Wilton City Council

Dave Clark named next Wilton Police Chief

Posted

The Wilton city council met in regular session Monday, Jan. 13 at 7 p.m. The meeting held many yearly resolutions, board appointments and new changes to the Wilton Police staff.

When the Wilton city council met Jan. 13, Mayor Bob Barrett appointed David Clark as the next police chief for the city of Wilton. The council unanimously approved his motion. It was discussed and included in council materials that Clark has been a good and loyal officer for the city.

Clark is proficient in his knowledge of policies and procedures and has been performing many of the police chief duties for the past 2-3 months. Clark was approved with a salary of $65,000 per year with the possibility of raising it July 1 to $67,000 based on performance.

Todd Johnson was recommended and approved to be promoted to sergeant. Clark backed the recommendation with confidence Johnson would be a great fit for the role. Johnson was also approved for a pay raise to $25.47 per hour.

Rafeek Yassin was recommended and approved to be a new full-time police officer. “Having a good amount of experience, he can hit the floor running,” Clark said. Yassin is a certified officer who has worked part-time in Wilton since 2017. Yassin also worked as a police officer in Durant from 2007-2013.

Yassin was approved at a salary of $24.50 per hour with one week of vacation. He will be re-evaluated in six months, at which time Yassin could be awarded another week of vacation.

Police Officer Robert Dearmore will be joining the National Guard. His training will begin at the end of January. Dearmore will be gone eight months, and the Wilton Police Department is legally bound to hold his spot for when he returns.

In other action, the council discussed City Hall employee salaries and a potential part-time hire once City Clerk Lori Brown retires. Kit Koele has been promoted to Deputy City Clerk. The council discussed Koele’s role for the city and approved a pay raise to $20 an hour.

Once Brown retires, the council will discuss in further detail her replacement. It was recommended that a 25-hour a week, part-time replacement will be needed once Brown retires. Brown was hopeful the light and power board will agree to help pay for the part-time employee because the individual will be responsible for assisting with utility payments, doing deposits and acting as a liaison with Wilton Municipal Light & Power.

Council approved a resolution to appoint Chris Ball as the city administrator, Lori Brown as the city clerk, Kathryn Koele as deputy clerk, Gary DeVore as chief of the Wilton Fire Department, Keith Stanley as mayor pro-tem and Julie Degan-Sprague as the city attorney.

The Fire Department Officers for the year 2020 are as follows: Gary DeVore, chief; Ray Sterner, assistant chief; Mike McKillip, captain; Brandon DeVore, captain; Jeff Derksen, captain; Joselyn Shook, captain; Jamie Hull, captain; Susan Dykema-Sterner, assistant chief medical director; and Gary DeVore and Susan Dykema-Sterner, treasurer.

The Mayor reappointed the Park Board for another 6-year term expiring Jan. 1 of 2026 – including Don Drake and Tom Breed as head members. The mayor also reappointed the Planning & Zoning Board for 6 years as well, expiring Feb. 1 of 2026 – including Laurie Maurer and Corey Freeman as head members.

Miscellany

In other action, council:

* Approved the resolution to authorize the city clerk to pay authorized purchases prior to council meetings including: salaries, refunds, freight, sales and use taxes, social security, retirement, employee insurance premiums, etc.

* Approved the Wilton-Durant Advocate News as the official newspaper for the city of Wilton.

* Approved the liquor license renewal for Dollar General.

* Approved the transfer of bond payments from Water to Water Revenue. The principal is $62,000, and the interest is $18,620.

* Approved the transfer of bond payments from Sewer to Sewer Revenue. The principal is $126,000, interest $2,205 and additional fees $63.

* Approved the allocation request from the Wilton Pool Board in the amount of $15,000 in compliance with the City-School agreement.

* Approved committees for 2020: Ordinance, Keith Stanley and Wayne Budding; Public Property, Keith Stanley and Sheryl Lenker; Public Works Department, Steve Owens, Wayne Budding and Ted Marolf; Finance, Ted Marolf, Sheryl Lenker and Wayne Budding; Water-Sewer, Wayne Budding, Steve Owens and Sheryl Lenker; Public Safety, Sheryl Lenker, Keith Stanley and Ted Marolf; Pool Board, Keith Stanley and Steve Owens; WDC, Keith Stanley and Ted Marolf; Library/Community Center, Keith Stanley and Ted Marolf; EMS Board, Sheryl Lenker; E911 Sheryl Lenker and EMA, Sheryl Lenker.

Council members Stanley, Marolf, Budding, Lenker and Owens were present. All action taken was unanimous unless otherwise noted. The next regular meeting is Jan. 27 at 7 p.m.

Comments