Wilton COVID Updates: New Cases, Phase 3 Delay, Schenck’s Island Meadow, and More!

Please,

• Watch your distance
• Wear a mask/face covering
• Wash your hands

Today the Governor announced a delay in a planned increase to outdoor gatherings.  Outdoor gatherings, other than graduations, remain at no more than 100 individuals.  The Governor also indefinitely delayed Phase 3. 

The following are recent taxpayer questions about July 1 tax bills:

• My tax bill is lower than last year.  Is that right? Yes, that is correct.  The FY2021 mill rate is 3.77% lower than the FY2020 mill rate.  The reasons for the lower mill rate include a reduction in debt service, a reduction in the Board of Selectmen budget, FY2020 budget savings used to reduce the tax levy, growth in the taxable grand list and no increase in the Board of Education budget.
• I disagree with my motor vehicle assessment. Can I appeal the assessment and the tax bill?  The Board of Assessment Appeals conducts motor vehicle assessment appeal hearings in September.  Filing an assessment appeal does not waive the requirement to pay the motor vehicle tax on time in order to avoid the statutory interest fee on late tax payments. Any reduction in motor vehicle tax as a result of a reduction in the assessment is refunded to the taxpayer.   
• If the due date of property taxes is July 1^st, why does the Town wait until June 30^th to mail the tax bill and why can’t the bill be accessed online prior to July 1^st?  The Town does not have statutory authority to collect the July 1 property tax bill before the start of the fiscal year. 

The following are recent questions about the meadow at Schenck’s Island:

• Why did the Town mow the meadow at Schenck’s Island this past week rather than in late April or early May as in the past?  The delay was due to the Coronavirus.  In a normal year, the meadow is mowed in the spring once the ground is dry enough to accommodate mowing and in late fall. 
• Why does the Town mow the meadow?  Mowing is performed to promote a healthier meadow in the long term. Mowing helps control invasive species, specifically Mugwort & Buckthorn.  Without intervention, the meadow would transform to a shrub/scrub habitat within a couple of years and into a forested habitat within 5-10 years.  The Town consults meadow experts and manages the meadow consistent with the Wilton Land Conservation Trust, which owns the abutting property.  The ongoing project to remove invasive species along the Norwalk River abutting the property also helps to control the invasive species within the meadow. 
• Will the meadow grow back?  Yes, as occurs every spring, the meadow will grow back.  Those interested in a meadow trail are encouraged to discover the Nick Parisot Memorial Trail which passes through the Slaughter Fields meadow, off of Pipers Hill Road.