-suspectwildlife calls.Animal Control is under the direction <strong>of</strong> thePolice Department, after thirteen years underthe auspices <strong>of</strong> the Department <strong>of</strong> Health. Anew vehicle was delivered that replaced ournine-year-old truck.The Animal Control Officers still encounterunvaccinated or expired rabies vaccinationsduring the year. The lawrequires rabies vaccinationsfor all dogs and cats threemonths <strong>of</strong> age or older.<strong>Wilton</strong> residents are urgedto be diligent in keepingtheir pets’ vaccinationscurrent. Should your petencounter a rabies-suspectwild animal and not havea current vaccination,the State recommendseuthanasia or quarantineat a veterinary hospitalfor six months at theowner’s expense.Licensing <strong>of</strong> dogs isrequired by Connecticutlaw on an annual basis andcan be done at the <strong>Town</strong>Clerk’s <strong>of</strong>fice in the <strong>Town</strong> Hall. The AnimalControl Officers have been searching forunlicensed dogs and have been following upon delinquents. All <strong>Wilton</strong>ians are urged tolicense their dogs. The Animal Control Officersanswered 1,518 requests for service in thepast year. The most frequent calls includedinquiries about adoption <strong>of</strong> pets, animalbites or attacks, lost pet reports, roamingdog reports, sick wildlife and unlicenseddog reports.The Animal Control Officer is assisted byAssistant Animal Control Officers Herbert F.Roome, MaryAnn Kleinschmitt and Kelli Baker.Robert J. Napoleon,Municipal Animal Control OfficerPhoto: J. SavaresePublic Safety & Welfare26
Building DepartmentIn calendar year <strong>2007</strong>, the Building Departmentissued twenty-seven permits for construction<strong>of</strong> new single-family residences in <strong>Wilton</strong>,reflecting a total construction value <strong>of</strong>$19,350,575. The building permit fees collectedin conjunction with this construction totaled$177,086. The number <strong>of</strong> additions/alterationstotaled 251. This reflected a total constructionvalue <strong>of</strong> $21,437,460. The fees collected forthis were $191,890. Commercial constructionremains steady with many tenant fit-ups. One <strong>of</strong>the larger projects under construction this year,40 and 60 Danbury Road, brought in revenues<strong>of</strong> over $252,688 for the base building andparking garages alone. The total commercialprojects resulted in the <strong>Town</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Wilton</strong> collecting$358,196 in building fees. The Department alsocollected fees for local zoning, plan reviews,certificate <strong>of</strong> occupancy fees, minor permits,mechanical/electrical permits and State zoning.Total permit fees collected for calendar year<strong>2007</strong> were $869,844.New residential construction remains steadywith a slight increase from last year. Therecontinue to be many residential additionsthat are substantial in size. There have beenBuilding Statistics <strong>2007</strong>twenty-two demolitions <strong>of</strong> entire dwellingsin <strong>Town</strong> and one commercial demolition,to make way for the new HSBC Bank at 30Danbury Road.Our new Assistant Building Official is MarkLawrence who began in June replacing DavidWalton. The Building Officials continue toattend numerous conferences and seminarsthroughout the year in order to stay currentand informed on building codes andcompliance methods. These conferencesare also required to meet their necessarycontinuing education requirements. Our website continues to be a useful tool for the publicto access forms and information at theirfingertips. A link to the Building Department’sweb site is located at www.wiltonct.org. Wehope to expand on this in the future. Weare currently researching more automatedcomputer programs and file archiving systemsto increase our efficiency.The Building Department is staffed by ChiefBuilding Official, Robert E. Root; AssistantBuilding Official, Mark Lawrence; andAdministrative Secretary, Rachel Matthews.Robert E. Root,Building Official2006 <strong>2007</strong>New Residences 24 27Additions/Alterations 258 251Commercial 43 54Swimming Pools 24 25Heating & Air Conditioning 196 176Minor/Miscellaneous Permits (incl. electric, gas, minor & misc. permits) 517 477Planning and ZoningCommissionThe Planning and Zoning Commissionaccomplished several noteworthy goals during<strong>2007</strong>. In December, the Commission adoptedvillage district regulations and <strong>of</strong>ficiallydesignated <strong>Wilton</strong> Center and portions <strong>of</strong>Cannondale a “Village District.” The villagedistrict regulations enable the Commissionto consider the merits <strong>of</strong> a developmentproposal, taking into consideration thedistinctive