News From The Wilton First Selectman's Office For June 30, 2025

Press release from the Town of Wilton:

June 30, 2025 - 1:11pm

News from the First Selectman’s Office, June 30, 2025

Hello, Wilton. June is traditionally a month of graduations and other milestones heralding major life changes and this June in Wilton has lived up to this custom. Another observable trend has been the cascading effect one piece of good news has had on subsequent developments. We’re excited to explain more below:

ASML In Wilton

ASML continues to be the gift to Wilton that keeps on giving. Not only is this global giant our most valuable tax payer, their commitment and generosity to the quality of life in Wilton is unparalleled. Town Hall was so thrilled to be able to return this support recently by nominating ASML as Aquarion’s 2025 Environmental Champion Award in the Large Business category. As previously shared, ASML won this great distinction for their Environmental Management System – an integrated approach to business and the environment that is woven into all of their practices. It takes a great deal of conscientiousness and effort for a leading technology company, like ASML, whose business model is based on pushing the bounds of innovation, to also protect the ecology in which they operate. Their level of care extends to some of Wilton’s most important institutions.

Last year, they gave Ambler Farm a $324,000 grant, paid over four years, that supports student scholarships, renews the farm’s educational gardens and reconstructs some of the animal habitats.

Now, just in time to celebrate their 130th Anniversary, ASML has announced a three-year, $810,000 gift to the Wilton Library. This partnership will create new programs, offer enhanced technology, and expand cultural and educational events for all ages, like an annual jazz festival, and a monthly children’s music program. On the technology front, there will be a new Bloomberg terminal, and additional resources for the Library robotics team. Further developments from this incredible donation are sure to be announced in the months ahead.

A little further down Danbury Road, the Wilton/Norwalk Riverbrook Regional YMCA also shared news of ASML’s generosity. Swimming lessons at the Y for all first-grade students in Norwalk will be underwritten by the company for the next three years. This will bring life-saving water safety skills to a broader population, and build a safer, healthier community. The grant will also support the Riverbrook Y’s Special Needs Program in Wilton, and fund the rehabilitation to the Y’s aquatic areas, which were devastated by the 2024 flood.

Christene Freedman, Riverbrook YMCA’s CEO, shared their gratitude. “On behalf of the entire YMCA community, I want to extend our heartfelt thanks to ASML for this transformative $1.5 million grant, which will allow us to provide thousands of children with free swim lessons—many of whom might not otherwise have access. This investment is not just in swim instruction; it's in saving lives, building confidence, and ensuring every child has the opportunity to be safe around water. This support from ASML is a powerful investment in the youth and families we serve every day "

As ASML Society and Community Engagement Program Manager Brian Amero has said in the press:

“ASML’s core values are Challenge, Collaborate and Care, which drive our belief that innovation and responsibility must go hand in hand. The spectacular growth of the semiconductor industry has been fueled by innovation. For over 40 years ASML has been part of that, breaking down technological barriers on our way to becoming one of the world’s most valuable tech companies. With that honor comes a responsibility to make a positive contribution to the communities where our employees and their families live, work, and learn.”

ASML’s deeply considered and unstinting altruism have made Wilton a better place for all. We hope they know just how much they mean to Wilton and how much we appreciate the incredible legacy they are creating.

Town Voting Statistics

There are a few standout indicators of a strong community culture. One, is to have businesses that want to invest in the places where they work, which is another reason to thank ASML. It is a great vote of confidence to the rest of the world that they choose Wilton as their largest research and development and advanced manufacturing base in the US, and that they do so much to support our civic, cultural and scholastic institutions.

Another important marker is voter engagement. Voter participation on the Annual Town budget is important. But the percentage of voters who are in favor of that year’s proposed budget is especially key. This shows outside investors, like the Moody’s rating agency, how cohesive the community is because it underlines whether or not the constituents share the same vision for their town’s future as their Town leadership does. The fact that this year’s approval of the Town budget was an overwhelming 78%, and was a marked increase in voter favorability from the previous few years, was something that the Moody’s analyst noted several times in the Town’s final pitch call with them. As has been reported, Wilton ultimately received Moody’s Aaa rating, their gold standard. Because of this critically important signifier, Wilton was able to win one of the lowest interest rates on our bond debt in the state at this year’s bond auction. It is remarkable that towns with investor ratings similar to ours were not as successful. To recap what we have shared before, we went to the bond auction with over $9 million in building project costs. The lowest bidder on that debt came in at 3.4%, confounding expectations that Wilton would do no better than 4%, which is what so many other towns in Connecticut were experiencing. The less interest we are asked to pay, the less our building infrastructure costs will be.

