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Community Corner

Ketley Named Trackside's New Executive Director

A lifelong and prominent Wiltonian, Mark Ketley is selected to steer the teen center.

Trackside Teen Center has a new conductor.

Mark Ketley, a well-known member of the Wilton community, has been named Trackside's new executive director. Ketley currently also serves as the WHS baseball team's pitching coach and as a police commissioner, among a number of other roles.

Ketley previously worked at the YMCA in Stratford, where he "turned a ten-year red budget into black," said Peg Koellmer, president of Trackside. "He's very experienced."

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Koellmer introduced Ketley to Wilton's Board of Selectmen Monday night. While the teen center has been beleaguered by financial problems recently, having someone new at the helm, particularly someone of Ketley's ilk, will help it move forward. Koellmer added that she, Ketley and the rest of Trackside's executive team will provide the selectmen with monthly financial status reports going forward.

Since 1972 Ketley has either played for or coached at Wilton High School.

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"Wilton is my life, Wilton is my town," Ketley told the Board of Selectmen Monday night. "Basically, I've been working with kids my entire life."

As a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization, the town of Wilton funds a portion of the center's staffing expenses. However, Trackside must raise money to fund the balance as well as cover operating expenses, maintenance, facility upgrades and programming.

"Trackside's future is good. It's stable now," Ketley said. "There's no question teens need a place to go. A teen center is extremely important when times are tough and the money isn't there for vacations and other things."

The board welcomed the remarks.

"Let's get off and running," said First Selectman Bill Brennan.

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