WILTON — Selectmen agreed a police advisory committee would be a good thing Tuesday, but questioned straying from the normal procedure for organizing a town committee.
The board voted to ask Town Manager Rhonda Irish to work with the police chief on forming the committee and to accept applications to serve from the public. The board will then review and appoint members as is normally done.
Police Chief Heidi Wilcox brought names of people interested in serving on the committee to the board Tuesday.
They have met and filled in applications but are aware it’s not an official committee without the board’s blessing, she said.
The group has met a couple of times to discuss an open house for the public and the possibility of completing a town survey, she wrote in her quarterly report.
“I am asking for this approval (of the committee) to open doors of communication between the police and the public,” she wrote.
Chairman Terry Brann questioned Gould’s role in soliciting members for the committee and suggested it may look like the police chief “stacked the committee.”
“I don’t think the police chief should solicit people giving advice,” he said.
Gould said she asked a variety of people, including a mother, a college educator and a businessman. She specifically asked Joey Kinsey, because he approached her at town meeting and told her he couldn’t support her budget. She said she wants his input and feels he represents much of the public.
Selectman Russell Black also questioned why people on the list for a police committee started by Selectman Tom Saviello were not contacted.
The process was started to form that committee, but people wanted it put on hold because Gould was new to the position, Brann said.
Irish told the board Gould did not start without coming to the town manager first. She said Gould talked to her about the committee in November and she told Gould to go ahead and see if people were interested and bring it to the board.
Gould said she is open to others serving on the committee and to including the names she submitted for review.
In other items in her report, Gould introduced a new officer, Derek Daley, who was hired to replace Rick Billian. Daley was working a temporary slot for Bryan Lynch, who was deployed to Afghanistan earlier this year.
The temporary slot was filled by Michael Boucher, who she also introduced to the board.
The board also opened several bids for a new police vehicle. The town manager, police chief and road foreman will provide the board with a recommendation at the next meeting.
Three residents asked selectmen to consider a four-wheel drive vehicle for the department, especially for response to emergencies on hilly roads within town.
Kinsey told the board he “hates paying taxes, but safety is an issue” for both the public and the officers, he said of the need for a better vehicle.
abryant@sunjournal.com
Send questions/comments to the editors.
