Town Plan
Section 11: Community Facilities and Infrastructure
South Wallingford Water Cooperative
11.4 Sewage Collection, Treatment and Disposal
East Wallingford Fire Department
11.9 Emergency Management Activities
11.10 Energy and Communication
11.1
Town Governance
The Town is governed by an elected
Selectboard. Day-to-day
administration is provided by a Town Administrator employed by the Board.
The Town Administrator administers the budget and serves as the Transfer
Station Administrator. The Town
Administrator also serves to coordinate other functions of government, which are
not under the Administrator’s direct supervision such as road maintenance,
planning, tax assessment and records.
Town
government is located in the Town Hall on School Street. Renovations to the Town
Hall were recently completed. A new
handicap accessible entrance, an elevator, a handicap accessible bathroom, and a
new fire escape have been added. Additional
parking has also been added behind the building.
11.2
Transportation
Primary access to the town is via US Route 7, an arterial highway that is
one of the most important non-interstate highways in Vermont.
Route 7 has been designated by the State as part of the National Highway
System, making it eligible for a separate category of funds within the federal
appropriation of funds to Vermont. Highways
are the single most important component of the transportation system in
Wallingford. They provide for
automobile, school bus, and emergency access to all parts of the town.
They also provide for the movement of goods and services, and for public
transportation and bicycling.
Highways in the town (Map 2) include:
·
21.6 miles of State highway
·
53.6 miles of Town highways
·
4.6 miles of Class 2 highways (9.1%)
·
45.9 miles of Class 3 highways (90.1 %)
Class 2 highways secure important routes of travel between towns.
Class 3 highways, as the predominant type of Town highway, provide the
principal means of access to the rural, residential and recreational areas of
the town.
Although the private automobile is and will
continue to be the predominant means of transportation, other ‘modes’ of
transportation serve Wallingford, including public van/bus, rail, air, bicycle
and pedestrian modes.
Bus
Marble Valley operates
a Job Access/Reverse Commute (JARC) program, which is designed to provide
transportation to and from employment opportunities.
The Route 7 South Commuter route connects with the Green Mountain Express
in Manchester, allowing passengers access to areas throughout Bennington County.
Buses pass through Wallingford on their way to Manchester at 6:53 AM,
9:08 AM, 11:08 AM, 3:38 PM, and 5:38 PM. This
bus stops at Cumberland Farms Store and the Old Antique Shop.
Busses returning from Manchester on their way to Rutland pass through
Wallingford at 8:22 AM, 10:22 AM, 12:22 PM, 4:52 AM, and 6:52 AM.
This bus stops at the Wallingford House and across the street from the
Cumberland Farm Store. These routes
operate 7 days a week, and no fare is charged.
Vermont
Transit provides express services from Burlington VT to Albany NY or Boston MA.
While these services pass through Wallingford, VT Transit does not have
designated bus stops in town.
Freight
service passes through Wallingford on tracks operated by Vermont Railway, and
through East Wallingford on tracks owned by Vermont Railways.
Passenger rail via Amtrak is available in Rutland to Whitehall, NY and
points south. The State is in the
initial stages of an Albany/Bennington/Rutland/Burlington study to look at the
feasibility of establishing passenger service, and improving freight service in
this corridor. A part of this
study will include estimated costs of repairing tracks to allow speeds necessary
to attract passengers. Much of the
existing track is in poor condition, which necessitates very slow speeds in some
areas even for the freight that now uses the route.
Air
service is available at the Rutland State Airport, located to the north in
Clarendon. A shuttle service
connects this airport with major airlines in Boston on a daily basis.
Service is also available at Burlington, VT and at Albany, NY.
Highways
As the single most critical and controversial
component of Wallingford’s transportation system, the transportation
infrastructure, traffic volumes and other impacts of US Route 7 through
Wallingford Village have caused, and continue to cause, debate and division.
Heavy truck traffic, and high traffic volumes generally, have had a
negative impact on the quality of life of residents, and, reportedly, on the
structural integrity of some of Wallingford’s most important historical homes.
On the other hand, a number of Wallingford businesses are dependent on
traffic on Route 7 to sustain them. Recognizing
these problems, as well as other problems in the greater Route 7 Corridor, the
Vermont Agency of Transportation, in 1997, prepared a
‘scoping’ report on potential improvements to Route 7 from East
Dorset to Wallingford. This
work involved meetings with town residents and officials, as well as field
investigations by professional staff. The
Executive Summary of the Final Scoping Report states that,
“Traffic
volumes have steadily increased over the last 30 years along most of the project
length and are projected to continue increasing into the next century.
