October Update-Lots of Information to Share

Track and Turf Restoration  

The track restoration was completed this past weekend and it looks great.  The track remains closed to facilitate turf restoration.  Click here to see before and after photos of the track. 

There are two remaining steps to complete the Stadium turf field restoration.  

  • One, installation of the sand and coconut infill, which began yesterday.   We lost Monday and Tuesday of this week as the field must be completely dry or otherwise the sand cakes. The installation should be complete by early next week.
  • Two, sanitation of the field, which is a one-day process.  

Weather permitting, the Stadium field and the track should reopen mid-next week.  The installation of additional infill on Lilly is also scheduled for next week.  Thank you for your patience throughout the restoration. 

The final cost of the restoration is expected to be between $275,000 and $300,000.  Emergency Management Director & Chief of Police John Lynch and area emergency management directors are meeting with FEMA officials in an effort to have FEMA declare damage in our area eligible for 75% reimbursement. 

At Monday’s Board of Selectmen meeting, we approved a contact with the engineering firm Stantec to develop a mitigation plan to safeguard the complex should a storm of this magnitude occur again. 

July 1 Tax Payments

Additional unprocessed checks and supporting documentation, including post-marked envelopes, have been located. Town staff are working through the documentation and have begun contacting impacted property owners.  They will be working throughout this weekend.  We fully expect to have all Webster Bank related issues resolved before the end of the month.  Impacted residents are being given the choice of a refund or a tax credit for any duplicate payments or refunded interest, stop payment fees or other fees.   Thank you for your understanding.

October Events

October brings the return of many favorite events. The town is sponsoring or participating in the following:

  • Scarecrow Fest:  The Wilton Chamber in partnership with several town departments sponsors this community favorite.  Scarecrows will be on view in Wilton Center from October 15th until November 1st.
  • Hazardous Waste Day:  Saturday, October 16th from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm.  Read more here.
  • Police Headquarters Open House:  October 16th.  Come tour the Police Headquarters and learn why a new headquarters is being proposed.  Look for more details in a forthcoming press release.
  • Scarecrow Scavenger Hunt:  Watch for entry forms and details on the town website on October 15th.  Three lucky winners.  This is a great family activity. 
  • Parks and Recreation Trunk or Treat:  Friday, October 29th at Comstock Community Center from 2:15 pm to 5:00 pm.  Register for this event through e-trak under "special events".
  • Pumpkin Parade:  Saturday, October 30th from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm in Wilton Center.  This is the highlight of the month for many of Wilton’s youngest. Read more here.

Police Headquarters Project

At Monday’s Board of Selectmen meeting we approved a contract with Tecton Architects for a design and cost estimate for a new police headquarters to be presented for consideration at a special town meeting and adjourned vote in late January 2022.  The planned special meeting will also consider questions related to the sale of cannabis and, if ready for consideration, a domed turf field behind Comstock. 

The police headquarters project is long overdue.  The current headquarters was built in 1974 to house a 25-person, all male department.  There are now 44 sworn officers, 5 of whom are female.  The building’s infrastructure is original, meaning many deficiencies.   

The recommended new building is the result of a multi-year period of analysis that began in December 2016 with the appointment of a study committee followed by the appointment of a building committee in February 2018. The seven-member resident building committee, co-chairs David Waters and Patti Temple, Matthew Bezanson, Keith Fordsman, David Johnson, Kathy Poirier and John Suchy, developed a comprehensive website which documents the process and information that lead to their recommendation.    The website is available here.  In February 2020, the preliminary estimated cost was $14.5 million.  After two years of cost escalation, we expect Tecton’s updated cost to be higher.  Look for that estimate in early January. 

In the meantime, public information sessions and headquarter tours will be held in October and November, beginning with tours on October 16th and a Zoom information session on October 18th.  Watch for details.

Domed Turf Field

Next week, we expect to receive an initial report from the engineers performing the feasibility study for a domed turf field behind Comstock.  A final report is expected in late October/early November.

Field Lightning Detection Project

The vendor is expected to being installation later this month.

Middlebrook Tennis Court Replacement Project

The replacement of the courts is well underway.  This project is also weather dependent, so please watch for an announcement as to the reopening date. 

Modernization of Land Use Records

This month our Land Use departments will begin a long overdue project to digitize records and provide online access to those records. The project will begin with the scanning of building and health department permits currently stored on microfiche.  (Yes, it just pained me to write that we still have microfiche in 2021.)  

Beginning October 14th through the end of November, microfiche files will be sent out in batches for scanning.  While out for scanning, a copy of a file will be available by email by the end of the next business.  We appreciate your understanding as we work towards improving customer service and access. 

New Cell Monopole Behind the Bus Barn

The Planning & Zoning Commission provided a favorable response to the Board of Selectmen’s question as to whether the area behind the Bus Barn on School Road was appropriate for a new cell monopole.  We are currently negotiating a real estate lease with Verizon for the required small parcel.  Look for more information at the October 19th Board of Selectmen meeting. 

Frontier Townwide Fiber Installation

You have likely seen Squan Construction personnel and vehicles throughout the town, including this week on state roads.  The project is moving along quickly and is still expected to be substantially complete this month for all public-owned roads.

Paving

Paving continues to remain on schedule with twenty-one roads paved as of last Friday.   Ten roads, along with the transfer station road, remain to be paved this calendar year, weather permitting.  The Fire Station II driveway is also being paved. This is why you may have noticed the fire engine parked on Vista Road. 

Absentee Ballots

As with the 2020 Presidential elections, all residents are eligible to vote by absentee ballot in the upcoming November election for municipal officials.  Instructions on absentee voting and a link to download an absentee ballot application are available here.

Questions?  Please email me at lynne.vanderslice@wiltonct.org.

Lynne Vanderslice

First Selectwoman