Ethan Kyes named interim police chief of Wilton

WILTON — The Board of Selectpersons announced Tuesday that Sgt. Ethan Kyes is the interim police chief for six months.

After that, a decision will be made on a permanent replacement for Heidi Wilcox, who announced her Nov. 1 retirement in early September.

Stephen Charles, who was at the meeting, was promoted to sergeant to replace Kyes.

Charles joined the department in August after serving the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office for 22 years. He applied for the chief position and said he will support Kyes to the best of his ability.

“I have a lot of faith and respect for Ethan,” Charles said.

Selectpersons unanimously approved of Town Manager Perry Ellsworth collaborating with Chris Lynch of Matrix Design Group for a state grant that could provide high-speed broadband internet service at an affordable rate in the foreseeable future. The application will be filed Nov. 9.

Lynch asked the board for permission to include newly eligible homes in the application. East Wilton was not included, because it is covered by a National Telecommunication and Information Administration grant given to Consolidated Communications for Franklin County.

According to Lynch, Matrix Design Group would use the grant and their funds to install the infrastructure and provide municipality service.

Fire Chief Sonny Dunham approached the Board of Selectpersons with an offer from Franklin County Emergency Management Agency for a trailer that would be refurbished for the Fire Safety Program.

“For the last 10 to 12 years,” Dunham said, “we had a trailer that we were using from Chesterville. It’s called a smoke trailer and it’s for the kids. It’s to show the kids how to react if the smoke alarm goes off and how to exit the building.”

According to Dunham, the smoke trailer from Chesterville is no longer operational and he has been searching for a replacement.

Dunham met with Director Tim Hardy of Franklin County EMA, which held a meeting Tuesday to donate a disaster supply trailer as a replacement.

“We are gonna have everything in that trailer,” Dunham said. He said any outdated supplies from the trailer will be disposed of appropriately. He believes he can use community donations and volunteer labor to do most of the refurbishing. He also wants to make the trailer available to the rest of the county for their fire safety programs.

The board voted unanimously to accept the donation.