WILTON — Plans for the Wilton Blueberry Festival shifted Tuesday when the Board of Selectpersons approved a two-day extension of the area in which a restaurant can serve alcohol.
While the board approved the extension for The Square with little discussion, the topic generated a lively, sometimes angry discussion during and after the meeting. The dispute involved James Butler, co-owner of The Square, and Gary Judkins, the town code enforcement officer, who emphasized that he was speaking as a town resident, not as a town official.
The angry words first centered on the Civil War monument on Main Street, then moved to other topics. During the public comment part of the meeting, Judkins told the board that the monument “belongs to the town, not to any one individual.”
Butler contends he owns the area where the monument stands along Main Street. He said he paid to have it cleaned and a new flag put up for the Fourth of July.
Others say the town owns the monument.
Board Chair David Leavitt told Monitor Local after the meeting: “I cannot comment much about the monument area, as we have pending litigation. I would say, as to the maintenance of the town-owned monument, if a citizen wanted to do something, they should ask permission (and) not just take it upon themself.”
Judkins also criticized Butler for felling two trees on and near property Butler owns at 10 Rowell St.
“The town should hire a forester to assess damages,” Judkins said, adding that the town should require Butler to pay for them.
Butler said after the meeting that he had permission to remove the trees from Rhonda Irish, who served as Wilton town manager from 2009 until Aug. 20, 2022. While Judkins contended that at least one of the trees stood on town property, Leavitt backed Butler.
“I do believe James was allowed to cut the trees as they were damaging his fence,” Leavitt said.
He added that he thought the Rowell Street tree issue “is another area of disagreement that should work itself out.”
When the board went into executive session at 6:32 p.m., the audience moved outside.
Judkins refused to comment or elaborate on his statements during the meeting.
“No comment,” he told Monitor Local. “I’m not saying a word.”
But when Butler began answering a reporter’s questions, Judkins returned to listen. After the two men exchanged a couple of barbs, Judkins left. Butler waited for the executive session to end, suspecting his disputes with the town prompted the closed-door session, which the board called to deal with a legal matter. However, the board adjourned without taking any action affecting Butler.
The extended outdoor seating area for The Square runs along Main Street, stretching about 40 feet beyond the building and its regular outdoor seating space. The permit area is cordoned off from Main Street traffic and the lane leading to the Calzolaio Pasta Co. restaurant.
The Civil War monument stands about 10 feet from the northeastern corner of the roped-off area. The board’s permit allows The Square to serve alcohol in that extended space from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily during the festival.
The board previously voted to close Main Street to vehicles between High and Prospect streets from 5 to 11 p.m. Friday, Aug. 7, and from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 8.
In other matters, the board set the interest rate for unpaid sewer bills at 7 percent, matching the rate for unpaid property taxes that residents approved at the June 22 annual town meeting.
The board also deferred updates to a policy outlining the roles and responsibilities of the Board of Selectpersons.
Leavitt called the policy a guideline rather than an ordinance, recommending the board rework it during a future workshop. The board agreed but did not schedule a date.
