WILTON — The Board of Selectpersons granted liquor license renewals to Wilton Golf Holdings LLC on Tuesday after the company paid back taxes.
During their May 5 meeting, the board voted to not renew the licenses for the company, which operates as Wilson Lake Country Club.
The reason is because they haven’t paid their personal property taxes, Selectperson Thomas Saviello said, quoting Maine Statute 28a. Saviello expressed willingness to reconsider if taxes were paid.
Property taxes were paid just prior to foreclosure and personal property taxes had not been paid at all, Board of Selectpersons Chairman Scott Taylor said. Last week, the company came in and paid over $3,000 in personal property taxes owed since 2009, Town Manager Rhonda Irish said on Wednesday. The company also paid $10,083.84 for last year’s property taxes. This year’s taxes are still outstanding, Irish said.
Property taxes for the golf course are based on furniture and fixtures, maintenance items and equipment and computers, she said.
The town does foreclose for unpaid properties, but it is a process, she said. Companies usually pay before foreclosure takes place.
Golf course Manager Mike Vella attended the meeting and received the renewals without any concerns raised, she said.
In other business, the board agreed to hold a public hearing on a proposed second amendment to the Town of Wilton Comfort Inn Municipal Tax Increment Financing District and Development Program. This is an article on the town meeting warrant and will come before voters on June 15, she said.
A public hearing needs to be held first and was planned for 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 2, at the town office.
When the TIF was developed in 2008, the town was authorized to spend some of their portion to pay off debt on a sewer project, she said.
A couple years ago, the debt was paid and the town amended the TIF to reflect that, but in the process withdrew the ability for the town to pay on any loans for capital projects, she said.
This was not understood by the town, but the state office that governs TIFs understood it, she said. “When the town considered using TIF funds for things like a new firetruck, we were informed we couldn’t do that,” she said.
The proposed amendment is to allow the town to use municipal TIF revenues to pay debt coverage for allowable capital projects within the Development Program, Irish said.
A Selectman candidate meet-and-greet is planned from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 27, at Calzolaio’s Pasta Company, Irish also told the board. The event, open to the public, is sponsored by the Wilton Group.
Four candidates, Irv Faunce, Joey Kinsey, Jerry Whitney and Jeff Adams, are running for Tom Saviello’s seat on the board. The election takes place on June 9 at the town office.
Final paving on High Street is expected to take place on Thursday, May 21, and paving on Eastern and Webb avenues on Thursday and Friday, Irish said.
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