WILTON — Residents will decide Tuesday how they want selectmen to proceed on the former Forster mill property.

The special town meeting is at 7 p.m. March 18 at the Town Office.

Wilton Recycling LLC, owned by Adam Mack, owes the town $8,400 in back taxes from 2009 to 2011, Town Manager Rhonda Irish said Friday. If he pays it by Thursday, he’ll continue to own the building and the town will continue to seek a court order declaring the structure a dangerous building.

Foreclosure liens will be sent out March 20, leaving the town time Tuesday to decide whether to waive foreclosure, as they have for the last two years, or foreclose and take on the demolition work.

If the town waives foreclosure, Adam Mack will continue to own the property and still owe the back taxes, she said.

If the town decides to foreclose and he does not pay by Thursday, the town will own it.

Board members want a chance to explain the costs, benefits and risks associated with waiving foreclosure and taking the property. 

The board is asking residents to give them direction on how to handle this, she said.

The board started court action last fall to force Wilton Recycling LLC to remove all unsafe conditions at the building within 30 days. It also asked for the right to remove the unsafe conditions and be awarded costs for removal of the structure if the company does not complete the work in the time allotted.

If the town waives foreclosure, the town will need to continue the process through the courts, with potentially more years of legal fees.

If the town forecloses, it will stop the attorney fees but the town will have to decide how to deal with the structure.

Demolition of the former Forster Mill on Depot Street began in 2011 but was halted when high levels of asbestos were found. Remediation work was completed in 2012 but Mack has since been unable to provide financing to finish the demolition project and restore the property.

abryant@sunjournal.com