A review of Wilton’s Fiscal 2025 budget during the Feb. 25 Select Board meeting showed revenue was up more than expected and spending came in below budget.

The review, by finance officer Eric Window, showed revenues exceeded the anticipated amount of $2.048 million by 5.14% in FY25, while spending came in 2.72% below the budgeted $5.89 million.

The Select Board also discussed an April 2027 deadline to have the town’s website comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, or ADA.

Window told the Select Board the town budgeted $5.891 million for expenditures in 2025 and was able to remain in the black by spending $5.731 million, which was $160,316 under budget.

Of note, legal expenses and health and welfare expenses were underspent by 57.72% or $25,974, and 37.49% or $32,800, respectively.

The only areas the town overspent were election and vital statistics, and personnel administration benefits, which were 0.29% or $640 and 2.3% or $12,879 over budget, respectively.

For revenues, town officials anticipated $2.048 million in 2025. Window said the end-of-year total exceeded the proposal by 5.14%, or $105,343, netting the town $2.153 in revenue. The main contributors were tax revenue and license and permit fees.

Window said tax revenue was budgeted for $83,400 but generated $119,421, a 43.2% bump. The town budgeted the license and permit fees revenue at $889,050 and finished the year at $995,417 in revenue earned, exceeding expectations by 11.9%.

Window also covered the Capital Reserve Fund expenditures and state aid.

The town spent $239,484 of the CRF’s budgeted $436,000, 60% of which came from the Bridges CRF and the Fire Department.

According to Window, the town has four bridge projects underway and the funds were used for preliminary engineering and design costs.

For the Fire Department CRF, the department has a seven-year lease to refurbish Tanker One, the result of Article 8 on last year’s town meeting warrant, Window said.

The town also received $525,564 in state aid, including $390,191 allocated to a “Meal and Room Tax” and a $133,946 Highway Block Grant.

Window said the “Meal and Room Tax” is an 8.5% tax on prepared meals, hotels and car rentals, which is administered by the New Hampshire Department of Safety.

“The Highway Block Grant Funds tie directly to RSA 235:23, which stipulates funding apportionments,” he added. “The funds can be used for construction, reconstruction and maintenance of each municipality’s Class IV and V highways.”

Some $945,535 worth of capital assets were added as well, including a $243,000 Highway excavator and $136,294 in Recycling Center upgrades.

The town bought the excavator last August, according to Window. Although the town normally rents such equipment, the Department of Public Works and Select Board agreed that purchasing it would save money in the long run.

The Recycling Center upgrade came after the town accepted a bid from Brookstone Builders to reconstruct the precious metals building, with work completed June.

Other Business

Select Board Chair Kermit Williams discussed an upcoming deadline concerning ADA website guidelines.

“The ADA element of the federal government has an upcoming requirement for government websites. They need to be ‘web content accessibility guidelines’ compliant,” he said.

Williams said there are 50 different guidelines regarding handicapped persons that government websites must meet, such as visual impairment requirements. “Can content be read to them or can they see things if they’re color blind?” he asked. “If we post a video, we would have to have closed captioning to meet ADA requirements.” He suggested the town hire a web compliance consultant sooner rather than later because there could be a significant amount of work involved.

Town Administrator Nick Germain said getting a consultant is unnecessary and the town should request a bid proposal or develop a committee instead. Williams agreed and said the town should put a team together to investigate the matter.