Flag lover leads way in effort to showcase the road to downtown

A local flag lover, Mike Moisio, is leading the way toward building awareness for Wilton’s town center by installing American flags, or other alternative flags, along the Route 33 bridge. Moisio, who made his presentation to the Economic Development Commission during its meeting Oct. 12, compared his idea to flags installed on the Mianus River Bridge on Route 1 in Greenwich and the Ruth Steinkraus Cohen Bridge along Route 1 in Westport. His idea fell on receptive ears. Jennie Wong, a member of the EDC, approached Ray Tobiassen of the Wilton American Legion Post 86 and the Kiwanis Club for support in funding the project, and she reported that Tobiassen responded favorably. Commissioner Gil Bray proposed that Moisio lead the project as a volunteer and report back to the commission, instead of the EDC leading the effort, as it would be more efficient this way. Moisio agreed to lead the project, according to minutes of the meeting. Vivian Lee-Schiue, chair of the Economic Development Commission, emphasized it was Moisio’s idea, not the EDC’s. “He recognized this is not a project he can do himself, so he pitched the idea to us. This past meeting was the first time it was discussed by the commission as an idea,” Lee-Schiue said in an email statement. Moisio and the American Legion could not be reached for comment. Debra Hanson, director of the Wilton Chamber of Commerce, was told about the plan by The Bulletin and thought highly of it. “I think it could be helpful in drawing attention to Wilton Center in an artistic way. I am thinking of Westport and the flags lining the Saugatuck bridge. It looks quite commanding,” Hanson said. There is no further information at this point because the EDC is only exploring the feasibility and cost of doing something there. There are significant restrictions, as this is not a town-owned road, Lee-Schiue said. “Parts of it are owned by the state, and other parts by Metro-North,” she said. Increased meeting schedule In other business at the EDC meeting, the commission agreed to meet once every two weeks, rather than once a month, because of the long list of topics to be addressed, as well as for other reasons. The bi-weekly schedule begins this month.

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