However, the daily traffic volumes today as well as the future projected
traffic volumes can be accommodated on the existing highway with corridor
improvements and management techniques identified in this Final Scoping Report
and the accompanying Access Management Plan.
Widening for additional travel lanes as well as a bypass freeway type
roadway are clearly unwarranted well into the future and are not proposed.”
The
recommended alternative is to rehabilitate with two, 12-foot lanes and 8 foot
shoulders in the general corridor. Widening
in the Wallingford and South Wallingford Village area would be limited to
minimizing impacts to historic resources. Recommended
improvements in the Wallingford Village area include:
·
rehabilitation of the pavement sub-base (to address the existing
vibration problems).
·
improved curbing, drainage and pavement markings.
All
improvements would be coordinated during the final design phase with the State
Historic Preservation Program.
The
pavement rehabilitation recommendations are represented in three separate
resurfacing projects, all of which are part of the Agency of Transportation’s
four-year project development plan. One
of these projects is slated to begin in 2006, and the preliminary plans are
complete. A second has been given
high priority, but does not have a start date presently. Recommendations from the access management plan are also part
of AOT’s four-year project development plan.
This access management and corridor preservation project has been
surveyed, but no formal design plans have been created.
This project has not moved forward from the scooping stage because of
lack of support from affected property owners and state representatives.
The
Scoping Report continues by recommending that the Town coordinate with the
Rutland Regional Planning Commission to discuss means of further evaluating
improvements in the Wallingford Village area.
Recommended for discussion are:
·
long term conversion of the existing angle parking to parallel
parking.
·
elimination of parking within 20/30 feet of the intersection of
Routes 7 and 140.
·
improved pedestrian facilities and landscaping.
The Report acknowledges that “future access management plans for this segment recognize the considerable historic and community resources in this area. Transportation plans must recognize this fact and develop solution(s) with traffic calming and reduced design speeds as major considerations.”
Improvements
to the traffic lights and sidewalks have been made to the intersection of Route
7 and 140 by the State. This
project brought the intersection into compliance with the Americans with
Disabilities Act.
There
is also a need for improvements to the sidewalk system throughout the village,
as well as improvements or additions to curbing and drainage.
On Route 7, all these improvements should be incorporated into a single
project, which may need to be done in stages depending on funding.
State transportation funds include an allowance of up to 10% for
enhancements, which include such items as sidewalks. The Town and the Prudential Committee should lobby hard for
the inclusion of sidewalks.
There
are several other areas of concern in the transportation network in Wallingford,
but the most severe of these is the highway under the rail trestle on Route 103.
The geometrics of the highway cause frequent accidents at this site.
AOT is not pursuing this project presently because of associated
environmental impacts. AOT has
found that relocating the roadway to address this area is unfeasible due to
extensive floodplain impacts from the proposed project.
Two
other projects in the Agency of Transportation’s Project Development and
Evaluation list are Bridge # 50 on Town Highway #58 over Otter Creek, and
improvements to Route 103.
11.3
Municipal Water Service
Municipal water service (as distinguished
from private or on-site wells or water systems) is provided in Wallingford by
the Wallingford Fire District # 1 and by the South Wallingford Water
Cooperative.
Wallingford
Fire District # 1
Wallingford Fire District # 1 was created in
1906 to provide water to the residents of the main village area of Wallingford.
The Wallingford Water Company constructed the system and the system’s
35,000-gallon reservoir in 1908. A
140,000-gallon reservoir was constructed by the District in 1942.
Operation
of Wallingford Fire District # 1 is overseen by a Fire District Prudential
Committee. Members of the Prudential Committee are elected to their
positions by the residents of the area served by the Fire District.
In addition to providing water service, Fire District # 1 also provides
the village with sewer and fire protection services.
Water
Sources
The service area for Fire District # 1
includes all of Wallingford village, extending up Route 140 as far as the
Davenport farm and over to the Wallingford Lodge.
Fire District # 1 services over 350 connections.
Water
stored at the Fire District impounding area is delivered to users via a roughly
3000 foot long, 10” galvanized water main alongside Route 140.
This main carries water to an 8” line just east of Hillside Street
before reaching the village.
Quality
issues aside, the total quantity of water available is, for all practical
purposes, limited only by the size of the water system mains.
