Tolland's Capital Budget is a Dance to Keep on Truckin'

Town Manager Steven Werbner has unveiled his five-year capital improvement budget, and the plan includes a significant effort to upgrade Tolland's rolling stock.

Aged trucks were of particular concern during a preliminary post-blizzard review at a recent Town Council meeting.

Werbner's full capital plan presentation - for the upcoming 2013-14 fiscal year through the 2017-18 fiscal year, is attached. It was presented to the public last week.

"The key items in the plan are an attempt to accelerate the replacement of some of our heavy equipment in the Highway Department," Werbner said. "The equipment is old and was made worse by this difficult winter."

Here are three examples:

• A $155,000 truck has been deemed an "immediate replacement" priority because of damage sustained to an older truck during the February blizzard.

• A $147,000 truck has been moved to Year 1 of the capital program because of damage to another older vehicle during the blizzard.

• A $97,000 truck has been moved to the first year because of the need to make the fleet younger.

Other highlights of the capital budget are:

• A two-year tree-trimming effort using grant funds through the state-administered Local Capital Improvement Program to address some 200 street trees identified over the last two years as potentially being in conflict with power lines.

• Expanding the library into the gym area in the Hicks Municipal Center, which would address space concerns identified at least eight to 10 years ago.

• A continued emphasis on road maintenance using a combination of state funds and borrowed money authorized by voters as part of the $5 million road issue approved in November.