Highway ~ Parks & Facilities ~ Cemeteries

The Town of Tolland’s Public Works Department is divided into two service areas; Highway Division and Parks & Facilities, which includes Cemeteries.  Various elements of the Department work in different locations and with different schedules. The Highway Garage is located at 118 Old Post Road and the Parks & Facilities Garage is located at 120 Cider Mill Road.  Generally, they are available Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. except when on the summer schedule of Monday through Thursday 6:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.  (closed on Fridays).   The administrative office is located in the Hicks Memorial Municipal Center Town Hall at 21 Tolland Green and works the same hours that the town hall office building is open: Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. (closed on Fridays).

The Highway Division is primarily focused on keeping Tolland’s roads free from hazards and preserving the town’s investment in our infrastructure through our pavement management program, maintenance activities such roadside mowing and less routine activities such as drainage improvements, snow plowing and storm damage restoration.  The Highway Department is comprised of twenty full-time and one part-time employee and is supplemented in its duties by a variety of contracted firms with specialized expertise in tree removal, water and sewer utilities, and site construction, as well as firms with specialized equipment for paving, plowing and rubbish removal. Most of the money allocated in the operating budget is utilized by town forces in the performance of their work, while the bulk of the capital money funds projects that rely heavily on outside contractors. There are exceptions to this and we contract for services which require special equipment and expertise when needed on routine items. Town forces also contribute significant cost savings to capital projects where we can.

The Parks and Facilities Department is responsible for the maintenance of all Town parks, school grounds, cemeteries and public buildings including the Hicks Memorial Municipal Center, the Tolland Jail Museum, the Senior Center, the Teen Center, the Town’s four Fire Stations, the Arts of Tolland building (old town hall), the Highway Garage, the Parks & Facilities Garage, and the Fire Training Center, as well as snow removal on the grounds of all Town and Board of Education buildings.

 The Department also provides maintenance for all municipal fields and those of the Board of Education, a total of 32 fields.  The total acreage cared for is approximately 244+ acres.  The department operates with a staff of ten plus one full-time custodian and one part-time custodian.

The department is also involved in numerous special projects throughout the year which it addresses with in-house staff.