character and surroundings inwhich a project is located. Under the villagedistrict regulations, the Commission canreview and regulate the architectural design,size and scale <strong>of</strong> a development proposal aswell as the project’s spatial and visual impacton surrounding buildings and structures.In September, the Commission selected theland use consulting firm <strong>of</strong> Planimetrics,LLC, to begin the update <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Town</strong>’sPlan <strong>of</strong> Conservation and Development.This document, which is expected to becompleted by mid-2009, represents a vitalplanning tool in establishing goals, objectivesand strategies for promoting balanced andresponsible growth, conserving land andensuring an adequate level <strong>of</strong> communityservices and facilities.Development activity remained strongthroughout <strong>2007</strong>. In March, the Commissionapproved a 7,500 square foot addition tothe <strong>Wilton</strong> Congregational Church, allowingthe church to address educational andadministrative spatial needs.Land Use & Public Works27
Several development proposals involvedproperties in <strong>Wilton</strong> Center. In October, theCommission approved a 17,700 square foot,two-story retail and <strong>of</strong>fice building on propertylocated at 151-157 Old Ridgefield Road.During the same month, the Commissionapproved an 8,220 square foot building at 118Old Ridgefield Road, which upon completion,is expected to house a combination <strong>of</strong> retail,<strong>of</strong>fice and residential space.Thirty-five applications were reviewed bythe Commission during <strong>2007</strong>, including onesubdivision application, twenty-three specialpermit applications, five site development planapplications, four amendments to the zoningregulations, one change <strong>of</strong> zone application andone amendment to the Plan <strong>of</strong> Conservationand Development. One application was<strong>of</strong>ficially denied by the Commission.Members <strong>of</strong> the Commission during <strong>2007</strong>included Chairwoman Sally Poundstone, ViceChairman John Wilson, Secretary Bas Nabulsi,Al Alper, Douglas Bayer, Joseph Cugno,Barbara Frees, Marilyn Gould and L. MichaelRudolph. Due to term limits, Barbara Frees leftthe Commission in December following eightyears <strong>of</strong> community service. Joseph Cugnoand Al Alper left the Commission in July andNovember respectively. The dedication andtalents <strong>of</strong> each individual will be sadly missed.Alice Ayers was appointed by the Board <strong>of</strong>Selectmen in August to replace Joseph Cugnoand, in November, Eric Osterberg and DonaWaskom were elected to <strong>of</strong>fice, replacing AlAlper and Barbara Frees. In December, theCommission re-elected Sally PoundstoneChairman, John Wilson Vice Chairman andBas Nabulsi Secretary. The Commissionalso had the help <strong>of</strong> its staff: RobertNerney, Director <strong>of</strong> Planning and Land UseManagement; Daphne White, Assistant <strong>Town</strong>Planner; Timothy Bunting, Zoning EnforcementOfficer; and Lorraine Russo, AdministrativeSecretary. Their skills and hard work were vitalto the Commission’s accomplishments.Sally Poundstone, ChairmanZoning Board<strong>of</strong> AppealsThe <strong>Wilton</strong> Zoning Board <strong>of</strong> Appeals (ZBA)consists <strong>of</strong> five regular members and threealternates who meet once a month. The ZBAhears requests for variances <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Town</strong>’sZoning Regulations and appeals from thedecisions <strong>of</strong> the Zoning Enforcement Officer.The Board holds public hearings on allrequests for variances and usually makes adetermination on an application the sameevening as the public hearing is held.In reviewing applications for variances,the Board is required to consider specialcircumstances or conditions that apply to the lotor structure which do not apply to other lots orstructures in the neighborhood. The Board hasto determine whether a strict interpretation <strong>of</strong>the zoning regulations would deprive the owner<strong>of</strong> a reasonable use <strong>of</strong> the property. If so, theBoard can make a finding that a hardship existsand can consider granting a variance. The Boardcannot consider financial or personal hardshipin reaching its decision, only whether there is ahardship resulting from the size, topography orother constraints <strong>of</strong> the property itself.In considering appeals from actions taken bythe Zoning Enforcement Officer, the Board hasto determine whether the Officer made an errorin refusing to issue a permit or determining thata zoning violation exists. The burden <strong>of</strong> pro<strong>of</strong> ison the applicant to show that a permit shouldbe issued or that a violation does not exist.Land Use & Public Works28