Spring Number 2 has a rated yield of 165,000 gallons per day, while
Roaring Brook, though unrated, has enough flow to meet essentially all of the
village’s needs. Indeed, even if
Spring Number 2 were the only source of water for the system, capacity would not
be a problem. Assuming water
quality does not pose a problem, demand could increase by 50% and virtually all
needs could be met.
Recent
improvements to the system include a new water holding facility on Church Street
in 2000, as well as a new pumping station.
The new reservoir was installed to bring the Fire District into
compliance with State and Federal drinking water standards.
Levels
of growth anticipated over the next 10 - 15 years will increase demands on the
system, although probably not to the point of overburdening it.
Population projections prepared for the service area by Wright
Engineering indicate that demand should reach approximately 232,000 gallons per
day by the year 2040. Interpolated,
this would represent an average annual increase of roughly 2400 gallons per
year, well within current volume capacity.
New
connections within the District are made routinely upon payment of a $250
connection fee. A tap is placed on an existing main and a curb stop
installed, the maintenance of which is the responsibility of the water user.
If there is an existing curb-stop, a $25.00 paperwork fee is charged to
the prospective user. The prospective water user must also file an application
before the Prudential Board. Once
these steps are completed, the District’s inspector makes sure that all
internal plumbing and plumbing connecting the structure to the curb-stop meet
State regulations.
South
Wallingford Water Cooperative
The South Wallingford Water Cooperative
was originally started in the early 1900’s to meet the water needs of South
Wallingford Village. It is a
private, non-municipal organization. Water
for the Cooperative comes from two springs located east of the system on Green
Hill. Water obtained from the
springs is of consistently high quality. Bad
samples from the system are very rare. The
delivery system for the Cooperative consists of a series of 3” and 2”
galvanized steel lines. Individual
users are serviced by lines of 1” or 3/4”.
Since this water supply is also a surface source, and because the system
is classified as a ‘community water system’ by the state, it is subject to
the same state and federal requirements for improving the purity of the water.
The
Cooperative has 29 connections. Average
daily demand by users of the system, who are almost exclusively residential, is
approximately 13,050 gallons per day. The
system’s total supply, represented by maximum daily yield of its supplies, is
estimated at 28,800 gallons per day.
11.4
Sewage Collection, Treatment and Disposal
Sewer service in Wallingford is provided by the Wallingford Fire District # 1.
The District owns and operated a secondary level treatment sewage plant
that is located behind Shaw’s Sales and Service in the village.
As a secondary level facility, the plant includes an oxidation ditch,
chlorine clarifiers, and sludge drying beds.
The plant was constructed in 1970 using funds from the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency.
The
design capacity of the treatment plant is 90,000 gallons per day.
Permitted capacity, which is usually less than or equal to design
capacity, is a perplexing 120,000 gallons per day.
The yearly average in 2004 was estimated at 75,000 to 80,000 gallons per
day. This varies considerably
depending on weather conditions. During
rainy periods, the plant has treated over 100,000 gallons per day.
Much of this fluctuation is due to infiltration through basement sump
pumps hooked into the system, as well as manholes that allow precipitation into
the system.
Roughly
400 customers are connected to the system.
Of these, approximately 350 connections are for residential uses, 5 are
for municipal uses, 29 are for commercial uses, 7 are institutional uses and 1
is a manufacturing use.
An
additional factor in maintaining capacity is the elimination of inflow and
infiltration of storm and runoff waters into the piping system carrying wastes
to the treatment plant. As sewer
mains age, openings in the system allow the infiltration of surface and ground
water. In addition, roof drains on
older homes, and basement sump pumps may be connected into the system adding
volume that causes the plant to exceed treatment capacity, resulting in the
discharge of untreated wastes to Otter Creek.
According to system representatives, they are beginning to identify such
sources and producing plans to eliminate the excess flowage.
The district is continuously making small changes to improve the
efficiency of the system. Because sump pumps have been identified as a large
contributor to the infiltration problem, plans are being made to pursue and
address this problem. State and
federal funds are available to help eliminate inflow and infiltration.
Sludge
currently generated by the plant during winter operations is transported by the
Rutland County Solid Waste District, of which the Town is a member, to Glens
Falls, NY for disposal. Sludge
generated in the summer can be treated and stored in the expanded and
reconstructed sludge beds at the treatment plant.
The
area served by the treatment plant takes in the core of the village.