The chain of good fortune is obvious here, with one link opening to the next. These positive developments were made by Wilton, and were in no way arbitrary. But it’s also wonderful to ponder how, together, we have made the most of whatever good came our way.

We Say Goodbye to Bas Nabulsi

Bas Nabulsi, Wilton’s hardworking and steadfast board member of town boards, currently serving on the Board of Selectman, is moving to Massachusetts with his wife. These two people have dedicated themselves for more than thirty years to the betterment of Wilton. I will do my best not to be overly effusive in bidding farewell, but I am feeling this loss very keenly.

First, I would like to take this opportunity on behalf of the town to thank him for his outstanding service to us all. Bas has served faithfully on the Wilton Planning and Zoning Commission and the Board of Selectmen without partisanship or rancor. A brilliant, yet humble man, an eloquent speaker, Bas has always been the uniter. He is a wonderful, attentive listener. In his even-handed way, he pays extremely close attention to what his peers and the public are saying. His decisions are arrived at thoughtfully, after careful deliberation, and although he may disagree with you, he always remained courteous, respectful and helpful to the group and to the mission at hand. His quiet leadership provided guidance to those he served with, showing everyone the same level of compassion and respect. Because of this, he was extremely successful at finding compromise through a spirit of collaboration. It is difficult to effectively measure how much we all value Bas, who contributed to Wilton without fail while balancing his professional and personal responsibilities. His absence will be sorely felt, as people like him make our Town work so well. I will personally miss his warm and helpful partnership on the Board of Selectmen, and the supportive or kind word of encouragement he often provided after a long or challenging meeting.

Wilton sends Bas and his wife off with our deepest gratitude. We all wish him and his family the very best that life can bring in their next chapter.

Wilton High School Graduation

It was the second year in a row when the Wilton High School graduation ceremony featured SEVEN Valedictorians, which was an astounding record in 2024, only to be repeated in 2025. These remarkable students have spent the last four years devoting themselves to music, sports, debate, community service, foreign languages, land preservation and more, and are now off to all parts of the country to major in science, history, economics, medicine and beyond. If you have a chance to read their speeches and biographies (Good Morning Wilton has them all printed here: Graduation 2025 Speeches: Wilton High School's Seven Class Valedictorians - Good Morning Wilton) you will come away, as I did, with tremendous faith and hope for our future. America’s youth are hardworking, wise, creative and curious. They appear ready to embrace change and challenge.

Guru Vandana Celebration

The annual Guru Vandana Celebration, or Teacher’s Appreciation Week, was held recently at the Comstock Center, hosted by Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh. It was an afternoon of festive activities and homemade Indian food put on by area families to express their gratitude for all that teachers do on a daily basis to teach, mentor and guide their children. In the Hindu culture, teachers are critical to a child’s success and therefore society’s well-being as a whole.

Hurricane Season

Eversource is preparing for what could be an active hurricane season. We’ve pulled together some suggestions and key resources for your quick reference.

In case of an impending storm, the Connecticut Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security encourages Connecticut residents to check the Hurricane Awareness webpage, which provides valuable information on evacuation zones, types of hurricanes and preparedness and response checklists. Locally, the Wilton Police have posted their recommendations for emergency preparedness Emergency Preparedness Information | wiltonct.

The following is a checklist to have on hand to prepare for any future emergency:

Recommended items to include in a basic emergency supply kit

• One gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation
• At least a three-day supply of non-perishable food
• Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA weather radio with tone alert and extra batteries for both
• Flashlight and extra batteries for lanterns and candles. Battery operated lanterns and candles are safer than open flames
• First aid kit
• A whistle to signal for help
• Garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
• Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
• A manual can opener for food (if kit contains canned food)
• Local maps
• Cell phone with chargers, inverter or solar charger
• Medicine or any special need items, including diapers for infants
• Food and litter requirements for any pets

Create a family emergency plan

• Identify an out-of-town contact. It may be easier to make a long-distance phone call than to call across town, so an out-of-town contact may be in a better position to communicate among separated family members.
• Be sure every member of your family knows the phone number and has a cell phone, coins, or a prepaid phone card to call the emergency contact.
• Plan ahead and pre-set a family group text conversation in your phones. Text messages can often get around network disruptions when a phone call might not be able to get through, and it uses less battery life.