During <strong>2007</strong>, the ZBA heard twenty-fourapplications <strong>of</strong> which twelve were fullyapproved, seven were partially approved,three were denied and one was withdrawn. Ofthe twenty-four applications, six applicationsinvolved meetings <strong>of</strong> two or more sessions<strong>of</strong> the Board. The Board also heard andupheld one appeal <strong>of</strong> the decision <strong>of</strong> theZoning Enforcement Officer. The majority <strong>of</strong>applications were from homeowners requestingdecreased setbacks for additions, decks andgarages or increased building or site coveragedue to undersized or narrow lots.Regular members <strong>of</strong> the Board in <strong>2007</strong> includedMichael Bilby, Chairman, Miriam Sayegh, ViceChairwoman, Lisa Chubinsky, Secretary, EricFanwick, John Gardiner and alternate membersJohn Comiskey, David Lattimer and Peter Shiue.During this time, the Board saw the departure <strong>of</strong>Michael Bilby, Eric Fanwick and David Lattimer.Their knowledge, expertise and commitment tothe Board will be greatly missed. New membersjoining the Board in <strong>2007</strong> included BarbaraFrees, Daniel Darst and Peter Bell. In December<strong>of</strong> <strong>2007</strong>, the Board elected Miriam Sayegh tothe position <strong>of</strong> Chairwoman, John Gardiner, ViceChairman and Barbara Frees, Secretary.Miriam Sayegh, ChairwomanConservationCommissionThe Conservation Commission worksto protect <strong>Wilton</strong>’s natural resources bystewarding the <strong>Town</strong>’s 1,700+ acres <strong>of</strong> openspace, educating the public on relevant topics,and providing recommendations to other landuse boards on applications under review. Areasaddressed by the Conservation Commissioninclude preservation <strong>of</strong> habitat resources,significant trees, stone walls, steep slopesand other valued land features, as well as thepotential for trails and open space linkage.In line with the goals <strong>of</strong> natural resourcemanagement, the Commission partneredwith other <strong>Town</strong> entities to develop a <strong>Wilton</strong>Center Tree Plan. Implementation <strong>of</strong> this plan isexpected in the spring <strong>of</strong> 2008.Beyond special projects, one <strong>of</strong> the principalresponsibilities <strong>of</strong> the Commission isstewarding the <strong>Town</strong>’s passive open spaces.Each Commissioner is a steward <strong>of</strong> one or twoparks and four to seven miniparks, reporting onneeds and coordinating routine maintenance.<strong>Wilton</strong>’s parks are located throughout the <strong>Town</strong>and are open to the public daily from sunriseto sunset. A Walker’s Guide to <strong>Wilton</strong>, whichprovides maps and directions to these andother area parks, is available for purchase atthe Conservation <strong>of</strong>fice.The Conservation Commission also works toeducate the public on conservation issuesand provides programs to help residentsprotect the environment. The Commission’snewsletter, published each spring and falland mailed to every residential address in<strong>Wilton</strong>, presents articles to inform residents <strong>of</strong>environmentally-friendly landscape practicesand to answer various questions. In <strong>2007</strong>,the Commission focused on recycling trash,opportunities to recycle our electronics andLand Use & Public Works29
the <strong>Town</strong>-wide Clean Up Day. Wildlife wasalso a hot topic with articles on coyotesand Canada geese. The public educationresponsibility is met through the publication <strong>of</strong>the “Land Use Question and Answer” booklet.This popular and free publication is availableat the <strong>Town</strong> Hall.In <strong>2007</strong> the Commission sponsored itstwentieth Household Hazardous WasteCollection Day at a new location, Miller/Driscoll Schools. The event was again held inOctober, when our 513 participants (499 werefrom <strong>Wilton</strong>) were met with heavy rain andlonger than usual lines. <strong>Wilton</strong>’s participationrate consistently ranks in the top two in theState <strong>of</strong> Connecticut.The Deer Management Committee continuesto report to and be supported by theConservation Commission, with an overarchingreview by the Board <strong>of</strong> Selectmen. The DeerManagement Committee implemented itsfifth controlled hunt. Hunting took place onland owned in <strong>Wilton</strong> by the Second TaxingDistrict <strong>of</strong> Norwalk, the <strong>Town</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Wilton</strong>, andthe <strong>Wilton</strong> Land Conservation