The Waterford Heath and Building Department is located on the first floor of Town Hall. Both departments are charged with inspecting town properties to ensure they are built and operated safely.
The building department inspects all ongoing construction on any town property to ensure all structures are built to all building codes. The health office continues to inspect properties after they are built, especially businesses, to ensure they meet all health and safety regulations.
The Town of Waterford Finance Office is responsible for tracking every dollar spent out of the general government and capital budgets. The office is composed of one position, the director of finance, currently held by Ruth Beers.
The Board of Finance is a seven-member board of elected residents charged with setting the mill rate and allocations for the general town government and education budget. The current chairman on the board is Republican Ronald Fedor, and the group meets the second Wednesday of every month at 7 p.m. in the Town Hall.
Waterford's Recreation and Parks Department is charged with maintaining the town's community center, numerous playgrounds, the school grounds and town parks while providing programs for adults and children. The department runs a sport council, which oversees several sporting events for children and teenagers and provides swim classes and open swim at the Waterford High School pool.
Decisions on the department's budget and overall focus is set by the Waterford Recreation and Parks Commission, a group of nine volunteer townspeople appointed by the Board of Selectmen.
The Waterford Tax Collector, located in Town Hall, is charged with collecting the town's taxes. Personal property and motor vehicle taxes are sent once a year, in July, and are due by Aug. 2. Real estate taxes are sent out twice a year, once in July (due by Aug. 2) and again in January (due by Feb. 1).
Taxes can be paid in person or by check, made payable to Town of Waterford and mailed to P.O. Box 1755, Brattleboro, VT 05302. Taxes can also be paid by phone or at www.officialpayments.com, with a 3 percent to 10 percent surcharge, depending on the amount of the bill.
The Waterford Human Resources Department, located on the second floor of Town Hall, oversees the hiring, firing, benefits, policies and punishment of Waterford town employee. Those interested in applying for a job working for the town of Waterford must submit a written application to the office, either in person or through the mail. Electronic copies are not accepted. Applications can be found on the department's website.
The Waterford Public Works Department handles maintenance of all the town's roads and property while running door-to-door garbage pick-up and the transfer station. All garbage pickup is done during the week, with each section of the town receiving roadside pickup on a selected day. The department also ensures all recyclables are properly disposed.
The public works department is also responsible for plowing all town roads. When there is more than three inches of snow on the ground, no street-side parking is allowed until the department has finished plowing the road.
The public works building and transfer station are located together off Hartford Turnpike. Ronald Cusano is the current head of public works.
The Waterford Assessors Office, based in Town Hall, is charged with gathering and valuing all real estate, motor vehicle and business personal property in town for the purpose of creating a tax base. Assessments are based on a variety of factors conforming to a laundry list of state and federal regulations. Exemptions and reductions are possible on assessments for a variety of reasons, such as for disabled veterans, elderly residents or manufacturing equipment, among others. All town assessments are online at http://www.prophecyone.us/index_prophecy.php?town=Waterford.
The department is operated by the town assessor and an assistant assessor, with assessments being done once every five years. Assessments can be challenged by appointment through the Waterford Board of Assessment Appeals, a group of three elected townspeople.
The Waterford Utility Commission oversees the use of all town sewer and water lines, which cover about 75 percent of town. The commission is composed of five elected townspeople who lead parts of the public works department and the water pollution control authority. The Waterford Utility Commission sets all buy-in and tie-in fees for sewer and water in the town and the rate for sewer and water usage. The commission's office is located in the public works building, next to the transfer station, off Hartford Turnpike.
The planning and zoning department, located in Town Hall, is charged with creating, enforcing and regulating all the town's plans for development, zoning regulations and planning regulations. All new construction or any addition must meet all planning and zoning regulations before beginning, and must stay in compliance throughout the process.
The planning and zoning office holds a planning director, zoning official, town planner, environmental planner and office coordinator. The ultimate authority is the planning and zoning commission, with all members appointed by the board of selectmen. The commission holds five regular members, each with a five-year term.
Any new construction or addition that violates any town planning and zoning regulation can be approved by the zoning board of appeals, a five-member group of elected townspeople.
Waterford Senior Services is based out of the Waterford Community Center, where activities, daily meals and prudent health and life information is available for seniors. Waterford Senior Services provides transportation to seniors as well to doctor's appointments, as well as a trip every Monday to the grocery store and a trip every Friday to the Crystal Mall. Seniors must call a day in advance to reserve a seat.
Waterford Senior Services features seven staff members along with ten mini-bus drivers. A seven-member Senior Citizens Commission leads the department, with all seven volunteer members appointed at the town's representative town meeting. The town also employs a municipal agent for the elderly, an appointed position by the First Selectman, to provide seniors information on local, state and federal benefits. The agent works in the Community Center.
The town clerk's office, located in Town Hall, is charged with keeping the official records of the town, including land records, vital records, board and commission minutes and all historical data, and making copies of any of those documents for the public. It also issues licenses and permits, such as dog licenses and cremation permits.
The position also serves as clerk of the Representative Town Meeting. During elections, the town clerk helps register voters, certifies candidates and issues absentee ballots. The current town clerk is Robert Nye. Nye oversees the deputy town clerk and associate town clerk, who serve in the office as well.