a community for the future.“We’ve applied for several grants, one through the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and another one through TxDOT to add sidewalks and trails,” outlines Monica Wilkinson, Community Development Director. “Repeatedly, when we get input from our citizens, one of the top recreational amenities that our community is seeking is more walking trails. We have those at one or two of our parks, but we’d like to expand them throughout the community.” INFRASTRUCTURE FIRST City Manager Darell Kennon emphasizes the importance of investing in infrastructure for current and future needs. Currently, the city is replacing the first 8.5 miles of a 16 mile, 24 inch pipeline that dates back to 1953, which he says is “well past its useful life.” At a cost of $12 million, Vernon is taking out a loan to fund the project. “We have forty-five wells, sixteen miles north of town, and that’s our lifeline. Without that water, we don’t have a town,” Kennon expands. “That project is currently in the works right now. We’re also going to extend that line with a $3 million EDA grant that we received. The city is going to have to match it with a million dollars, but we hope to extend it another three miles further.” Along with this, Atmos Energy is in the midst of a three-year project to replace all of its metal pipes in Vernon, making the city’s gas distribution safer. When it comes to growth, Vernon has ample water supply, using only half of the existing 4 million gallons of daily capacity. As for wastewater, Kennon says, “Our discharge right now is about a million gallons a day, and our capacity is 2 million. So there again, we have the capacity for growth.” Recently completed upgrades to the wastewater treatment plant utilized $2.5 million in ARPA funding, with the city matching the amount. “Infrastructure wise, we’re forward thinking to keep the community in good shape. That is not to say that we don’t have other projects that need our attention, but you have to tackle them as you can afford them, and that’s what we’re doing,” he asserts. Connectivity is also a priority, and rural internet 4 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 06
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTI5MjAx