Trust. This yearhunting took place for the first time on a parceladjacent to Pope’s Pond and in the Sackett/Marble Richards-VanHaelewyn Preserves. Bothproperties were productive. In total, 129 deerwere culled from all properties in the <strong>Town</strong>’sprogram. Residents <strong>of</strong> <strong>Wilton</strong> have maintainedtheir support and the Deer Committeecontinues to encourage hunting on private land,stating the <strong>Town</strong>’s controlled hunts alone arenot enough to bring the herd in check.Patricia M. P. Sesto, Director <strong>of</strong> EnvironmentalAffairs, Michael Conklin, Environmental Analystand Karen DeSantis, Administrative Secretarysupported the work <strong>of</strong> the Commissioners.Commissioners who served in <strong>2007</strong> were:David Hapke, Chairman; Naomi Dempsey,Vice Chairman/Secretary; Nicholas Lee;Katherine Throckmorton; Kimberley Young;Patrice Gillespie; and Kristen Begor.In December, Naomi Dempsey left thecommission, having completed the <strong>Town</strong>’smaximum ten years <strong>of</strong> service.David Hapke, ChairmanInland WetlandsCommissionThe Inland Wetlands Commission is a sevenmemberboard with regulatory responsibilitiesfor administering the Connecticut “InlandWetlands and Watercourses Act.” By our localwetland regulations, regulated areas includewetlands, watercourses and adjacent lands.These regulations were established to protectthe resources’ attributes such as flood control,erosion control, pollutant attenuation, waterquality and habitat.There was a significant change in theregulations in <strong>2007</strong> with the adoption <strong>of</strong> a100-foot regulated buffer adjacent to wetlands.This is a 100% increase over the previousbuffer <strong>of</strong> 50 feet. The 100-foot regulated bufferadjacent to watercourses remained unchanged.In addition to this revision, there were severalless significant changes made in order to reflectchanges made to our governing State statutes.Proposed activities within regulated areasrequire a wetlands permit. In <strong>2007</strong>, 124applications were received, a 25% increasefrom 2006, when the application volumehad dropped. Of the 124 applications, 52were considered Minor Regulated Activitiesand were approved administratively; theother 72 applications were submitted to theCommission, with 21 <strong>of</strong> those requiring apublic hearing.Land Use & Public Works30
In routine implementation <strong>of</strong> the regulations,the Inland Wetlands Commission has hadcause to take enforcement action. This pastyear, nineteen violations were issued and<strong>of</strong> these, one violation required court actionto resolve. In addition to fines, the violatoralso paid the <strong>Town</strong>’s attorney’s fees. TheCommission is always distressed by violationsand works to communicate information onthe importance <strong>of</strong> wetlands to the residentsand contractors in <strong>Wilton</strong> in order to preservewetlands and head <strong>of</strong>f violations.The commission and its staff had an awardwinningyear in <strong>2007</strong>. The ConnecticutAssociation <strong>of</strong> Inland Wetland andConservation Commissions named ChairmanJoseph Fiteni, Jr. as the Commissioner <strong>of</strong> theYear, and Director <strong>of</strong> Environmental AffairsPatricia M. P. Sesto received the honor <strong>of</strong> beingnamed Conservation Director <strong>of</strong> the Year.In addition to Ms. Sesto, the Commissionwas served by Environmental Analyst MichaelConklin. Together, Ms. Sesto and Mr. Conklinanswered questions from residents regardingwetlands and activities requiring permits. Siteinspections were made to more clearly defineregulated areas and issue permits for “minorregulated activities.” The staff also providesthe Commission with technical reviews <strong>of</strong>applications and enforces their conditions<strong>of</strong> permit approval. Administrative support isprovided by Karen DeSantis.The Commission members <strong>of</strong> <strong>2007</strong> were:Joseph Fiteni, Jr., Chairman; Richard Ziegler,Vice Chairman; Karen Wackerman-Myers,Secretary; Jill Alibrandi; Franklin Wong; PhilVerde; and Syd Gordon.Joseph Fiteni, Jr., ChairmanHistoric District &Historic PropertyCommissionThe purpose <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Wilton</strong> Historic District &Historic Property Commission is to preserveand protect the distinctive characteristics<strong>of</strong> <strong>Wilton</strong> buildings and places that arehistorically, architecturally and/or culturallysignificant. Historic Districts and HistoricProperties are defined as clusters <strong>of</strong> relatedstructures in a compatible setting, orindividually designated properties that visuallyexpress styles <strong>of</strong> living representative <strong>of</strong>various periods in American history.The Historic District & Historic PropertyCommission is responsible for five historicdistricts in <strong>Wilton</strong>:Historic District #1 includes the buildings andland at 150 Danbury Road known as LambertCorners, owned by the <strong>Wilton</strong> Historical Society.Historic District #2 includes the buildings andproperty <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Wilton</strong> Congregational Church,the church parsonage, Old <strong>Town</strong> Hall and fivesurrounding homes on Ridgefield and BeldenHill Roads.