By David Fortier
The Bristol parks system was acknowledged for its second consecutive year among the finalists for top programs in the country, the vote of another cannabis establishment seeking to set down roots here was tabled and the public encouraged to attend meetings on nipper sales funds and alcohol sales at The Rockwell Theater.
In addition, the council also authorized the mayor to open city buildings, such as the public library if the governor were to put into effect an extreme cold weather protocol. In public participation, a resident requested the city expand the Bristol Senior Center after the Board of Education vacated a portion of the building.
“The City of Bristol Parks, Recreation, Youth and Community Services has demonstrated highly effective programs addressing community, health, culture, resource management, conservation and youth services,” said Bill Foelsch, president of the American Academy of Parks and Recreation Administration and director of Parks and Recreation for the Township of Morris, N.J.
“Your agency continues to demonstrate excellence in long range planning and focuses on putting your vision into reality each year,” he said, “and we applaud and congratulate the Bristol Parks Recreation Youth and Community Services staff and all of its volunteers for all of its outstanding accomplishments.”
Foelsch also encouraged the park system to pursue accreditation with the National Council of Park and Recreation Accreditation board. This is the second consecutive year the Bristol Park System has been among the gold medal finalists for the AAPRA.
“Bristol, Conn., truly represents the best of the best,” he said, referring to the just over 300 programs that have earned the gold medal finalist designation award since its inception in 1965.
“Bristol continues to be the very upper echelon of the 8,000 parks and recreation agencies across the country,” he said, and commended the city board and staff for their support as well as citizens for their support.
Bristol Parks, Recreation, Youth and Community Services superintendent Josh Medeiros in thanking Foelsch and the academy, mentioned Bristol’s program has been the first in Connecticut the past 50 years to be acknowledged by the academy, and it has been a finalist the past two years, which is an accomplishment in itself.
“We are incredibly proud of that accomplishment,” Medieros said.
Medieros also thanked his staff, members of the park board, volunteers, mayor and city council for their support.
“We have a tremendous group of passionate individuals that work and volunteer very hard to make Bristol an outstanding place to live work and play and I am incredibly proud to share this recognition with each and every one of you,” he said.
The council voted to allow the mayor to open public buildings, such as the public library, when the governor puts into effect an extreme cold weather protocol.
Council member Sue Tyler said during discussion prior to the vote that 81 homeless people are in Bristol, and even with St. Vincent De Paul opening its cold weather overflow shelter–it has 20 beds–that leaves many homeless exposed to the elements.
A third of these people are 55 or older, Tyler said and explained that the state, and more importantly, Bristol is facing a housing crisis.
“This crisis housing crisis reaches all segments of our society,” Tyler said, “especially hitting our homeless population really hard. This crisis essentially puts people who struggle to find the means and the tools to even be able to secure and retain housing in a fierce competition with a larger group of people who are much better positioned to score the win when it comes to housing.”
She added that an organic action group has formed to address the issue. The group includes the mayor, social services, senior center, police, fire, building, code enforcement, United Way, Main Street Foundation, St. Vincent DePaul, Bristol Burlington Health among others.
Details need to be worked out. There will be costs associated with the decision, said Mayor Jeffrey Caggiano, and discussions are taking place to determine what the costs. might be, as well as next steps.
In other business, Thibeault raised the issue of nipper bottle sales and the new law that returns some of the money to municipalities. Thibeault said that Public Works will be discussing how the money will be used in its next meeting on Dec. 21.
“As we all know it is a fairly new law, I think we are all amazed at how many nippers are purchased in the city,” Thibeault said and encouraged people to zoom into the meeting. She encouraged residents to forward suggestions to her, the mayor or public works director.
The city has received $212,000 from the sales, $50,000 of which has been spent.
Council member Sebastian Panioto reported that alcohol sales are being considered for public events at The Rockwell Theater, and the council approved moving ahead with an ordinance committee public hearing on Jan. 2.
During public participation Carol Jackson asked the council to consider expanding the Bristol Senior Center space by incorporating parts of the building that the Bristol Board of Education recently vacated.
Jackson said the senior center is bustling with activity, cited percentages that show 28 percent of Bristol residents are 55 and older with a third of these registered at the center.
Waiting lists are expanding, she said, and parking is an issue.
Caggiano said that he is in discussions with the board of education and would be meeting next with the superintendent and deputy superintendent.
The approval of Buds Goods, a cannabis establishment, was on the agenda.
“We are in the place we have been before,” said Caggiano about the approval process, “this applicant has all of the requirements that we require with one minor exception–their social equity application has not been approved.”
The council voted to table approval until the next meeting.
In other business, the council approved increases for the Bristol Parks, Recreation, Youth and Community Services seasonal staff to be consider by the Board of Finance at its next meeting. The increases would be instituted in the 2025 budget year.
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