Open Letter to Wilmington Residents About the Proposed Wildwood School Build

Fellow Wilmington Residents:

I have been a resident of Wilmington for over two decades. As a direct abutter to the proposed school site, my property and quality of life will be severely and permanently impacted if this project moves forward as currently designed.

Liability and Safety Concerns

The proposed perimeter road is a reckless design choice. It would run just a few feet from my fence and my 40-foot inground pool. Neither of which were built to withstand the impact, vibration and stress of the initial construction, nor the subsequent and continuous traffic of buses, trucks, and other vehicles. More critically, this plan presents a direct and foreseeable danger: if a bus or car leaves the roadway, it could crash through my fence and end up in my pool, with catastrophic consequences, including injury or loss of life.

The town must clarify, in writing, who will assume liability in such an event. Who compensates the injured or their families? Who pays for the damage to my property? These are not abstract questions—they are direct, foreseeable risks created by this design, and the town cannot proceed without addressing them.

Water, Wetlands, and Environmental Impact

My property—and those of my neighbors—already suffers from severe groundwater issues. At my residence, I have three hyperactive sump pumps, a french drain, and multiple dehumidifiers running around the clock to manage water. Despite this, my basement flooded five years ago, and I was forced to pay out of pocket for extensive repairs because insurance did not cover it.

If the town’s plan is to fill in the wetlands that lie at my property line to make way for this school and its perimeter road, my situation—and that of many other neighbors—will only worsen. Flooding will increase, property damage will follow, and the liability for those losses will rest squarely with the town.

The North Intermediate field site is already a natural wetland area with frequent ponding and water retention. The addition of extensive impervious surfaces will make conditions far worse. My concerns were dismissed in prior meetings, despite clear evidence—such as all the vegetation and the 20 foot river birch tree that grew directly out of ponded water on my property line. We are one week away from the vote and I still have no answers from the town on their plans to mitigate it.

Traffic

The proposed site is wholly inadequate from a traffic standpoint. A single-lane access road cannot support the level of traffic this school will generate. Without massive roadwork—which would require additional land takings and additional funding—the increased congestion will create safety hazards and limit residents’ ability to even exit their own streets. The town’s traffic study, conducted in 2024, failed to account for several major developments that will significantly affect local roadways. Notably, the analysis did not include the anticipated traffic from the new Amazon warehouse delivery center at 800 Salem St nor the 104 residential units currently being constructed across from Elias Country Store. When questioned, Town Manager Eric Slagle indicated that an updated traffic study would not be completed until after the measure’s approval. This timing is problematic: conducting the study post-approval is not only insufficient for informed decision-making, but will result in unforeseen and undetermined costs for taxpayers.

Financial and Design Concerns

This project, as designed, is fiscally irresponsible. The oversized gym alone has inflated costs unnecessarily, while the overall scale of the building far exceeds what the site can reasonably support. Residents are being asked to shoulder the cost of a building that is simply too large, too expensive, and poorly planned for this location.

Process

Despite repeated outreach to Town Manager Eric Slagle and Assistant Town Manager, Judy O’Connell, the abutters have not been given a meaningful opportunity to resolve their individual issues. The last abutters’ meeting was May 13—nearly four months ago—and none of the legitimate concerns raised have been addressed.

Instead of engaging in good-faith problem-solving with those most directly affected, the town has pressed forward with a “yes vote” agenda —partnering with the carpenter’s union, distributing biased promotional flyers in water bills to town residents, and holding one-sided presentations—while abutters’ rights and voices have been wholly ignored and dismissed.

This project is unsafe, fiscally reckless, environmentally destructive, and deeply unfair to abutters and residents who will bear the brunt of its impact. Unless these concerns are taken seriously and addressed transparently, the town should expect continued opposition from affected residents.