Wilton Selectmen voted to take down the fence surrounding the New Reservoir on Sand Hill Road, despite neighbor concerns additional visitors would cause a host of problems.
The New Reservoir has never been used as a drinking water source and is not connected to Wilton’s water supply. While in the past, it has been posted with “no swimming” signs, Selectman Kermit Williams clarified during Monday’s board meeting that by law, the state owns the body of water and the town can’t prevent residents from swimming in the pond.
Last week, at the Selectmen’s Monday meeting, April 1, the board voted 2-0, with Selectwoman Kellie-Sue Boissonnault abstaining, to remove the fence around the majority of the reservoir. The board agreed to leave a section of fence around the dry hydrant at the reservoir, and directed Road Agent Brian Adams to explore options to secure the New Reservoir dam with fencing to ensure no one climbed on it.
The remainder of the fence is planned to be re-installed at the Wilton Recycling Center, which needs new fencing.
Ralph Buschmann, a resident of Sand Hill Road, said he felt “strongly about several issues” related to opening up the reservoir, asking if there would be bathrooms and trash cans, and who would maintain them. He also felt it could be a liability to allow swimming on town property with no lifeguard.
Williams explained that unless the town charges for use of the pond, state law covers property owners, including municipalities, from liability for recreational use of their land.
Felice Fullam of Burns Hill Road also raised objections, including the possibility of parking clogging the road and disturbance of wildlife. Fullam said there have been Blanding’s turtles, an endangered species more commonly found in the Great Lakes region has been spotted in the reservoir and laying eggs in the nearby cemetery.
Deb Mortvedt of Badger Farm Road said she didn’t see any large issues with taking down the fence.
“People are going to swim where they’re going to swim,” she said. “I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that.”
“It seems simple to me,” agreed resident Ruth Smith.
Selectman Matt Fish said the concerns expressed by neighbors were “scare tactics” and “doomsday scenarios.” He said it was more likely the body of water would continue to see about the same use it currently does – a handful of visitors using it to boat, fish or swim.
“I think extrapolating it into a nightmare is unrealistic,” he said.
Williams reiterated the town cannot forbid swimming in the pond, by law, because the body of water is owned by the state and is accessible from a public roadway. The only decision the board was discussing was whether to take down the fence around the reservoir.
“Swimming is already authorized,” he said.
The board discussed the possibility of using a logged area that has been cleared of trees to create a dirt parking area at some point in the future but made no other decisions related to the reservoir during Monday’s meeting.
Ashley Saari can be reached at 924-7172 ext. 244 or asaari@ledgertranscript.com.