The Wilton Selectboard recommends appropriating $15,000 for Wastewater Department debt payments in its proposed $3.1 million 2016-2017 spending plan.
The net budget recommended by selectmen last week — the amount to be funded by property taxes — totals $2,096,317, which factors in the $3,168,767 in spending recommendations and $992,450 in revenue as well as $80,000 that will be taken from surplus to go toward several capital improvement projects.
In their recommendations, selectmen cut $41,904 from the proposed $3,210,671 in requested expenditures. Their net recommendation is an increase of $23,570 over last year’s budget.
Town Manager Rhonda Irish had recommended asking voters to appropriate $45,000 for debt payments on loans used in the upgrade of the town’s wastewater system and treatment plant, but the board opted to seek $15,000.
The $10.8 million upgrade is in its final phase, focusing on improvements being made to the treatment plant on Davis Court.
Outgoing Water Department Superintendent Clayton Putnam warned selectmen in December that sewer rates will increase steeply as debt payments on the USDA loans used to fund part of the project become due.
Justin Futia, the new water department superintendent, has said that rates could increase from $439 per customer annually to $760, and that factors in a $30,000 contribution from the town.
In addition to the $15,000 recommended by selectmen, Irish said another $15,000 probably will be used from the Comfort Inn and Suites tax increment financing district to fund the debt payments.
Selectmen have been contemplating since January how much the town should provide for wastewater debt payments. At a public hearing earlier this month, selectmen voted to recommend $60,000 be set aside in the budget for them, though it was noted that their recommendation then would not be final.
A call Wednesday to Selectboard Chairwoman Tiffany Maiuri to elaborate on the recommendation change was not immediately returned.
In other parts of the budget, selectmen recommended contributing to only one of the five social service organizations from which the town received requests. Selectmen voted to recommend $2,300 be contributed to the Wilton Food Pantry. Requests also were received from Safe Voices, the American Red Cross, Work First and Life Flight.
Selectmen also recommended that $80,000 of surplus money be used for several capital improvement projects.
Of that funding, the board is asking that $50,000 be put into an account for building demolition, which would include parts of the Forster Mill. The town is working to get federal funding for the demolition and environmental remediation of the mill site, but it is uncertain how much money it will receive, if any.
The board also recommends using $20,000 of the surplus money for reconstruction of a retaining wall at Kineowatha Park. Another $10,000 is recommended for repairing critical areas of the retaining wall at the foot of Wilson Lake.
The Finance Committee also met last week to give its final recommendations on the budget. That board recommended a $2,106,192 net budget for the 2016-2017 fiscal year, a roughly $29,000 increase from last year’s budget.
The committee also recommended $15,000 for wastewater department debt payments.
In contributions to social organizations, committee members recommended approving the Safe Voices request for $3,000 and increasing the contribution to the Wilton Food Pantry from $2,300 to $2,500.
Residents at Town Meeting on June 20 will have the final say on budget figures and will be able to consider the department requests, Select Board recommendations and Finance Committee recommendations for each line item.
Lauren Abbate — 861-9252
Twitter: @Lauren_M_Abbate
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