(Historic District #3 was eliminated as thebuilding at 249 Danbury Road was moved andis now incorporated into District #5.)Historic District #4 includes the HurlbuttStreet Schoolhouse and its property.Land Use & Public Works31
Historic District #5 was created by unanimousvote <strong>of</strong> the Board <strong>of</strong> Selectmen in June 2005.It covers the <strong>Wilton</strong> Historical Society MuseumComplex at 224 Danbury Road, the Sloan-Raymond-Fitch House, the Betts-Sturges-Blackmar house, the Basil Burt barn and theAbbott barn and blacksmith shop.Historic District #6 includes fifteen propertieswith seventeen buildings in a Georgetownneighborhood on Church Street, West ChurchStreet and Route 107 (Redding Road). It wasestablished in May <strong>2007</strong>.Local Historic District and/or HistoricProperty designation provides a means topreserve and protect the historic character<strong>of</strong> a neighborhood, site or building andbestows honor and recognition upon them.Any proposed exterior change to an includedproperty, visible from the public right-<strong>of</strong>-way,requires approval from the Historic District &Historic Property Commission. Property ownersmust submit an application for review to assurethat any proposed changes are compatiblewith the building and appropriate to the district.Applications are available at the Planning &Zoning Department in the <strong>Town</strong> Hall Annex.Commission members actively work with<strong>Town</strong> residents to create new historic districtsand historic properties in an effort to provideadditional protection to <strong>Wilton</strong>’s historicsites. Any <strong>Wilton</strong> property owner interestedin exploring the possibility <strong>of</strong> designatinghis neighborhood or individual property as ahistoric district or property should contact one<strong>of</strong> the members <strong>of</strong> the Commission. As a result<strong>of</strong> this collaborative effort, Historic District#6 was established this year with 80% <strong>of</strong> theneighborhood approving the designation.The Commission reviewed and commentedon the proposed destruction <strong>of</strong>, or majorchange to, buildings over fifty years old underthe provisions <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Town</strong>’s Demolition DelayOrdinance and helped to preserve and/or drawattention to those buildings <strong>of</strong> architectural,historical or cultural importance in <strong>Town</strong>.A number <strong>of</strong> applications for Certificates<strong>of</strong> Appropriateness were submitted to theCommission this year for changes andadditions to properties in Districts #2 and#5. They were reviewed and approved andCertificate <strong>of</strong> Appropriateness granted. TheCommission receives assistance and supportfrom the Connecticut Preservation Office,the <strong>Wilton</strong> Board <strong>of</strong> Selectmen, the BuildingDepartment, the Planning and Zoning Officeand the <strong>Wilton</strong> Historical Society.The Board <strong>of</strong> Selectmen appointsCommission members and alternates.Members during <strong>2007</strong> were: Carol Russell,Chairman; Marian Wulffleff, Vice Chairman;Janet Foster, Clerk; Jonathan Foltz; andKevin Quinlan. Alternates were Jerre Dawson,Tierney O’Hearn and Harriet “Scotty” Taylor.Carol Russell, ChairmanDepartment <strong>of</strong>Public WorksThe Department <strong>of</strong> Public Works madesignificant road improvements this year on thefollowing <strong>Town</strong> roads: Old Highway, OremsLane, Range Road, Old Ridgefield Road andClover Drive. In addition, the Department didnumerous repairs to the <strong>Town</strong> roads after theLand Use and Public Works32
