WILTON — The Wilton selectboard unanimously approved a no-interest loan Tuesday, Sept. 1, for Ransom Consulting Engineers and Scientists to do a soil and water survey of the Foster Mill property.
The $26,500 geotechnical inspection will provide necessary information for interested developers.
“Personally, I think that’s the right thing to do as part of the portfolio that we would hand to a contractor as that’s the first thing they’re going to ask is what’s the stability of what’s left there,” Selectperson Tom Saviello said.
Town Manager Rhonda Irish said the town has $5,398 from a grant that will be used before using the loan.
In other business, the board approved October 6 for a public hearing to approve Honey Comb Farm’s marijuana cultivation expansion and to move its retail store. The Planning Board approved the medical marijuana caregiver’s business use application Aug. 20.
“As I understand it, the public hearing would be the initial permit license and that’s kind of what the intent of our ordinance was, and then the annual renewal takes place by the Select Board,” Code Enforcement Officer Charlie Lavin said.
The Honey Comb Farm will present its plans to expand its retail floor space and cultivation operation at the public hearing which will allow residents to voice comments or concerns.
“We are definitely grateful for the opportunity to set up here, and look forward to continuing to work with the town for the betterment of the community,” Honey Comb Farm co-owner Brian Patterson said in an email. “I know the ordinance is designed to keep commerce fair to the town and businesses operating.”
Patterson said that they’ve experienced a spike in business since the beginning of the state of emergency in March and especially now that college students have returned.
“With the epidemic that has hit, I believe that since people are staying at home, they’re medicating a little bit more,” Patterson said in a phone interview.
Irish confirmed with the board that a public meeting would take place at 6 p.m. Sept. 23 to present landscaping and engineering options for the Wilson Lake retaining wall project.
“I have to figure out how many people that I can have in there and meet guidelines, and then put it out there that I need people to sign-up and also have people sign-up for a Zoom meeting; I have a couple requests for that,” Irish said in a phone interview. “So we’ll do Zoom at the meeting while it’s happening and then have people come in, and if I get more people than I can take, I’ll do the 24th also.”
The board also approved the part-time employee compensation raises that Irish presented. The town office assistant, the two crossing guard positions, the transfer station attendant and the police department assistant will receive a 50-cent raise. Irish said she has consistently raised wages over the years for these positions to match minimum wage.
Public Works foreman John Masse provided an overview of the road paving efforts. Doak Street has been paved and Swett Road, Orchard Drive, Gordon Road, Black Road, the entrance to Applewood Road, Butterfield Road and Markston Hill Road will be paved. Masse said the work will take about two and a half days.
The board also approved committee appointments and a pole permit application on McGrath Road.
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