WILTON — Residents voted Monday to make any future decisions on proposed ATV access routes at an annual town meeting.

The Select Board previously had the authority to make decisions on ATV access routes. Voters had reaffirmed the board’s authority at the 2023 annual town meeting.

The majority of the 82 residents at Academy Hill School on Monday made the decision to give the control to voters.

Resident Nancy Merrow said she was there to support a “yes” vote to the question that asked voters to rescind the action confirming ATV access authority to the board in 2023.

On June 3, the Select Board voted 2-2 on ATV access on McCrillis Corner Road, where Merrow lives. The tie vote means the motion to grant access failed. Merrow said she worried that the board will reconsider.

Merrow said she would like to see more transparency in town government. Town officials put out notices twice on public hearings on the McCrillis Corner Road proposal, though some residents say they didn’t see the first notice.

Board Chairperson Tiffany Maiuri said there wouldn’t be another vote because the article failed. The only way it could is if residents brought it back to the board, she said, then there would be more public hearings prior to any vote.

Bert Poisson, a resident who was critically injured last year in a personal watercraft accident on Wilson Pond in Wilton, said riding an ATV for enjoyment has saved his life.

“The biggest problem is communication,” he said.

In another matter, voters added $5,000 to the Wilton Food Pantry line to the $3,000 that was requested.

The pantry may run out of money this fall because of cuts made by the federal government, a resident said.

Voters also raised and appropriated $100 for Maine Public Broadcasting. The Select Board voted against the article previously and the Finance Committee voted to raise $100.

Maiuri said she would like to see all requests of this sort be put in the Franklin County budget so all towns are paying a fair share.

Resident Nate Hiltz recommended that a request for $3,000 for the Tri-County Safe Voices organization be cut to zero. The agency had gone to the county to receive money and that request was approved.  Voters approved Hiltz’s recommendation.

All other articles passed. Voters approved a nearly $5.9 municipal budget for 2025-26, not factoring in the Franklin County or Regional School Unit 9 tax assessments. The new budget begins on July 1.

The spending plan, without factoring in school or county assessments, reflects an increase of $256,782 over the current budget.

With the estimated school and county assessments factored in, along with municipal expenses, the estimated budget comes to a total of $9.4 million, an increase of $453,244 over the current budget.

Tom Skolfield of Weld moderated the meeting.