Users of the treatment plant are serviced by a series of gravity feed
lines. A grinding pump located on
Creek Road breaks up wastes so they can be more easily passed into the main line
of the system.
Future
growth will increase demands on the system, intensifying the need for system
improvements. Population
projections have not been prepared for the sewer service area. Some capacity
will be able to be reclaimed by elimination of inflow and infiltration, but it
is time to begin planning an expansion of the system to deal with anticipated
growth.
The
State also wants the District to upgrade its current twelve-hour back-up pumping
system to one that is capable of maintaining operations through an extended
emergency. The District has planned for power outages and other
emergency situations in its state approved Contingency Plan.
11.5
Solid Waste Disposal
The Town of Wallingford is a member of the Rutland County Solid Waste Management
District, (RCSWMD) which has the responsibility for managing the solid waste
generated in the town. Wallingford maintains a Transfer Station located on Route 140
for collection of solid waste and recyclables.
Wallingford has a strong recycling program, collecting glass, newspaper,
cardboard, tin cans, aluminum cans, plastic milk jugs, and colored plastic
containers. Wallingford is also
participating in the RCSWMD magazine/junk mail collection system, and in the
Household Hazardous Collection program operated by the District.
According
to a study completed on behalf of the RCSWMD, approximately 1,193 tons of solid
waste was projected to be generated in Wallingford in 1992.
Of this amount, 826 tons were projected to be residential waste (37 tons
per person per year), while 368 tons would be commercially or industrially
generated (17 tons per person per year). Another
51 tons of digested sludge was projected in addition to the residential,
commercial and industrial wastes. Overall
waste generation is projected to continue its upward climb, increasing 25% by
2011. Costs can be expected to
increase significantly as well.
TABLE
11.5a—PROJECTED SOLID WASTE GENERATION, IN TONS
|
Type |
1992 |
1997 |
2002 |
2007 |
2011 |
|
Residential |
826 |
867 |
931 |
991 |
1,040 |
|
Commercial |
368 |
386 |
414 |
441 |
463 |
|
Total |
1,193 |
1,253 |
1,345 |
1,433 |
1,503 |
Source:
RCSWMD Analysis of Alternatives
The RCSWD Implementation Plan, updated in 2002, outlines the district’s waste
diversion goals. The statewide goal
to decrease per capita waste generation from 3.36 pounds per day to 2.7 pounds
of waste per day will also be met through these goals.
These address four main areas:
·
Reduction of waste generated,
·
Increase reuse,
·
Increased recycling in the residential, resort/tourist,
construction, demolition and commercial sectors.
Increase participation, collection efficiencies, and recycling of organic
and other types of waste.
Decrease incineration and disposal or recyclables,
·
Implement ongoing waste diversion education and outreach program
for schools, youth, consumers and
businesses.
11.6
Fire Protection Services
Wallingford Fire District # 1 provides fire protection service to all of
Wallingford, including Wallingford Village, East Wallingford and South
Wallingford. In addition, East
Wallingford has its own Fire Department.
Wallingford Fire
District # 1
A group of 57 volunteers make up the
regular fire-fighting force of the Wallingford Fire District. In 1997, there were 32 senior fire fighters, 12 junior fire
fighters and 13 auxiliary members. The
Wallingford Fire District also has an extremely active Junior Fire Fighting
Force made up of high school students who have received fire-fighting training.
The Junior Fire Fighters are able to operate all the fire equipment and
serve as a vital back-up force for the regular volunteers.
Training
is an important part of fire fighting. Consequently,
all fire fighters involved with the District are required to take a training
course to become part of the force. In
addition, they are required to drill one night each month to maintain their
skills.
Fire
District # 1 currently has two station buildings.
The main building is located in Wallingford village and has 4 bays.
A new satellite building was donated by OMYA, Inc. for $1.00/year rental
to provide space for a pumper truck and a tanker truck.
This satellite facility will cut response time to South Wallingford by an
estimated 15 minutes.
The
Fire District has a 1250 gallon per minute (GPM) pumper with a 1,000 gallon
tank, 30 gallons of foam and the Hurst Extractor Tool (‘Jaws of Life’), a
1,000 GPM pumper with a 1,000 gallon tank,
a 750 GPM pumper with a 350 gallon tank, a 500 GPM pump mounted on a
trailer, a 1,200 gallon tanker, a support van, and a jeep for fighting forest
fires equipped for 14 men. The Fire District also maintains a 1936 parade truck.
