Highway ~ Parks & Facilities ~ Cemeteries

 

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 division 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 Resident State Troopers building, 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.  They recently finished the revonations necessary at the Town Hall to expand the Probate Court offices to accomadate the additional space needed due to the Tolland, Coventry, Willington and Mansfield Probate Court consolidation.  This also entailed  renovating the Community Center building which had been closed down to accomodate the Resident State Troopers.