fmaceachern@wiltonvillager.com

WILTON — Grasping the microphone firmly in her right hand and staring directly at, Milton Pohl, the target of her comments, Margaret Mazer Ogdon, of 27 Spectacle Lane, vigorously defended the Wilton Library after Pohl called it a "bloated bureaucracy," at the Annual Town Meeting Tuesday, May 6.

"The library is the heart of the community," said Mazer Ogdon who called it "just appalling" to question how it was operated.

Pohl, who has consistently called for the town to consider carefully its expenditures, had called for $50,000 to be cut from the library's budget. He also wanted to see $30,000 cut from the Trackside, Wilton's Teen Center budget.

The board of selectmen had cut $50,000 from the library association's $2.41 million budget request on Feb. 14.

But it was the library cut which caused the greatest stir among the approximately 150 people in attendance at the meeting held at the Middlebrook School. Following the meeting 108 people voted on the town's $107 million budget and two bonding issues of $500,000 and $450,000 respectively for work on Wilton High School.

The two bonding issues on the ballot called for approval of $500,000 for the replacement of the Nicholas T. Zeoli Field House roof and $450,000 for architectural and design work for improvements to Wilton High School. The school is renovating its heating, ventilation and air conditioning system, eight science classrooms and the Little Theater.

Pohl said the library is far too expensive for Wilton. He said it costs $123.61 per person in Wilton compared to New Canaan's cost of $78.76 per person.

"I'm not going to mince words. In my opinion the library is a bloated bureaucracy," said Pohl.

Pohl said the library is overstaffed and pointed to the children's section where he said on a recent afternoon when he visited there were two staff and no children.

"Do you know that little children take naps in the afternoon," said Louise Herot to a ripple of laughter as she defended the library.

She said the library including the children's section is heavily used by Wilton residents.

"It's really the one institution in town that really serves everybody," said Herot.

Pohl's motion was unanimously rejected in a voice vote.

Kenneth Dartley, of 87 Olmstead Hill Road, pressed the town to increase money allotted for elderly tax relief. There is $615,000 budgeted for that measure an increase of $15,000 from last year.

"There are people in this town who sorely need elderly tax relief," said Dartley and questioned why the increase wasn't higher. Board of Finance chairman Robert Kelso defended the increase and said it's actually larger than it appeared because not all of the money was spent in the previous year.

First Selectman Bill Brennan said additional tax relief for elderly citizens will come out of the pockets of other taxpayers.

"This will increase the tax on the remaining taxpayers. It (money) doesn't come out of nowhere," said Brennan. He said the money the town budgets for elderly tax relief is "very fair...and generous compared to other towns."

Town officials did receive praise for their work in bringing in a budget which calls for a 2.85 percent tax increase.

"I feel pretty good about our town finances," said Richard Ziegler of 20 Fullin Lane.

There was little public comment on either the $68.66 million school's budget or the two school bonding issues.

Voting continues on Saturday at the Middlebrook School from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Last year, 11 percent of eligible voters cast ballots, the lowest in 10 years.