Vernon is a celebrated place to live and work. From its beautiful parks and lakes, to its vast trails and historic homes and buildings, Vernon has it all. With a resident population of nearly 30,000 and occupying only 18.03 square miles, Vernon combines a balanced appreciation of history, and a strong economic base for growth, both residential and commercial. Located 15 minutes east of the Connecticut capital of Hartford, and 25 miles from the city of Springfield, Massachusetts, the Town of Vernon is strategically placed in “New England's Knowledge Corridor” with close proximity to some of the top colleges and universities in the county, including University of Connecticut and Trinity College. With its easy access to several state routes as well as Interstate 84, Vernon is a diversified community. Because of its locale, Vernon provides homeowners the opportunity to enjoy suburbia, while enjoying a short commute to either Hartford or Springfield business districts. Vernon is a full service local government, offering a wide range of benefits for its residents including public education, extensive parks and recreational opportunities, police, fire, emergency medical services to name a few. Vernon has five elementary schools, one middle school and a high school. The Town of Vernon government is proud of the services we offer to our residents, and seeks to practice a management philosophy of continuous improvements. The Mayor of the Town is Jason L. McCoy; there are twelve members of the Vernon Town Council: Deputy Mayor Brian R. Motola, Daniel E. Anderson, Bill F. Campbell, Daniel A. Champagne, Mark S. Etre, James E Krupienski, Marie A. Herbst, Judy Hany, Harry Thomas, Pauline A. Schaefer, Sean O'Shea, and Michael A. Winkler. The Vernon Board of Education has nine members: Chairperson Anne Fischer, Vice Chairperson Dean Houle, George Apel Budget Chairperson, Laura Bush, David Kemp, Susan Norlie Hesnan, Kyle Percy, Vicky Rispoli, and Paul Stansel.