WILTON — Selectmen approved a serious intent to collect past due taxes Tuesday.

Letters to property owners with tax liens stemming from unpaid 2007 taxes will be sent a notice-of-foreclosure letter on Feb. 17, Town Manager Rhonda Irish told the board. They then have until April 1 to make payment or there’s an automatic foreclosure on the property.

“We don’t want to foreclose,” she said.

The town has about 70 properties owing taxes from 2007 to the tune of $90,877, which with lien costs and interest applied totals $107,582 as of the end of January.

It’s not that Wilton is different than other towns. It just hasn’t been as aggressive about collecting all past due taxes, she said. All towns file tax liens on properties with unpaid accounts but it’s usually not this many.

“Wilton hasn’t done it for years,” she said.

Taxes owed in prior years have to be paid first but once payment is made, the lien is released on the property, she said.

“If the 45-days (of foreclosure notice) pass with no effort made, we, as a town, will own the property,” said Selectman Tom Saviello.

“This time we mean it,” said Selectman Irv Faunce.

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