WILTON – Residents filled the cafeteria of Academy Hill School Monday night for the annual selectboard-made BBQ and town meeting. The recommended $3.17 million budget was passed with little discussion apart from a moved increase of $2,000 and $1,662 to two different social service agencies. Several ordinances were changed, including the addition of zoning languages for taverns/pubs and retail marijuana sales and cultivation, which brought considerable discussion from the crowd.
An uncontested vote tripled the funding for Safe Voices, an agency providing support to victims of domestic violence, raising the appropriated amount from the recommended $1,000 to $3,000. A similar article to fund Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Services was increased from the selectpersons’ recommendation of $1,338 to $3,000, also ending in unanimous approval from townspeople.
The total approved budget of $3,173,662 represents an increase of roughly $31,000 over the current fiscal year’s budget.
Article 3 was passed, amending the Farm & Forest, Commercial, Downtown Village, Industrial and Stream & Resource zoning ordinances to include the allowance of a tavern/pub with permit and planning board approval. The article, along with article 4 amending the Commercial, Farm & Forest, Industrial and Resource Protection zoning ordinances to include marijuana retail sales, cultivation and manufacturing, brought considerable discussion from residents- some of whom voiced concern over the new allowances.
“One reason I like Wilton is because it’s family friendly. I don’t think a pub represents that very well,” resident Siri Stinson said.
Article 3 passed 33 to 17.
Similar concerns were raised around Article 4.
“I don’t think Wilton needs to be a leading town for marijuana shops. I raise my kids here. I came back here to do that and because I liked those small town relationships with people and businesses,” another resident said.
John Black, who already owns and operates a legal growing facility in the town, said that the thousands of people he treats every year far outweighs his concern for the odor affecting neighbors.
“Call it what you want, but we’ve been doing it for eight years and there are ways to address the concerns,” he told neighbors.
When asked about an increase in crime rates, Chief of Police Heidi Wilcox responded:
“Marijuana is here. There have not yet been any increases in issues now that it’s legal.”
Wilcox added that Wilton was recently recognized as the 15th safest town in the state of Maine.
The article includes language that prohibits all marijuana sales from taking place within 500 feet of schools, religious institutions, licensed day cares or libraries. It also prohibits marijuana social clubs. The article passed with a show of hands, 28 to 16.
Thank you Wilton voters, for recognizing the important work that Safe Voices and SAPARS do in the community.
So what is happening with the old mill on Depot St? Looks like the demolition has stopped with quite a bit of the building still standing.
I wanted to make a comment in regards to marijuana retail sales in Wilton, but I forgot what I was going to say!
Well I’ll try again; How does Mr. Black treat thousands with marijuana every year? And why isn’t that a legitimate question?
In response to Siri I believe we already have a pub in town
@ Captain Planet: He doesn’t treat thousands, he helps thousands. By help it means referring people to qualified Caregivers, recommending treatment methods or counseling other Caregivers on organic growing methods and ways of helping their patients. We are medically driven and the need for our services is increasing rapidly. Feel free to contact either of us with questions.
I would like to second Yankee’s question.
@K I don’t think we currently have a pub. there’s a restaurant with a bar. that being said, I’m pretty excited about the potential pub that will be opening down town
Corey I was going by the wording in the article.