There are future plans to replace the aging 750 GPM pumper truck.
Wallingford
Fire District # 1 maintains a mutual-aid network with Clarendon, Danby, East
Wallingford, Rutland City, Rutland Town and Tinmouth.
Calls go out based on the size of the emergency and the availability of
sources.
East
Wallingford Fire Department
The
East Wallingford Fire Department, organized as Wallingford Fire District # 2,
has 10 active members, as well as a 14-member auxiliary.
Equipment operated by the Department includes a 750 GPM pumper with a 500
gallon tank (1979 model), a 1,200 gallon tanker with dumping capability, 350 GPM
pump and foam capacity (1986 model), two portable pumps,
2,000 feet of 2.5” hose and a similar length of 1.5” hose. Equipment is housed in a station in East Wallingford Village.
Training
takes place on an on-going basis. Training
is held at regular monthly meetings, as well as at special fire fighting
schools.
As
a municipality (a fire district), funding for the East Wallingford Fire
Department is raised by a district property tax.
This revenue is supplemented by the fund raising activities of the Fire
District Auxiliary. A Prudential Committee is responsible for the overall affairs
of the District.
The
number of fire responses by the Department has averaged 6-15 per year.
Roughly 1/2 of the calls were for the mutual aid network it maintains
with surrounding communities.
Except
for that portion of East Wallingford, which is served by Mt. Holly Rescue, most
of the town is covered for emergency response services by Wallingford Rescue.
The primary emergency facility to which patients of both Wallingford
Rescue and Mt. Holly Rescue are transported is the Rutland Regional Medical
Center.
Wallingford
Rescue
Wallingford Rescue is a volunteer
organization consisting of 19 members including 2 Emergency Medical Technicians
(EMTs), 2 EMT-1s, 2 EMT-Ps, 3 EMT-Ds, 1 EMT-EOA, 2 registered nurses and 7
Emergency Care Attendants (ECAs). Reflecting
the group’s emphasis on training, all members must have as a minimum ECA State
certification. The Squad also
conducts at least 30 hours of training annually.
The
E.M.S. District # 10 “Disaster Plan”, which is coordinated by the State’s
Emergency Health Division, governs part of the method of operations of
Wallingford Rescue by detailing plans to handle mutual aid.
Under the Plan, the primary back up for Wallingford Rescue is the
Regional Ambulance Service based in Rutland.
In an effort to meet emergency service needs of neighboring communities,
Wallingford Rescue also covers the Town of Tinmouth.
Wallingford
Rescue has two ambulances; one a four-wheel drive 1983 model, and the other a
two-wheel drive 1990 model. These
vehicles carry standard medical equipment as well as apparatus for advanced life
support. The Rescue Squad is
dispatched by the Vermont State Police. The
Rescue Squad has been dispatched by the Rutland Regional Medical Center as well
as locally at various points in recent years.
A long-term arrangement for dispatching is likely to develop with the
establishment of a countywide dispatching service connected with Vermont’s
statewide E-911 system.
The
number of calls to Wallingford Rescue has ranged from a low of 92 (in 1991) to a
high of 170 (in 2003). Similarly,
average weekly demand has ranged from 1.77 calls per week to 2.52 calls per
week. The number of calls responded to by Wallingford Rescue has
averaged 175 per year.
Funding
for the Rescue Service comes from local fund-raising efforts and an allocation
at Town Meeting. Because the cost
of operating the service has increased dramatically in recent years, the Squad
is exploring the possibility of billing insurance companies of patients who
carry comprehensive health insurance policies.
Mt. Holly Rescue
Mt. Holly Rescue is a volunteer organization
consisting of 15 volunteer members, two of whom live in East Wallingford.
All members are highly trained. Four
of the Squad’s members have Emergency Care Attendant (ECA) certification.
Eleven members have Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) certification,
while four are EMT-1s and two are EMT-Ds. Members
of the Squad meet twice a month to continue to upgrade their service and improve
their skills. Dispatching is done
by the Vermont State Police. This
may change depending on the dispatching system organized under the State’s new
E-911 system.
Equipment
maintained by Mt. Holly Rescue includes one 1983 ambulance and one 1990
ambulance, along with many specialized first aid devices.
The
total number of calls responded to by the Squad in recent years has averaged 115
per year. Calls to East Wallingford
typically take up between 10 and 22% of the total.
