Wilton on Track to Finish Fiscal Year with $558,000 Surplus

WILTON, CT — The town of Wilton will finish the 2018-19 fiscal year with over a half a million dollars surplus, according to a report from the town's chief financial officer.

The $558,000 windfall will be driven primarily by savings borne of not filling some open positions. Town CFO Anne Kelly-Lenz delivered the report, summarized here, to the selectmen at a meeting on June 17.

The selectmen voted to allocate $132,000 of the proposed surplus to reduce the 2019-20 mill rate increase, and $58,900 to fund the road restoration program.

The remainder of the funds would be allocated as follows:

• $200,000 for repairs to Fire Station 2.
• $70,000 for an air compressor for the fire department, to replace one that is no longer functional. This expenditure had been budgeted for the 2022-23 fiscal year.
• $25,000 for extrication ballistic equipment. The money needed may be reduced if grant funding becomes available.
• $19,100 for fire department essential equipment repairs.
• 18,000 to Parks and Grounds for complete barn roof repairs, as opposed to the budgeted overlay.
• $17,000 for residential alarm management software to replace current software which is no longer functional. A one-year return on investment is forecast.
• $12,000 to provide necessary review for statute compliance and improved online access.
• $6,000 for legal costs associated with negotiations with the state related to the Norwalk River Valley Trail lease.