Local Government | Richford VT

Local Government

Public Safety
Fire Department	Richford has a well trained volunteer fire department. Fire fighting efforts are coordinated with several of the surrounding towns, including Sutton, Quebec.
Ambulance	Richford has an award winning, and dedicated volunteer ambulance service.
Police Protection	Police - Vermont State Police is the primary contact. The town contracts with the Franklin County Sheriff for additional coverage.
The Constable	Richford has an elected constable. The constable is also a judicial bureau enforcement officer and handles municipal ordinance violations.
Neighborhood Watch	There is no formal program in place at this time.

The Government
The Select Board	The Select Board is a five member elected board and is responsible for town government. Their duties have somewhat increased due to the recent merger of the Town and Village of Richford after being separated for nearly 120 years. The year 1999 will mark the two hundredth anniversary of town government in Richford.
Town Meeting Day	Once a year, the Richford community gathers together for Town Meeting Day. This New England tradition is alive and well here in Richford where everyone has a chance to discuss issues, meet the candidates, and engage in democracy as our forefathers envisioned.

InfraStructure
Rail and Highways	Richford is centrally located between Interstate 89, Interstate 91, Route 87 and Route 10 in Quebec, Canada. All four are major corridors serving northern New England and southern Quebec. The Canadian Pacific Railroad services Richford, allowing Blue Seal and Kaytec to ship large quantities of products to their market(s).
Public Works	An ample supply of metered water with adequate fire flows is available throughout the entire service district. All water passes through the filtration plant, is chlorinated and is stored in the covered reservoir. The Town operates a wastewater treatment facility with a design capacity of 380,000 gallons servicing the Town's district with a spur to our Business Park. Richford is a member of the Solid Waste Management District. The Town accepts bids from private haulers for trash and recyclable collections at each residence and at some businesses within the Service District. Other businesses make their own arrangements.
Utilities	Electricity is available from Vermont Electric Cooperative. Phase III power is distributed to Blue Seal at the north end of the village, the Business Park to the south of the village and to Stairs Unlimited, east of the village. Telephone service is provided by Bell Atlantic with fiber optic cabling. The local calling area includes the city of St. Albans. Several Internet Service Providers offer dial-up service to the town and Fair Point offers DSL service to most locations in the central village area. Comcast also available.

Facilities
Town Hall	The Richford Town Hall got its start as a church built by the Adventist Society in 1870. In 1914, the voters approved without dissent, to reconstruct the now "old" church into a new and magnificent Town Hall; a structure of outstanding beauty in colonial architecture. In addition to housing local government, the "new" (1915) retrofit includes an auditorium serving town meetings and various cultural events. The Town Hall is a historical repository of the community, past to present. Located on Main Street, the Town offices are open from 8:30 - 4:00 Monday - Friday, except legal holidays.
The Post Office	Located on Main Street in downtown Richford, the "Federal Building" completed in 1915, is a splendid example of federal dollars at work. Architecturally designed of masonry construction, the building is pronounced by it's ornate grandeur. Now Town owned, the building is still the home of the Post Office, which shares space with the U.S. Border Patrol, and the Franklin Northeast Supervisory Union.
The Emergency Services Building	The Emergency Services Building houses both the ambulance and fire services. With the new facilities, built in 1998, and the added coordination of these two departments, health and fire services have been dramatically enhanced.
The Richford Health Center	The Richford Health Center, a federally certified Rural Health Clinic, provides a full range of primary health and dental programs, Monday through Friday 9 A.M.-5 P.M. RHC also provides a 5-week Summer Day Camp program for area youth.