General Recommendations

• Service your generator annually and have adequate fuel on hand
• Consider alternate cooking methods. Portable and camp stoves should only be used outside
• 3-4 days before a storm, purchase supplies and build the preparedness kit
• 1 day before the storm, fill bathtubs and buckets with water for non-potable needs. This water can be poured into the tanks of toilets enabling them to flush during a power outage

Insuring your property

• It is important to review your insurance policies yearly and especially prior to the start of hurricane season.
• Review your policy with an agent or contact the Connecticut Insurance Department to understand what is covered and what your coverage limits are to ensure you are receiving adequate protection.
• Keep your policies and insurance contact information in a safe place.
• Make an inventory of your possessions should your property be damaged, and you must make a claim

Public Safety, Storm Information and Numbers

During a hurricane, falling trees and debris pose a serious risk and it is imperative that everyone shelter indoors. Once the hurricane has passed, downed electric wires on the roads could still be live and deadly. Do not try to touch, move, approach or drive over them. Instead, call 911 to report any downed wires, or any other weather-related emergency. All downed utility lines should be considered live! If there are barriers in place, DO NOT MOVE, go through, or around them. The next person may think the road is safe to pass. Again, treat every downed wire as if it is energized. Our First Responders do, you should too!

If necessary, the Town has multiple predesignated shelters and shelter supplies that will be made available to the Wilton Community.

Is your power out? Call 1-800-286-2000, or text “Out,” to 23129 from your cell phone, or visit Residential Energy Provider | Eversource to report the outage and receive information and instructions.

For all medical or other emergencies, dial 911.

Storm updates will be continually posted on the Wilton Town website, so please check here for new information wiltonct |.

If you have any questions about sheltering or any other emergency preparedness questions, please call the Town’s Emergency Management Director at 203-834-6246, or email Jim Blanchfield.

Baso Puts His Paws Up

He is, admittedly, not the most cooperative model. But who has time to pose when there are crimes to solve? This is Baso, who, after 9 years on the Wilton Police force, enjoyed his last shift on June 9th with a juicy steak. At least, we think it was a steak. It was enjoyed with such gusto, the plate was empty before anyone had a chance to be sure. Baso leaves behind a trail of great stories. Like that time when officers knew they had the right guy doing some very wrong things, but could never catch him with the incriminating evidence. Enter Baso, whose nose knew exactly where the secret compartment in the car was. It stayed pointed in the right direction as his partners dismantled the vehicle piece by piece until they found what they were looking for. Case cracked. Now, Baso goes home with his longtime handler, Officer Eric Patenaude, and his family. Congratulations, Baso! And thanks for everything (you, too, Officer Patenaude!).

Wilton Police Make Their Annual Special Olympics Torch Run

Members of our Wilton Police Department continued their tradition of running in the 2025 Special Olympics Torch Run on Friday, June 6, 2025. They carried the Flame of Hope, a torch that is carried across the state by Connecticut police officers to honor Special Olympics athletes and highlight the Connecticut Police’s support of inclusion acceptance of peoples of all abilities. This torch is used to light the large cauldron that kicks off the games at Southern Connecticut State University. Here are Wilton’s finest on their last sprint up Town Hall driveway after their route along New Canaan Road, down Wolfpit, through Wilton Town Center and along Danbury Road.

Fourth of July and America’s 250th Celebration

Wilton is gearing up for its annual birthday party for the nation, but I wanted to again remind everyone that next year will be America’s 250 Celebration. The governor’s office is asking all the towns across Connecticut to host special events all year long to mark this momentous occasion. Steve Pierce, Wilton’s Director of Parks and Recreation, is forming committees now to help plan these events. If you’d like to join them, reach out to Steve at steve.pierce@wiltonct.gov.

Here is what is happening this Fourth of July, which lands on a Friday this year, making for an especially festive Fourth weekend.

For those who want to jump in on the Freedom Run 5K, the day starts at 8:30am at the Wilton High School Track. Registration is required.

At the Wilton High School Complex (395 Danbury Rd/Kristine Lilly Way) there will be a live DJ and food trucks starting at 5pm. The fireworks will start at approximately 9:30pm.

Patron parking passes are currently sold out, but same day passes will be available for purchase for $20 at the checkpoints on Route 7, and on Middlebrook Farm Road. Parking will be at the Comstock Community Center, WHS senior lot, 372 Danbury Road, Allen's Meadows, and Middlebrook School.

Hello Summer

Wilton, it’s been a cold and rainy spring, but summer temperatures and fun are here. Please heed the extreme heat warnings as they are issued. Wilton’s cooling centers are located at Comstock Community Center, the Wilton Y and the Wilton Library. Please check for announcements of when they are open.

Looking Ahead

As a town, we have so much to celebrate. New ventures and partnerships, an outstanding financial outlook, schools that are sending our nation’s best and brightest out into the world and a strong community that honors our history and traditions with jubilation, while staying open-minded towards all that’s new. I hope you and yours have a most festive, safe and joyous Fourth of July.

Happy Birthday America!

Toni BoucherFirst SelectmanTown of Wilton

This press release was produced by the Town of Wilton. The views expressed here are the author’s own.