Two-term Selectman Kermit Williams is challenged for his seat this year by Ralph Buschmann, who is seeking his first term in town office.
Williams, who has been on the Select Board for six years and served as a New Hampshire State Representative for eight, says he is backed by his municipal experience in the public sphere, as well as his management experience in the software business.
“I have well-developed management skills for people, for budgets and for strategic planning. I know how to keep costs down but get the most done,” Williams said.
Buschmann, an Army veteran who made his career in industrial manufacturing, including experience with plant management and budget control, said he comes as a fresh voice in the political arena.
“I’m not a career politician,” Buschmann said. “I’m a private citizen who’s working to keep Wilton with the rural nature which the citizens have said they want.”
Buschmann denied rumors that he started his campaign over the issue of swimming at the Wilton Reservoir, which he resides near and spoke against when the Select Board was discussing the issue, saying he has several objectives in running for the board.
Buschmann said he’s firstly running to bring “calmness and objectiveness” to Select Board meetings, and to run them with “civility and personal respect” which he said the board lacks.
“We have periodic turmoil that crops up, and you can’t get anything done when that happens,” Buschmann said.
Williams said from his perspective, the Select Board has civility, even when there are disagreements, which he said is healthy for a municipal board.
“If the board never has debate, either people aren’t paying attention or one person is calling the shots and the other two are going along, neither of which is healthy,” Williams said. “Our job is not to sit and be quiet if we disagree, because that’s not how you make good decisions.”
The two have similar stances on the biggest issues facing the town in the coming term – infrastructure, economic development, growing requirements for stormwater management, and the future of the town’s emergency dispatch system.
Both candidates said economic development work, which has mainly concentrated on Main Street, is a priority.
Buschmann said he’d like to expand the scope beyond Main Street, and reach out to expanding businesses to entice them to Wilton.
Williams had his eye on the town center, particularly currently empty or underused storefronts, saying he’d like to see a sit-down dinner restaurant or other attractions to pair with the Wilton Town Hall Theatre move in, and continue work to stimulate that process at the governmental level.
The town’s four red-listed bridges were a concern for both candidates, as is a federal mandate that Wilton be included in towns required to more closely managing its storm water collection to keep potential pollutants from water bodies, particularly the Souhegan River.
Another potentially expensive situation is the town’s agreement for dispatching services, a system they currently co-own with Milford and Mont Vernon. However, Milford has proposed raising money to build its own dispatch service at the Milford Police Station, which Milford residents will vote on later this month.
Buschmann said if that warrant article passes, and Milford is only interested with a partnership with Wilton as a customer, instead of a co-owner, the town should consider other alternatives.
“I’m leaning towards going on our own would be better,” Buschmann said.
Williams agreed, saying that currently, while Milford has a controlling interest in the communications center, that Wilton and Mont Vernon together can block any decisions they disagree with. As a customer of the service, they wouldn’t have any control, he said. He said the town should look into other options.
Voting for public office is scheduled to be held on March 10 at the Town Hall.