A draft June 4 agreement would fund preserve staff compensation, health insurance and related programming costs, with quarterly reimbursement.
Wilton’s Town Board is set to consider a 2026 grant agreement that would provide Wilton Wildlife Preserve & Park up to $87,550 for staffing and program-related costs.
The amount appears in a one-page draft agreement included with the Town Board’s June 4 meeting materials. Under the draft, the town would provide a grant of up to $87,550 to Wilton Wildlife Preserve & Park, Inc. for 2026.
The agreement says the money would support compensation and health insurance benefits for staff involved in environmental education and programming, including the Education Coordinator/Environmental Educator, the Public Programs Coordinator/Environmental Educator, and Environmental Educators. It also says the grant may be used for expenses related to that programming and related recreational activities.
Payments would not be made all at once. The draft says the town would disburse the money quarterly after invoices and supporting documentation are submitted to the town comptroller.
The preserve contract is listed on the June 4 Town Board agenda as a motion item.
The amount does not appear to be new. Town Board minutes from August 1, 2024 say officials approved a 2024 grant agreement with Wilton Wildlife Preserve & Park, and the discussion in those minutes referenced the same $87,550 figure. That suggests Wilton is continuing, rather than sharply expanding, this line of support.
Even so, the June 4 packet gives taxpayers something concrete that earlier agenda lines did not: a dollar amount, a stated use for the money, and a reimbursement structure.
The preserve has a long-running partnership with the town, including work at Camp Saratoga and environmental programming on town and protected lands. The June 4 item is narrower than those broader partnerships. It is specifically about yearly operating support for preserve staffing and programming.
If the board approves the agreement Thursday night, the next useful records to watch would be the executed contract and any budget or comptroller references showing how the quarterly reimbursements are booked.