By SARAH PARKER | County Line Editor
Though the Wilton Village Board talked about the possibility of selling the Wilton Community Center and its adjoining complex at its meeting Monday, president Tim Welch emphasized that the board would take no immediate decision and that he intended only to gauge the community’s stance on putting the structure on the market.
If the community center/complex were sold, the village would attempt to recoup the investment it has made over the years, Welch said. The village then would construct a new, smaller building to house the village hall and library, plus make arrangements with the new owner of the community center/complex to use the gymnasium. The green space behind the community center likely would not be included in the sale, Welch noted.
Board members Eli Yoder and Tom Brieske both mentioned that they had heard much opposition to the idea since the meeting agenda was posted last week. In response, Welch said that if the community supported retaining ownership of the community center, he would back away from the proposal.
The village purchased the building from the Norwalk-Ontario-Wilton School District for about $35,000 after Wilton detached from the Elroy-Kendall-Wilton School District in 1999 and joined the Norwalk-Ontario School District. The building had served as an elementary school in the EKW School District.
The village’s motivation for initially buying the building was to maintain control over it so it wouldn’t deteriorate.
Converting the building for village use and maintaining over the years has “cost a fortune,” Welch said. But at the time, the community supported renovating the building for village purposes, including relocating the public library to the building, he added.
“I think it’s good to remind people every once in a while what it costs,” Welch said, adding that he was concerned about declining shared revenue from the state and the restrictive levy limits, which the village can raise only in certain circumstances, such as a referendum or the addition new construction in the village. “At some point, it might catch up with us.”
Former clerk/treasurer Lori Brueggen said to the board, “I can tell you that when they bought the building, they knew they would not make money on it. They had the concern of maintaining it … they didn’t want it trashed.”
Other business
• After a closed session, the village approved the following wages: Public Works Director Steve Laufenberg, $24; Clerk/Treasurer Leigha Barton, $21; and Police Officer John Stavlo, $19.
Additionally, the board hired Michael Land at $19; he will work as a water utility operator.
On a related note, in August the board hired Madysen Schweinler, Barton’s daughter, for a park attendant/janitor position at $14 an hour.
• The board agreed to borrow $215,000 to either build new or remodel an existing building, which would serve as the new Wilton Ambulance Service garage. No plans are firm at this time.
• Southwest Sanitation will become the village’s new garbage pickup service. The cost will be $11.50 per month for both recycling and garbage.
• Maury Paeth recently had donated a riding mower to the village that would be used to mow the newly created river walk trail, Welch noted. The trail begins in the village campground area and runs along the Kickapoo River, behind Martin’s Milk Service and Warehousing.