WILTON – Town Manager Peter Nielsen told selectmen Tuesday that a newly formed ordinance review committee discussed more than the town’s zoning ordinance and comprehensive plan during the first meeting last month. That meeting lasted about two hours.

The committee was formed to try to improve the business climate in Wilton during a meeting with citizens, business owners and members of the Planning Board last month after officials received a letter from Dennis Taylor of Taylor Made Homes, who charged that the town was anti-business due to its ordinance restrictions and high taxes.

Nielsen said the eight-person committee expressed concerns about improving the way Main Street looks, including the appearance of buildings and the way trash is picked up. They plan to explore possible grants for the improvement of the downtown area.

The committee also discussed the apathy and lack of involvement by residents in Wilton and high taxes. The committee will research how the town could improve its operations and ways to reduce taxes. Nielsen said there also was some talk of code restrictions.

The committee agreed to meet again at 8 a.m. Sept. 11 at the town office. “I hope we can go from the general to the more specific as we meet more,” Nielsen said. The committee will bring their recommendations back to selectmen for consideration.

In other business, Nielsen presented officials with recycling data from the State Planning Office. Nielsen said each year the town presents a waste management report about how many tons of waste and recyclables the town disposes of and receives the organized data in return.

According to the data received, Wilton recycled 36.7 percent of its waste last year. Nielsen said he believes the town will do even better this year.

Nielsen also reported that the town has received an annual invitation to the Norridgewock Landfill to see how the landfill operates. Tours will be given at 11 a.m., noon and 1 p.m.

Nielsen said a regional meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 11, at the Wilton town office to discuss with area officials the upcoming tax reform referendum vote. The meeting is sponsored by the Maine Municipal Association, which backs the initiative. Wilton was chosen as the site to hold the meeting because it is central to the area, Nielsen said.

Officials heard a quarterly report from Recreation Director Frank Donald. This year 255 kids took part in the town’s swim program.

Select Chairman Rodney Hall asked Donald to work with Nielsen to determine how much it would cost to have the Recreation Committee mow the town’s cemeteries.

While officials have no real intention of asking the committee to mow the cemetery, some residents suggested the idea during a public hearing held Aug. 5 after complaints were received. Officials agreed they should research the idea for future discussion. Donald said he feels the job should be delegated to the town’s highway crew as it was in the past.

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