WILTON — Voters approved a budget of $2,922,439 during Monday’s annual town meeting.

The budget included $108,675 for the Wilton Free Public Library.

All articles passed with only two changed, an increase of $330 raised and appropriated for the Wilton Area Food Pantry and an extra $25 for the library, Town Manager Rhonda Irish said Tuesday.

Voters approved raising $56,250 to set aside for an anticipated town property revaluation, expected in four years. They will be asked to raise that amount each year to pay for it.

They also approved four new town ordinances dealing with waste/recycling, fireworks, disorderly properties and a property maintenance ordinance.

Among the 150 residents attending, some voiced support for the library while others spoke in favor of reducing the library article.

Although selectmen and the Finance Committee made no recommendation on the library’s request for $108,650, Selectman Thomas Saviello quickly moved to raise the same amount as last year. Selectman Russell Black seconded the motion.

Although not opposed to what the library does, Raymond Lagasse said he was opposed to the amount of money the library asks from the town to support a private, non-profit library. He felt payroll expenses should not be included and suggested amending the amount to $40,000.

Moderator Ronald Aseltine ruled his amendment out of order.  A move was then made to call the question, stopping all debate. That was voted down.

Another move to amend the amount to $50,000 was raised as several residents spoke in support of the library and what James Black called “a vital part of the community.”

The amount people can save from borrowing a library book versus purchasing it, at roughly $25 per book, can be spent on other items in their budget, Gwyn Sewall said.

She provided some estimates to bring the budget amount in to perspective.

A $110,000 budget request for 4,000 residents equals $27.50 per person for all the programs offered and costs for Internet and books, she said.

“For a family of four, that’s $110 a year per household,” she said, while quoting prices of other reading material.

Others didn’t question the value of the library, they just wanted to see more fundraising and access to their financial records.

“No one wants the library to close,” Finance Committee member Katherine Shoaps said. “We want to see more transparency in the budget.”

Fundraising was down from last year, she added.

That was an issue considered when the Finance Committee voted to not make a recommendation on the library amount, member Tom Whalen said.

When other town departments cut their budgets by 2 percent, the library amount continued without a cut, he said.

The library is not a town department but it belongs to the Wilton Free Public Association, said one supporter. Any resident who attends the association meetings is included and can contribute. To say the library does not belong to the town of Wilton is really misleading, the person added.

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