Frank Booth, Highway Superintendent, retiredafter more than 30 years <strong>of</strong> service to the<strong>Wilton</strong> Public Works Department on August3, <strong>2007</strong>. Robert Flemming was promotedto the Highway Superintendent position onDecember 1, <strong>2007</strong>.Thomas W. Thurkettle, P.E.,Director <strong>of</strong> Public WorksApril <strong>2007</strong> storm that caused extensive floodingthroughout the <strong>Town</strong>. A Federal EmergencyManagement Agency (FEMA) grant applicationwas applied for by Jennifer Fascitelli to obtainfunds to reimburse the <strong>Town</strong> for the damagethat was caused to the road system by theApril storm. The Department also installed the<strong>Wilton</strong> Center lights along River Road, CenterStreet, Godfrey Place, Hubbard Road and OldRidgefield Road. The Department also put inthe sanitary sewer line from School Road to theHigh School Stadium and the new twin 36-inchstorm drains south <strong>of</strong> the stadium.The Highway Department’s responsibilitiesinclude routine repair maintenance onthe 127 miles <strong>of</strong> <strong>Town</strong> roads, snow andice control during the winter months, theremoval <strong>of</strong> accumulated winter sand bythe Department’s sweeping operations,cleaning and repairing <strong>of</strong> drainage systemsand structures, the repair and replacement<strong>of</strong> damaged or deteriorated guardrails along<strong>Town</strong> roads, removal <strong>of</strong> brush and deadtrees along <strong>Town</strong>’s rights-<strong>of</strong>-way and thereplacement <strong>of</strong> <strong>Town</strong> street and traffic signs.All <strong>Town</strong> vehicles, except the Fire Departmentequipment, are maintained by the HighwayDepartment. The Department <strong>of</strong> PublicWorks also manages the <strong>Town</strong>’s solid wasteand recycling operations at the MatherStreet Transfer Station and transportsall the materials processed to regionaldisposal facilities.Tree WardenIn <strong>2007</strong>, CL & P trimmed the trees over 80%<strong>of</strong> <strong>Wilton</strong>’s transmission wires. The purpose <strong>of</strong>this pruning is to reduce power outagesthroughout <strong>Town</strong>.This year the <strong>Wilton</strong> Tree Warden inspected atotal <strong>of</strong> thirty-six major trees and ordered theremoval <strong>of</strong> thirty-three hazardous trees. Oneight occasions, the Warden assisted other<strong>Wilton</strong> agencies with consultation and adviceregarding <strong>Wilton</strong>’s trees.The <strong>Wilton</strong> Center Tree Plan is completed andnearing implementation. The driving force isthe <strong>Wilton</strong> Garden Club, with the support <strong>of</strong>the Conservation Commission.Paul R. YoungWater CommissionThe Water Commission oversees thedevelopment <strong>of</strong> public water line projectsin <strong>Wilton</strong>. When an extension <strong>of</strong> the currentnetwork is proposed, a survey <strong>of</strong> theneighborhood is conducted to determine thelevel <strong>of</strong> interest. Design, construction andLand Use and Public Works33
operation <strong>of</strong> the system are handled by eitherAquarion Water Company or the SecondTaxing District Water Company <strong>of</strong> Norwalk.Meetings are scheduled monthly to discusscurrent projects and to monitor activities <strong>of</strong> thetwo public water companies in <strong>Wilton</strong>, However,<strong>2007</strong> was another quiet year for the WaterCommission with no new projects. Residentsinterested in reviewing a map <strong>of</strong> the water linesin <strong>Town</strong> may contact the Department <strong>of</strong> PublicWorks for this information.As noted, the Water Commission monitorsactivities <strong>of</strong> public water companies in <strong>Wilton</strong>.The Second Taxing District Water Companyowns three reservoirs in <strong>Wilton</strong> and a total <strong>of</strong>1,174 acres <strong>of</strong> land. This property constitutesa large and important portion <strong>of</strong> <strong>Wilton</strong>’sopen space. Aquarion Water Companyowns two small plots <strong>of</strong> land in <strong>Wilton</strong>, one<strong>of</strong> which is strategically positioned over theCannondale aquifer.By ordinance, the First Selectman is Chairman<strong>of</strong> the <strong>Wilton</strong> Water Commission. Bob Burfordwas Vice Chairman in <strong>2007</strong>. Other memberswere Donald Grunewald, Charles Lewis,Douglas Walker and Mary Bozzuti-HigginsWilliam F. Brennan,ChairmanWater PollutionControl AuthorityThe Water Pollution Control Authority (WPCA)operates <strong>Wilton</strong>’s sanitary sewer systemserving the central area <strong>of</strong> <strong>Wilton</strong>, includingRiver Road. It also serves the Board <strong>of</strong>Education and <strong>Town</strong> buildings except Millerand Driscoll schools. <strong>Wilton</strong>’s sewers connectto the Norwalk system and its treatment plant.