By David Fortier
Come Sunday morning, we will all know that Fire Chief Rick Hart has been named the grand marshal of this year’s Mum Festival Parade. This an honor for Hart. Congratulations, Chief. And it’s fun for the rest of us, since it is part of our Bristol legacy–even though the mum fields are no longer spread across Chippens Hill–and something to be proud of as a city.
It’s true, as the French say, the more things change, the more they stay the same–and things regarding the Mum Festival have changed over the years–thank you to the Exchange Club for taking on the parade and the festival–when it comes to appearances. But they have also stayed the same because underlying the changing appearances, there is at the core, at the heart, the same celebration of all things that have made and do make Bristol, Bristol.
Choosing mums, as the center of the celebration, is a reminder that there have been among us people who have achieved certain worthwhile and wonderful accomplishments. So mums is the expression, but underlying this is that generous, imaginative, creative and committed enterprise of the human being, each of us in our own way, overcoming obstacles and reaching for the stars.
What made Bristol the mum capital of the world for a couple of generations, was this activity. Consult AI, and anyone will learn that Bristol’s chrysanthemum nurseries produced over 80,000 mums every year. Yes, right here, in Bristol. So, what does this mean? It all depends on perspective–it might be, what a shame, and what a loss; the other, what’s the next great thing that Bristol will produce.
So, get ready to celebrate this year’s Mum Festival, and the 2024 Mum Parade gran marshal, Chief Hart, who is someone that brings his best to Bristol everyday, both in his role as fire chief but also as a person who represents the best of Bristol.
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And on to this column and what it is it might aim to accomplish. It is a way to remind each of us that there is simmering below the surface, this better version of who we are as a community. And the best way, I can see at the moment, is to address, explicitly, overtly, what I see as our distinguishing characteristic as a city–drum roll–and this is our democratic soul.
Just this little group of us who put out The Bristol Edition (the website of our nonprofit Central Connecticut Online Journalism Project) is an example of this democratic spirit. It might be unimaginable for a few us to take on this task. But then, it is not so different from the spirit of the Barnes family that migrated from New Haven in the late 1800s to start what became, at first, a twice weekly newspaper, and then a six-day a week one.
That operation is nothing like it once was, but the spirit is still here, the driving force between a new type of news media–an online newspaper–with the goal of informing our community, keeping government accountable and raising up our neighbors when they make a contribution. Nonpartisan, steeped in journalistic ethics and very hopeful of gaining the support that might rebuild our connections to one another.
And how does this foster democracy? A stream of curated, pointed, regular news stories that people count on receiving is a start. Next, as we develop our model, there is our connection to our readers, (citizens) who help us determine where their interests are. There’s more. But as with the Mum Festival, at the moment, there are a few people doing the work that in the past was done by many more as part of a community commitment.
When people commit to TBE, then, we will have the revenue to hire Bristol people at living wages with benefits. In addition, we will be able to foster young writers from our schools who are interested in writing and who might use journalism to improve those skills.
And of course, this conversation began as I contemplated a better work life/democratic life balance as part of a process to ensure the future of our American Experiment. Journalists are particularly adept at walking this tightrope, so to speak. Better, yet, they are good models to have among us as our community conversations unfold.
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For listening, try The Prof G Pod with Scott Galloway. This episode is entitled, “No Mercy/ No Malice: Optimism as a Default Setting”. It can be found by clicking here. (The point is to include in the column sources that people might not be familiar with. At the same time, there is nothing stopping a reader from writing a letter to the editor about what they learned and if it is worthwhile.)
From the Atlantic, there is “What the Freshmen Class Needs to Read.” Click here.
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City meetings this week include the following:
On Monday, Aug. 26
- Conservation Commission/Wetlands and Watercourses Agency On-site Inspection, 5:30 p.m., Application 2035, 175 Southdown Dr. (Meeting place) and 6:15 p.m., Application 2034, 260 Perkins St. and Rear Lot (immediately following).
- Planning Commission, cancelled.
On Tuesday, Aug. 27
- Board of Finance, 5:30 p.m., council chambers, city hall. For virtual meeting link, click here.
- Transportation Committee, 6 p.m., Meeting Room 1-3, city hall. For virtual meeting link, click here.
- Diversity Council, 6:30 p.m. No details.
On Wednesday, Aug. 28
- Historic District Commission, Meeting Rom 1-3, city hall. For virtual meeting link, click here.
- Fire Station 3 Building Committee, city hall. No details.
- Fair Rent Commission, 6 p.m., Meeting Rooms, 3-1, 3-2, 3-3.
On Thursday, Aug. 29
- No meeting posted.
On Friday, Aug. 30
- No meeting posted.
TBE will do our best to update meeting times and locations, but it’s a good idea to check the agendas ahead of time for cancellations. Click here for specific meetings and times.
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The new school year is just around the corner. If you know a high school student who would like to get first-hand experience covering sports, send them our way. Contact editor@bristoledition.org.
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Consider becoming a member by signing up for monthly recurring donations of $6, $12, or $24 or making a one-time donation of $60 or even better donating more. It might seem outrageous, but 5,000 members paying $6 a month would allow us to hire editors and reporters who would do a great job covering Bristol.
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Enjoy!
All TBE readers, supporters and donors
The Bristol Edition will be limiting the number of stories non-members and free readers may access each week. This decision is based on our financial projections and, most certainly, to remind people that TBE is serious about providing accurate, timely and thorough reporting for Bristol. To do this we have devised a financial support structure that makes unlimited access extremely affordable, beginning with a $6 monthly donation.
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Note: Donors may have to contact TBE if they find they are being limited, since we will need to set up a membership account for you. Email editor@bristoledition.org for instructions. Sorry for any inconvenience. People with financial difficulties may write editor@bristoledition.org to be considered for free access.