11.8
Public Safety/Police Protection
Public
safety in the town is provided by local constables and the State Police, who are
dispatched out of the barracks in Rutland.
The Rutland County Sheriff’s Department also does occasional work on a
contract basis.
According
to statistics compiled by the Vermont Department of Public Safety, the crime
rate in the community is well below the regional average.
In 1996, Part I crimes occurred at a rate of 11.72 per 1,000 population
in Wallingford compared to a county rate of 33.37 per thousand.
Part II crimes occurred at a rate of 25.70 per thousand compared to the
county rate of 86.51. In actual
numbers, there were 26 Part I crimes consisting of 1 aggravated assault, 13
burglaries and 12 larcenies. There
were 57 Part II crimes consisting of 1 stolen property, 5 vandalism, 1 sex
offense, 2 drug offenses, 13 family/child, 16 disorderly conduct, 2 simple
assault, 5 DUI, and 11 other.
11.9
Emergency Management Activities
Wallingford has been
involved in several activities related to emergency planning.
The town adopted a Rapid Response Plan in January of 2003.
This plan helps coordinate and facilitate response activities in the
event of an emergency. In January
of 2004, the town took part in regional pre-disaster mitigation planning
efforts. The creation of a Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) Plan improves
the community’s ability to mitigate for future disasters, lessening the
financial, social and environmental impacts stemming from possible disaster
events. The creation of the PDM
Plan ensures accessibility to Federal Emergency Management Agency funds to aid
in mitigation projects and disaster recovery efforts.
Identified mitigation
strategies included:
·
Continuing upgrades and maintenance of culverts to accommodate
high water flows,
·
Raising the frequently flooded section of Hartsboro Road,
·
Obtaining Red Cross approval of town emergency shelters,
·
Installing wiring needed for installation of portable generators
in the Town Hall and Elementary School,
·
Continuing emergency evacuation drills with vulnerable populations
in town,
·
Continuing support of
State-led widening/straightening of Rt. 7, specifically the accident prone
section in
South Wallingford,
·
Partnering with the State to solve water contamination caused by
sewer system overflow, and;
·
Protecting town records by retrofitting town offices.
11.10
Energy and Communication
Gas
and Other Fuels
Currently there is no natural gas service
available. Propane is available
from local and area dealers and is used for heating, cooking, water heating and
in businesses.
Electricity
Electrical service in the town is
currently provided by Central Vermont Public Service Corporation (CVPS) CVPS
serves electric customers in Wallingford through its Rutland District office in
Rutland City. The Rutland District
serves the communities of Pittsford, Chittenden, Proctor, West Rutland, Rutland
City, Rutland Town, Mendon, Sherburne, Ira, Clarendon, Shrewsbury, Tinmouth,
Wallingford, Mt. Holly, Mt.Tabor and Danby.
The right-of-way for the main transmission line of 46,000 volts runs
north-south along Route 7. A small
section of another 46,000-volt line runs through the western corner of the town.
The lines are linked to both hydroelectric and gas turbine facilities.
The pattern of use of electricity in Wallingford is typical of communities of
its size and type. Representatives
of CVPS indicate that electricity was used by town residents primarily for
cooking, lighting, and refrigeration.
As
part of a program to update its regional power net, CVPS hopes to complete a
voltage conversion for all of Wallingford.
The process would involve upgrading all 2,400-volt power lines in town to
newer cables, which can carry 7,200 volts.
Part of the voltage conversion would be to replace any damaged or unsound
existing poles, put in new lines, and change the current transformers to higher
voltage equipment. Wallingford’s
voltage conversion is part of a general plan by CVPS to upgrade and standardize
all equipment throughout the company’s service area to 7,200 volts.
The
State is actively considering legislation that would deregulate the State’s
electric industry. In a deregulated environment, consumers would be able to
choose from one of many retail electric companies.
Under some current proposals, the existing utilities would retain
responsibility for maintaining the local distribution system, the poles and
wires.
Efficiency Vermont was established by the Vermont Public Service Board in 1999.
The utility works towards reducing electricity costs, increasing the capacity of the electric system through
efficiency measures, and reducing pollution from electricity production.
11.11
Communications
Communication services in Wallingford
include local and long distance phone service, cellular phone service, cable
television and Internet service.
Telephone Ser vice
Local telephone service is provided by VTEL,
a Springfield, Vermont telecommunications company. VTEL offers a basic phone service and Internet access.