<strong>Wilton</strong> pays annual charges to the City <strong>of</strong>Norwalk based on plant construction costs,debt service and effluent volume. The WPCAis also responsible for system expansion andother capital improvements.During <strong>2007</strong>, there were a number <strong>of</strong>applications to connect to the <strong>Wilton</strong> sewersystem. Two commercial properties onDanbury Road were approved for hook-up bythe WPCA. In the summer, a short extension<strong>of</strong> the sewer down Kristine Lilly Way wasapproved to enable lateral hook-up for newlyinstalled restroom facilities in the high schoolstadium complex. And lastly, in December,plans were reviewed and approved to enabletwo new commercial buildings on OldRidgefield Road in <strong>Wilton</strong> Center to connectto the sewer system.By ordinance, the First Selectmen is Chairman<strong>of</strong> the WPCA. Ernest Loser is Vice Chairman.Other members were James Newton, TedH<strong>of</strong>fstatter, Al Stauderman and RichardTomasetti. Earlier in the year, Rich Tomasettireplaced Brooke Furst who resigned due toheavy business travel. At the end <strong>of</strong> <strong>2007</strong>,Eric Fanwick replaced Ted H<strong>of</strong>fstatter, whowas elected to the Board <strong>of</strong> Selectmen. Weare grateful to Brooke and Ted for their manycontributions while serving on the WPCA.William F. Brennan,ChairmanLand Use & Public Works34
Audit <strong>Report</strong>TOWN OF WILTON, CONNECTICUTSTATEMENT OF NET ASSETSJune 30, <strong>2007</strong>GovernmentalType Business-TypeActivities Activities Total*AssetsCash and cash equivalents $ 37,317,093 $ 7,365,635 $ 44,682,728Receivables, net <strong>of</strong> allowances for collection losses:Property taxes 1,477,227 - 1,477,227Intergovernmental 2,048,686 - 2,048,686Special assessments 231,560 334,389 565,949Other 619,769 - 619,769Inventories 12,717 - 12,717Prepaids and other 21,881 - 21,881Net pension asset 2,234 - 2,234Capital assets, net <strong>of</strong> accumulated depreciation 141,070,571 2,818,313 143,888,884Total assets 182,801,738 10,518,337 193,320,075LiabilitiesAccounts payable and accrued liabilities 10,399,026 342,122 10,741,148Intergovernmental payables 19,625 - 19,625Property taxes collected in advance 2,054,645 - 2,054,645Unearned revenues 688,672 67,188 755,860Internal balances (201,493) 201,493 -Noncurrent liabilities:Due within one year 6,832,024 35,002 6,867,026Due in more than one year 65,648,352 44,208 65,692,560Total liabilities 85,440,851 690,013 86,130,864Net AssetsInvestment in capital assets, net <strong>of</strong> related debt 71,287,195 2,739,103 74,026,298Unrestricted 26,073,692 7,089,221 33,162,913Total net assets $ 97,360,887 $ 9,828,324 $ 107,189,211The notes to the financial statements are an integral part <strong>of</strong> this statement.* After internal receivables and payables have been eliminated.Audit <strong>Report</strong>35
TOWN OF WILTON, CONNECTICUTSTATEMENT OF ACTIVITIESFor the Year Ended June 30, <strong>2007</strong>Program RevenuesNet (Expense) Revenue and Changes in Net AssetsOperating CapitalCharges for Grants and Grants and Governmental Business-typeFunctions/Programs Expenses Services Contributions Contributions Activities Activities TotalGovernmental activities:General government $ (6,492,495) $ 2,482,505 $ - $ - $ (4,009,990) $ - $ (4,009,990)Public safety (11,582,747) 363,266 - - (11,219,481) - (11,219,481)Public works (4,195,931) 54,820 113,035 157,034 (3,871,042) - (3,871,042)Public health and welfare (1,384,490) 67,110 17,143 - (1,300,237) - (1,300,237)Education (68,354,884) 2,379,822 3,363,989 331,620 (62,279,453) - (62,279,453)Recreation and Parks Commission (2,000,775) 64,022 877,401 - (1,059,352) - (1,059,352)Library and other (2,530,341) - - - (2,530,341) - (2,530,341)Interest on long-term debt (2,777,892) - - - (2,777,892) - (2,777,892)Total governmental activities (99,319,555) 5,411,545 4,371,568 488,654 (89,047,788) - (89,047,788)Business-type activities:WPCA (860,983) 687,426 - - - (173,557) (173,557)Transfer station (1,108,309) 996,798 - - - (111,511) (111,511)Total business-type activities (1,969,292) 1,684,224 - - - (285,068) (285,068)Total government $ (101,288,847) $ 7,095,769 $ 4,371,568 $ 488,654 $ (89,047,788) $ (285,068) $ (89,332,856)The notes to the financial statements are an integral part <strong>of</strong> this statementGeneral revenues:Property taxes $ 88,341,823 $ - $ 88,341,823Grants and contributions not restricted tospecific programs 4,334,616 - 4,334,616Unrestricted investment earnings 2,247,434 518,436 2,765,870Transfers in (out) (135,000) 135,000 -Total general revenues 94,788,873 653,436 95,442,309Change in net assets 5,741,085 368,368 6,109,453Net assets - beginning 91,619,802 9,459,956 101,079,758Net assets - ending $ 97,360,887 $ 9,828,324 $ 107,189,21114Audit <strong>Report</strong>36
