WILTON — The selectboard approved a draft plan for operation of the Wilson Pond dam during Tuesday’s meeting.

Since the town took over the dam from Forster Manufacturing, the waste treatment plant has received many, many calls about water levels in Wilson Lake being either too high or too low, Clayton Putnam, treatment plant superintendent, told the board.

The board asked Putnam to draft the Wilson Pond Dam Gate/Flashboard Operation Guidance plan. It is posted on the town’s website for residents to read.

The challenge is to keep the water level where people can enjoy the lake while still meeting the requirements of the plant’s discharge permits, he said. The water levels can affect the plant’s ability to discharge processed waters into the river, which allows the plant to continue to operate, he said.

To clarify for the board and residents, Putnam penned how and why the wastewater department uses flashboards and gates to maintain the level.

A response to predicted inclement weather can especially be challenging, he said. The level can not be changed in a short period of time and to react to predictions of high rains that do not occur could cause even more issues.

“Historically, the department has been very mindful not to overreact to predictions,” he wrote in the plan.

The main reason for any water level changes is to meet discharge limits in Wilson Stream and to maintain water quality, Selectperson Tom Saviello reminded the board.

Board members agreed the plan is subject to change. They told Putnam the plan was thoughtfully presented and well done.

In other business, the board also approved creating a lease plan for Mark Collins for town property on Route 2 near the town cemetery. The proposed lease would be for $1 a year for five years, Town Manager Rhonda Irish said.

The land was given to the town to extend the cemetery, she told the board. The town has no plan to use it during the next five years. It costs the town $200 plus annually to keep the brush down, she said.

Collins intends to let his animals graze the property.

“It’s a win-win,” Chairman Scott Taylor said. “It will save the town money.”

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