The State of Vermont has begun the process of deregulating local phone
service. It is anticipated that, in
the near future, residents will be able to choose their local
phone service provider.
Telecommunications
Facilities
Wireless telecommunications facilities
are defined as land facilities supporting antennas and microwave dishes that
send and/or receive radio frequency signals.
These facilities include structures, towers, antennae, microwave dishes,
and associated accessory buildings. There
is currently a commercial wireless telecommunication facility at the Town Hall
not operating at the present time. Wallingford
will consider applications for telecommunication facilities as routine
commercial applications under Site Plan Review.
The Town should remain current with developments in the
telecommunications industry and, at some time, may want to adopt more
comprehensive review criteria.
Currently, full cellular coverage is available along the Route 7 corridor.
11.12
Library Services
Library services are provided to the community by the Gilbert Hart Library.
The library is housed in an impressive structure that was built in 1894
with funds donated by Detroit industrialist, Gilbert Hart, who was born in
Wallingford. It is governed by an
unpaid board and is managed by a part-time paid librarian and assistant. Volunteers also donate their time to assist in the operation
of the library.
The library is open 34 hours per week, Tuesday through Saturday, and offers
programs sufficient to meet standards set by the Vermont Department of
Libraries. The total book
circulation for 1996 was 9,760 volumes.
Funding
for the library comes from several different sources, including memberships and
an annual allocation from the Town of Wallingford.
The “Friends of the Library” collect donations and sponsor
fund-raising events.
Recently, extensive renovations have increased the size of the library and made
all three floors handicap accessible.
The community meeting room is now substantially larger.
The heating, plumbing and electrical systems have all been upgraded as
well.
11.13
Childcare
Ensuring accessible, affordable, quality child care is integral to sound
economic development planning. In Wallingford, there are currently two regulated child care
providers. Lisa Cotrupi is a
registered provider, able to care for 6 children under 6 years of age and 4
school age children in her home. Wallingford
Daycare and Preschool is licensed to care for 59 children between the ages of 6
weeks and 12 years. These providers
are shown on Wallingford’s Utilities and Facilities Map (Map 3A).
To
understand better the ability of these two facilities to meet the child care
needs of Wallingford families, an analysis of the number of children estimated
to need care, and the type of care needed is necessary.
In Wallingford there are presently 379 children under the age of 14.
One hundred and thirty-eight, or 36% of these children are under the age
of 5. The number of children
under the age of 5 has decreased by 21%, indicating the potential for a
decreased need for child care in the town.
TABLE
11.13a—WALLINGFORD TOWN—CHILDREN AGES 0-13 YEARS, 1990 / 2000
|
Age |
1990 |
2000 |
% Change |
|
Infant/Toddler
(0-2 years) |
72 |
57 |
-21% |
|
Pre-School (3-5
years) |
102 |
81 |
-21% |
|
6 - 13 years |
268 |
241 |
-10% |
|
Total |
442 |
379 |
-14% |
Source:
U.S. Census 1990, 2000
Oftentimes single-parent households are more likely to need childcare, than
married couple families. While the need for childcare may have decreased overall, the
total children in single parent households has increased, from 69 children in
1990 to 102 in 2000. This
could indicate a greater need for child care for this sector of the population.
The employment status of families with children can also affect their childcare
needs. In Wallingford,
13.1% of the population is employed by service sector jobs.
Parents working in this sector may need child care services that are
available during non-traditional hours (evenings, nights and weekends).
The hours of operation for Wallingford Daycare and Pre-School, the
largest daycare provider in Town are
6:30 AM to 5:30 PM. These hours may
not accommodate the needs of families working in the service sector.
Also, there are 78 children under 6 years old that live in situations
where both parents are employed. These children are more likely to need child
care than children in families where only one parent is in the work force.
This analysis provides information on the estimated number of childcare
openings, the available childcare openings, and specific family situations that
may affect childcare needs. While the overall number of children potentially needing
childcare services is declining, there is most likely a need that is not being
met by the current State Registered Providers in Town.
While some or all of this need may be met through informal childcare
arrangements, these can be unstable and lack the quality control offered by the
registration and licensing process.
The information provided here begins to analyze the child care situation in
Wallingford. Further assessment of
the situation should be performed to determine the strengths/weaknesses of the
available child care infrastructure, the extent to which informal child care
providers are meeting the determined need, and the extent to which child care
providers outside of Wallingford are filling the needs of Wallingford families.