TOWN OF WILTON, CONNECTICUTBALANCE SHEET - GOVERNMENTAL FUNDSJune 30, <strong>2007</strong>NonmajorTotalGeneral Governmental GovernmentalFund Funds FundsAssetsCash and cash equivalents $ 26,861,613 $ 6,548,191 $ 33,409,804Receivables, net <strong>of</strong> allowances forcollection losses:Property taxes 1,477,227 - 1,477,227Intergovernmental 2,021,447 27,239 2,048,686Special assessments - 231,560 231,560Other 219,481 234,794 454,275Due from other funds 749,244 47,127 796,371Inventories - 12,717 12,717Prepaids 5,892 15,989 21,881Total assets $ 31,334,904 $ 7,117,617 $ 38,452,521LiabilitiesAccounts payable and accruals 2,388,160 1,812,376 4,200,536Intergovernmental payables 19,625 - 19,625Property taxes collected in advance 2,054,645 - 2,054,645Performance bonds 4,010,785 - 4,010,785Due to other funds 32,537 526,260 558,797Unearned revenues 453,587 235,085 688,672Deferred revenue 3,206,227 231,560 3,437,787Total liabilities 12,165,566 2,805,281 14,970,847Fund balancesReserved for:Prepaid items 5,892 15,989 21,881Encumbrances 742,271 - 742,271Continuing appropriations 492,523 - 492,523Inventory - 12,717 12,717Donor's intentions - 9,344 9,344Long term advances 142,001 - 142,001Unreserved:Designated for:Debt service - 328,451 328,451Capital improvements - 1,804,989 1,804,989Future years 3,918,682 - 3,918,682Unreserved, reported in:Special revenue funds - 2,053,189 2,053,189Capital projects funds - 87,657 87,657General Fund 13,867,969 - 13,867,969Total fund balances 19,169,338 4,312,336 23,481,674Total liabilities andfund balances $ 31,334,904 $ 7,117,617Amounts reported for governmental activities in the statement <strong>of</strong>net assets are different because:Capital assets, net <strong>of</strong> accumulated depreciation <strong>of</strong> $50,556,656, purchased bygovernmental funds are reported as expenditures, however, the statement <strong>of</strong>net assets includes those capital assets among the assets <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Town</strong> as a whole. 141,070,571Other long-term assets are not available to pay for current-periodexpenditures and, therefore, are not recognized. 129,412Deferred Revenue 3,437,787Net pension asset 2,234Internal service fund is used by management to charge the costs <strong>of</strong>BOE Health Insurance to individual funds. The assets and liabilities<strong>of</strong> the internal service fund is included in governmental activitiesin the statement <strong>of</strong> net assets. 3,032,289Accrued interest payable (1,312,704)Long-term liabilities, including bonds payable, are not due and payablein the current period and therefore are not reported in the funds. (72,480,376)Net assets <strong>of</strong> governmental activities $ 97,360,887The notes to the financial statements are an integral part <strong>of</strong> this statement.15Audit <strong>Report</strong>37
TOWN OF WILTON, CONNECTICUTSTATEMENT OF REVENUES, EXPENDITURES AND CHANGES IN FUND BALANCES (DEFICITS) -GOVERNMENTAL FUNDSFor the Year Ended June 30, <strong>2007</strong>NonmajorTotalGeneral Governmental GovernmentalFund Funds FundsREVENUESProperty taxes $ 88,067,800 $ - $ 88,067,800Intergovernmental 7,669,044 775,487 8,444,531Licenses and permits 1,981,305 1,074,340 3,055,645Investments income 2,003,645 86,227 2,089,872Tuition - 1,182,110 1,182,110School lunch sales - 1,196,502 1,196,502Contributions - 217,985 217,985Other revenue 709,145 - 709,145Total revenues 100,430,939 4,532,651 104,963,590EXPENDITURESCurrent:General government 3,363,146 198,176 3,561,322Education 63,652,774 3,041,511 66,694,285Public safety 10,135,382 297,023 10,432,405Public works 2,088,763 - 2,088,763Public health and welfare 1,446,944 3,266 1,450,210Recreation and Parks commission 1,159,650 696,214 1,855,864Other 4,592,688 - 4,592,688Debt service:Principal retirements 5,951,145 27,047 5,978,192Interest and other charges 3,127,525 17,175 3,144,700Capital outlay 1,423,201 6,344,547 7,767,748Total expenditures 96,941,218 10,624,959 107,566,177Revenues over (under)expenditures 3,489,721 (6,092,308) (2,602,587)OTHER FINANCING SOURCES (USES)Proceeds from bonds - 4,055,000 4,055,000Capital leases issued 333,938 - 333,938Transfers out (135,000) - (135,000)Total other financingsources 198,938 4,055,000 4,253,938Net change in fund balances 3,688,659 (2,037,308) 1,651,351FUND BALANCES, beginning 15,480,679 6,349,644 21,830,323FUND BALANCES, ending $ 19,169,338 $ 4,312,336 $ 23,481,674The notes to the financial statements are an integral part <strong>of</strong> this statement.16Audit <strong>Report</strong>38
<strong>Town</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Wilton</strong>238 Danbury Rd<strong>Wilton</strong>, CT 06897Abigail Elliott, 2, holds the hand <strong>of</strong> her father,<strong>Wilton</strong> Firefighter Brian Elliott as fire, police andemergency personnel stand in formation duringthe town’s September 11 Remembrance at<strong>Wilton</strong> Fire Headquarters.39