WILTON – Voters at the annual town meeting Monday refused to cut any highway department positions, going against the recommendation of town officials.

Instead, voters increased highway spending by a total of $31,621. The spending includes summer and winter highway maintenance, sidewalks, paving and street projects, and cemetery maintenance accounts.

Town officials worked toward keeping the budget down this year in order to decrease the town’s tax rate from $21.60 to $20.30 per thousand dollars of assessed property value. They asked department heads to significantly cut their budgets and recommended cutting two highway positions.

Highway Foreman Ken Vining resigned for personal reasons in April. He was recently replaced by highway worker John Welch, leaving Welch’s post vacant. One more position was to be eliminated.

The summer highway maintenance account includes workers’ salaries. Voters increased that budget by $19,121 to a total of $162,000 to pay for two workers.

The winter highway maintenance account includes the purchase of sand, along with health benefits for the highway workers. Officials cut the amount of sand to be purchased this year in half, due to a current stockpile of sand. Voters increased that account by $10,000 to $295,677.

Voters increased the amount of the sidewalks and paving and street projects accounts by $1,000 each to $6,782 and $75,654, respectively. They increased the cemetery maintenance account by $500. Those accounts also include some payroll monies.

Town Manager Peter Nielsen said he did not know now how the move will affect the town’s tax rate.

“I have to do some figures,” Nielsen said.

Assistant Town Manager Barbara Hall said that information should be available by the end of this week.

In a special presentation, state Rep. Thomas Saviello presented Vining with a sentiment from the Legislature in recognition of his 27 years of service to the town. Vining was not present so Nielsen accepted it on his behalf.

The 2004 town report was also dedicated to Vining.

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