WILTON — Selectmen voted to take no further action on the Village View playground Tuesday after Recreation Director Frank Donald reported neighbors want to keep the park.

Seven neighbors attended the last Recreation Committee meeting and voiced their desire to keep the playground, Town Manager Rhonda Irish said on Wednesday. The town and Donald also want to keep it, but Donald feels changes need to be made, she said.

He has suggested neighbors form a neighborhood watch to take turns watching the park, especially during the summer months.

Hoping to move forward, the board agreed to work with the neighborhood and give it a chance.

In other business, the board reviewed a couple of minor concerns expressed by the Planning Board after Adam Mack, owner of the former Forster mill property, explained his plan to demolish and salvage the mill earlier this month.

The Planning Board wanted selectmen to review the agreement drawn between Mack and his contracted salvager, Downeast Construction, owned by Ryan Byther, to assure the board that the building will come down and not be left partially standing, she said.

The Planning Board was also concerned that the Department of Environmental Protection was aware of the plan. The property owner, town and DEP are all in contact and working together, she said.

Several people have thought it was a town project, but the property is privately owned and taxes have been paid on it, she said. The town boards are only approving the demolition/salvage plan.

After reviewing the contract, the board approved the action and sent it back to the Planning Board to consider awarding a permit, she said. The mill work has begun on a conditional permit.

The board also reviewed 16 properties that the town has foreclosed on this year. Adding that number to last year, the town now has 23 properties potentially for sale. The next step is for the board to decide whether to put them out to bid or hold an auction, she said.

Fire Chief Sonny Dunham requested approval for the Fire Department training  to burn the structure on a Weld Road property.  The board approved the training on the Barbara Reichard property. It is expected to take place in early May.

Irish read a letter of retirement submitted by Town Clerk Linda Jellison. After a total of 23 years, she plans to retire by the end of June.  She worked five years then moved out of state. She came back and has worked for the town for another 18 years. The board accepted the resignation with regret.

abryant@sunjournal.com

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