News Flash

As we enter the last few weeks of summer, I am hopeful that we will have a little less rain and far more sunny warm days to savor. Despite all of the rain, it has been a very busy and productive summer. Each year I feel the summer season goes by faster and faster. The crickets will be sounding their alarm soon as we anticipate shorter days and cooler temperatures. Next week, the large yellow buses will start driving their daily routes around town. With this in mind, we have been hard at work completing summer projects and gearing up for fall activities. 

Groundbreaking at the Site of the New Public Works Facility

After many months of planning, design work and navigating the permitting process, we have finally broken ground on the site of the new public works facility. Construction began in August, starting with land clearing and the development of the road and infrastructure (water and sewer) from Bombardier Road to the construction site. The project will take roughly a year to complete, and we plan to be in the new facility by fall/winter of 2024.

I wanted to inform park users, especially those that use our beautiful dog park regularly, that we will soon be building a temporary road from Park Place along the existing dog park path to the new building site. Town staff trucking in fill material for the site will use this temporary road predominantly between the hours of 7 am and 4 pm daily. Feel free to continue to use this road to walk toward the dog park, but please do not drive on this road. 

First ACH Debit for Utility Billing a Success

The July utility billing cycle marked the launch of the Town’s direct debit option for the initial batch of enrolled users. We are happy to announce that the new payment option was a success, and we have made some improvements to the process based on initial feedback. If you would like to sign up to pay your water/sewer bill with automatic debit, you can find enrollment information here. Forms must be submitted as directed no later than September 16 to be included in the October billing cycle. 

Special Achievement Award Presented to Bruce Trombly, Highway Department

At the Selectboard meeting on August 21, Zach Blodgett from the City of Montpelier and the Board of Directors for the New England Chapter of the American Public Works Association (APWA) presented the New England Chapter 2023 Special Achievement Award to Bruce Trombly. This award acknowledges the excellence of performance of public works personnel. 

Bruce Trombly is a dedicated public works professional that has served Milton for 35 years. He is a proficient operator of all of the Town’s equipment and leads the department when the supervisor is away. He is dependable, trustworthy and an all-around good person. 

Bruce is an example of the people who work quietly behind the scenes, doing the essential work necessary to keep our roads and communities happy, healthy and safe, improving the quality of life for all. The Town of Milton is very grateful for Bruce’s loyalty and commitment.

Accessibility Improvements Starting Soon on the Town Forest Trail

After years of work by our dedicated conservation commission volunteer members, the final leg of the Town Forest ADA Trail Project is set to begin on September 18. This project will further extend the graded five-foot-wide ADA-compatible trail another 1,350 feet to the future location of a viewing platform that will be adjacent to an existing natural marsh area. 

Temporary Trail Closure: While we eagerly look forward to the improved accessibility this project will add to our beautiful Town Forest Trail, unfortunately, the parking lot and main access point to the trail (at 599 Westford-Milton Road) will be closed for the duration of the construction, which is expected to last until early November. This is necessary for the safety of the public. There is alternative access point at the Carriage Barn (501 Westford-Milton Road), but please note that there is very limited parking available at this location. If you are going to use this area during the construction, please plan to arrange for drop off and pick up at the Carriage Barn. We strongly encourage the public to visit one of Milton’s many other trail systems, such as Eagle Mountain, Bombardier Park, and the Lamoille River Walk during the construction of this long-awaited enhancement.

A Summer of Improvements in the Parks

We started the summer off by reblazing the Bombardier Park Trails, and we just recently completed repairs and improvements to the Tennis and Pickleball Courts. We have also installed an additional basketball court at Bombardier Park West and progress has begun on a new mountain bike connector trail. 

You may also have noticed the restorations underway on the Bombardier Park murals, originally designed by artist Jon Young and painted by community volunteers back in 2018. We are excited to see these beautiful works of art brought back to life and look forward to many more years of enjoyment. Mural restorations should be complete before winter. 

Feasibility Study Begins Soon for Multi-Purpose Recreational Center 

The Selectboard recently awarded this project to HVS Convention, Sports and Entertainment, a Facilities Consulting firm located in Chicago, Illinois. HVS was one of five firms that provided a proposal for the feasibility study. A committee consisting of three members of the Milton on the Move initiative and three Town staff made the unanimous recommendation. Over the next several months, I look forward to working with HVS to determine the feasibility of an exciting project like this for our community. 

Registration Now Open for Upcoming Events

Touch a Truck, September 9

In this family-favorite event, children of all ages are invited to visit. If you are interested in participating as a Truck, please reach out to Milton Recreation at recreation@miltonvt.gov or call us at 802-893-4922. Learn more about the event here. 

Trunk or Treat, October 27

This evening of Halloween fun is one of our most popular events of the year, and the recreation department has opened registration for businesses, organizations and non-profit groups interested in participating. Register through the Milton Recreation Department’s online catalog at miltonvt.gov/recregister.

Grange Hall Is Open for Reservations

We are excited to announce that the renovations are complete, we have received the certificate of occupancy, and the Grange Hall at 135 River Street is officially available for facility rentals. You can find updated photos and rental information, including an application for download, on the Town website at miltonvt.gov/grange.

As always, I hope this message finds you and yours well. Our team looks forward to seeing you in our offices and around town soon.

Don Turner, Jr.
Milton Town Manager