WILTON – The Finance Board voted 8-0 Monday to accept the police department’s $388,531 proposed budget for the town’s June warrant. The vote, with one abstention, came after a long discussion on the need for a new lieutenant’s position as proposed by police Chief Dennis Brown.

Committee member Barry Hathaway expressed concerns that a town the size of Wilton could not justify a six-man department as Brown proposed. The lieutenant’s position would be in addition to four patrol officers and the police chief.

Brown indicated that Jay, with approximately 500 more residents, and Livermore Falls, with less than Wilton, both had similar positions on their departments. As for serious crimes such as robberies, rapes and motor vehicle thefts, Wilton was the second for calls in the county while being the third lowest in the county for the rate of crimes solved. In the past month, Wilton had 17 arrests compared to Farmington’s 27, Brown said.

The new officer would also be involved in investigations, officer training, relieving overtime expenses and leadership during evening hours, the busiest time for calls, he said.

Questions were raised about consolidation of services with county deputies and state police.

While Wilton does receive from and give assistance to these agencies, their first concerns would be to the one that employs them, Brown said.

Concerns were also expressed about finding fully trained and certified officers at a starting rate of $13.61 per hour for 42 hours a week. The town would be responsible for sending officers to the police academy and providing service for residents while they were away.

Hathaway changed his opinion after the discussion indicated that with savings in overtime pay and lack of benefits for this position, a sixth officer would only make about a $20,000 difference in the police budget.

Committee member Richard Hall expressed support for the new chief and department as well as concern for the number of calls the department is receiving. Other members also said that Brown should be given a chance to run the department, and the cost saving he has already done has been a benefit to the town.

The board also unanimously endorsed the $96,921 budget for the Fire Department. Half a position for administrative support would be shared with the Police Department paying the other half. A five-hour day includes answering calls and doing office work for both departments.

The board also agreed with selectmen to not propose any amount for the firetruck reserve account.

A new item added to the budget was the estimated cost of upkeep for the former school on School Street. The property will be returned to the town, Town Manager Peter Nielsen explained. As of July 1, ownership of the property at the site of the Renaissance School will be returned to the town per a previous agreement with the Franklin Community Health Network. After questioning the cost of utilities, Nielsen included a $12,733 sum to cover the expense until the town could sell or decide what to do with the property. Selectmen voted to wait a couple weeks and seek public ideas on what the property could be used for rather than putting it up for sale. The finance board expressed the same desire and with a vote of 8-1 accepted the proposed budget amount.