WILTON – There will be a new face greeting people at the Wilton Town Office.

On Tuesday, selectmen named Rhonda Irish of Jay as town manager. Irish, who is Minot’s administrator, previously served for 12 years as recycling and solid waste coordinator for Jay. She has taken a graduate course in public financial management at the University of Maine at Orono.

In other business, controversy erupted over a proposal by the Western Maine ATV Club to designate an ATV access route from the Whistle Stop Trail by Rick’s Market up Village View Street to Prospect Street, and then down to Main Street, on to Canal Street and to the boat ramp. Trail master Mike Lee said the request was for ATV travel during daylight hours only, setting a 10 mph speed limit, having the route open May 15 to Nov. 1, and having no ATVs with modified exhausts.

Although Lee said he talked to 64 people on affected streets that favored the proposal, with only six opposed, there was overwhelming opposition to the request at the meeting.

One person living on Village View, Todd Labbe, said his primary concern is the children who play in the area. “I find it hard to believe those ATVs would go 10 miles per hour up that hill or 10 miles per hour down the hill,” he said.

He added that while many ATV riders were responsible, a few irresponsible individuals could cause damage to lives and property.

Police Chief Dennis Brown said he didn’t support the ATV route because he is concerned about the mingling of the machines with children, cars, and bicycles on the narrow street. He also said police patrol the area, but don’t have an ATV to do so, making it difficult to chase offenders who venture onto trails.

Others in the crowd of about 40 people said home values would be negatively impacted if selectmen OK’d the proposal. Another Village View resident, Mike Backus, said the ATVs could threaten the annual Blueberry Festival, noting that parking at that time was already at a premium and the ATVs would create a traffic hazard with all of the additional people milling about downtown.

However, Lee was firm in his belief that the ATV traffic would benefit businesses, creating more revenue to bolster Wilton’s economy. He also said he had spoken with Warden David Chabot, who was open to the idea of ATV access.

“He said it could enhance the town a great deal,” said Lee.

Selectman Irving Faunce said some elderly people had contacted him expressing disapproval of the trails because of the noise the ATVs could cause.

Selectmen voted 5-0 against the request.