By Jack Krampitz
In the upcoming Board of Finance meeting on Tuesday, the Board will consider requests from the American Rescue Plan Task Force to approve $17,105,980 in funding for groups that applied for the money under ARP criteria.
The City of Bristol will receive approximately $28 million in ARPA funding over the next five years; this is the first request of the task force for funds.
The 15-member ARPA Task Force, comprised of appointed members from the community, was formed to help determine how these funds will be distributed to benefit the Bristol community.
Three subcommittees were formed to focus on the following priority areas: Nonprofit groups, Business Recovery, and City Use.
The following Guiding Principles were used as the framework for the most effective deployment of these resources:
• We acknowledge that ARPA funds are one-time monies.
• We will seek opportunities to make lasting change in physical and social infrastructure.
• Priority consideration will be given to projects and activities that promote fiscal and environmental sustainability.
• To the extent possible, we will leverage outside funding and avoid duplication with other relief programs.
• We will limit operational investments without identified sustainable funding sources.
• We will fund projects and activities to achieve long-lasting benefits and results.
• We will address the impact of the pandemic on disproportionately impacted low-income families, communities of color and those socially vulnerable through investment in qualified census tract neighborhoods.
• We will demonstrate compliance and transparency through regular reporting to the public.
A total of almost 80 million dollars was applied for by local businesses, non-profit organizations, and the city government for the 28 million allocated to Bristol.
Among the groups receiving the largest grants are the following:
$5,221,000 to the City of Bristol for the Centre Square Public Parking Structure
$3,700,000 to the city for the City Hall Renovation – HVAC Upgrades/Improvements
$1,250,000 to Environmental Learning Centers of Connecticut for an Accessible Trail at the Harry C. Barnes Memorial Nature Trail
$1,100,000 to Bristol Health for Bristol Hospital Operating Room – Air Flow, Temperature and Humidity System Replacement/Redundancy Upgrade
$750,000 to St. Vincent DePaul Mission for the Mission of Bristol Triage Center
$600,000 to the Bristol Boys & Girls Club for the Boys & Girls Outdoor Expansion Project
The full list is below and is organized by Submission-ID #, followed by the name of the applicant, Organization Name, Project Name, and Approved Funding.
202
City- Department of Public Works, City of Bristol Bristol City Hall Renovation – HVAC Upgrades/Improvements- $3,700,000
208
City- City of Bristol Economic and Community Development, City of Bristol Centre Square Public Parking Structure- $5,221,000
212
City- Economic & Community Development, City of Bristol Brownfield Revolving Loan/Grant Program- $250,000
224
City- Joshua Medeiros, City of Bristol Parks, Recreation, Youth and Community Services, Kern Park Site Planning & Improvements-$300,000
226
City- Joshua Medeiros City of Bristol Parks, Recreation, Youth and Community Services, Veterans Memorial Boulevard Site Improvements-$300,000
227
City- Joshua Medeiros City of Bristol Parks, Recreation, Youth and Community Services, Rockwell Park Site Improvements- $400,000
281
City- Economic and Community Development, City of Bristol Downtown/Centre Square Infrastructure- $150,000
290
City- Scott Smith, City of Bristol IT Network Switch Replacement- $300,000
223
City- Joshua Medeiros City of Bristol Parks, Recreation, Youth and Community Services, Pine Lake Outdoor Adventure Park Improvements- $275,000
284
City- Robert J. Herold, President- West Cemetery Association’s Carlyle F. Barnes Chapel, Repair of Elevator/Lift’s ADA Access to Lower level- $10,000
42
Business- Rowley Spring and Stamping, Invest in new capital and equipment to broaden operational capabilities- $360,000
92
Business- Firefly Hollow Brewing Company, Firefly Hollow Brewing Company- $14,500
154
Business- Novo Precision LLC, Fiberoptic Splicing Project- $25,000
193
Business- Connecticut Tool and Cutter, Machinery Acquisition- $82,000
285
Business- Miller Foods, Inc, DBA Oma’s Pride Oma’s Pride Bristol Kitchen- $100,000
45
Non Profit- Bristol Boys & Girls Club, Bristol Boys & Girls Outdoor Expansion Project- $600,000
74
Non Profit- Bristol Child Development Center (Bristol Preschool Child Care Center), BCDC Expansion of Services and Improvements- $275,000
147
Non Profit- Bristol Brass and Wind Ensemble, Inc. Bristol Brass and Wind Ensemble – Sustaining Cultural Enrichment of the Greater Bristol Community- $20,500
155
Non Profit- Prudence Crandall Center, Inc., Bristol Community Outreach & Services Office- $350,000
175
Non Profit- The New England Carousel Museum The Carousel Museum, We Make Bristol’s Merry-Go-Round! – $20,000
178
Non Profit- Wheeler Clinic, Inc., Bristol Family Health and Wellness Center (FHWC)- $400,000
191
Non Profit- Bristol Health, Bristol Hospital Operating Room – Air Flow, Temperature and Humidity System Replacement/Redundancy Upgrade- $1,100,000
201
Non Profit- Shepard Meadows Equestrian Center, Inc. Equine-Assisted Services – Horsemanship, Learning and Therapy- $250,000
217
Non Profit- St. Vincent De Paul Mission of Bristol, Inc., St. Vincent De Paul Mission of Bristol Triage Center- $750,000
221
Non Profit- IMMANUEL LUTHERAN CHURCH AND SCHOOL, Immanuel Lutheran School facility improvements to reduce Cocid 19 transmission- $145,000
222
Non Profit- Veterans Strong Community Center, Inc. Technology Reboot- $6,000
235
Non Profit- Environmental Learning Centers of Connecticut, Inc, Accessible Trail at the Harry C. Barnes Memorial Nature Trail- $1,250,000
251
Non Profit- Beulah A.M.E. Zion Church, ”A Healthy Church” environment to worship- $10,000
265
Non Profit- Bristol Historical Society, Re-Opening Plan for the Bristol Historical Society (BHS)- $5,000
271
Non Profit- Bristol Chorale, Bristol Chorale Moving Forward- $20,000
282
Non Profit- Wheeler Clinic, Inc. Wheeler Clinic School-Based Behavioral Health Services- $50,000
292
Non Profit- Environmental Learning Centers of Connecticut, Inc., HVAC and Air Handling System at the Harry C. Barnes Memorial Nature Center- $175,000
38
Non Profit- Exchange Club of Bristol Connecticut Incorporated, Bristol Mum Festival- $1,980.00
84
Non Profit- St. Joseph School, Touchless Bath Fixtures for St. Joseph School- $55,000
218
Non Profit- Grace Baptist Church, Replace/Upgrade gym heating unit- $104,000
252
Non Profit- The Family Center(DBA) Imagine Nation, A Museum Early Learning Center Healthy Classroom Connections- $31,000