Town to Hand Over Gilbert & Bennett Management to GCA

It seems only fitting that, while it is physically located in Wilton, should be run by a Georgetown group.

A new, impending agreement between Wilton and the Georgetown Community Association will turn management of the Gilbert & Bennet School over to the GCA. Town officials hope the change will save Wilton money and possibly allow the GCA to make some.

"We've had discussions with the GCA for over 18 months," said First Selectman Bill Brennan. "Now, the GCA can do the day-to-day management, the community rentals, all consistent with the town guidelines...and it will also enable the creation of a culture community center in Georgetown and a facility to conveniently serve residents in North Wilton."

Brennan said that, at present, anyone that wants to use the building must go through a fairly extensive filing and permitting process with the town. The new setup will allow the GCA to skip that step and continue holding community and arts events in the space as they see fit.

More importantly, Brennan said the GCA will handle third party rentals, routine maintenance (up to $600), utility bills, liability insurance and trash removal, relieving Wilton of the burden of dealing with those smaller, time-consuming day-to-day tasks. The town, meanwhile, will still handle larger maintenance repairs, property insurance, field maintenance and plowing and sanding.

Brennan also said officials are planning to include a provision that allows Wilton to terminate the agreement with 90 days notice. He said such a provision is important in case the town ever needs the space for an emergency, such as the failure of any of the school or community buildings.

The GCA, meanwhile, is expecting to be able to generate enough rental income from third parties to at least be able to cover operating expenses. Brennan said they already have three or four groups consistently renting space in the building.

"They've impressed me with their willingness to spend some of their own money," Brennan added. "I don't think there's a big profit motive here, but they should be able to cover maintenance and expenses."

If the agreement proves too burdensome for the GCA, they will also have the same 90-day opt-out clause. Wilton will also be able to monitor the site's finances closely, as all the revenue the GCA is able to generate will be put into an auditable account and they will also have to provide annual reports.

The Board of Selectmen unanimously gave authorization for Brennan to approve the 5-year agreement, with an option to renew, at the end of the evening. And Brennan closed by commending the building's importance to the area's cultural offerings.

"The building is beloved. People are caring for it. It's gotten a lot of attention in the last year or so," Brennan said. "I call it SoHo in Wilton...it really is SoHo. They've got sculptures up there, various artists, it's a very exciting place."