TOWN = NEWS

TOWN NEWS=20

By Carol=20 Bam

Select Board=20 Chairman Stan Rhodes reports that=20 the process is underway to determine what changes the Center Rutland = Fire=20 Station will require. Voters in March approved spending $9,000 for a = renovation=20 plan for the aging station which has seen no major upgrades since it was = built=20 in 1967. The Montpelier = firm of=20 Black River Design Architects is conducting a needs assessment for the = facility.=20 This involves determining space allocations for such things as work and = training=20 areas, hose and other storage, truck and equipment housing. The firm = will=20 recommend what improvements to the existing facility are required, or if = it is=20 more cost effective to erect a new structure. Rhodes does not expect a cost = estimate=20 for the renovation until the end of the summer. =93Right now we are = unsure how=20 much of the current facility can be salvaged. Not only is the building = old and=20 deteriorated, the design is outdated for current use.=94=20 Residents=20 will vote on the final project in the November election. =

The Select Board has made changes to law and traffic = enforcement in the=20 Town. With the resignation of J.P. Faignant in February and recently of = Chief=20 John Sly, the Town has only one full time officer, Ed Dumas. The Town = has=20 contracted with the Rutland County Sheriff=92s Dept. for 40 hours of = traffic=20 enforcement. Whether to hire a part time officer or expand the contract=20 with the Sheriff=92s Dept. for the 26 hours that = the=20 Town=20 needs for full coverage is still under consideration.=20 Residents=20 may not know that while the Town provides certain equipment, police = officers=20 utilize their own vehicles and are reimbursed for their use while on = town=20 duty.

The Fire Dept. is determining specifications for Engine 4, the = oldest=20 truck in the force, located in Center Rutland. Rhodes stated that trucks = are on=20 a replacement schedule of 20-25 years. The cost comes out of the Fire=20 Depreciation Fund which is funded by a fraction of a percent each year = on the=20 property tax rate. A new tanker truck which has been in production since = last=20 fall is being assembled and is due for delivery in a couple of=20 months.

The Highway Dept. has partnered with Mendon to purchase a new = wood=20 chipper. This equipment is used for roadside clearing and clean-up of = downed=20 trees after storms.

The Town has received a RIDC (Rutland Industrial Development = Corp.)=20 grant=20 for=20 $15,000=20 to study how best to bring sewer and water to the Center Rutland = corridor.=20 Rhodes said, =93It is in the best interest of the Town to be proactive = in=20 developing infrastructure in areas where it wants commercial = development.=94 The=20 study will determine whether the Town would be better off connecting to = the=20 existing facilities of West Rutland or the City of Rutland.=20

Rhodes would like to thank the Select Board Scholarship = Committee=20 (Jim=20 Hall, Steve Hawley and Joe Dicton)=20 for reviewing scholarship applications. On their recommendation, the = Board=20 awarded 11 scholarships to college bound town residents. The=20 $10,000=20 approved=20 by voters in March will go to=20 seniors=20 from MSJ, Mill River, Rutland High School and one private = school.=20