HMM Fourth of July Parade

Last chance to sign up for the Herreshoff Marine Museum
Fourth of July parade event. It includes continental breakfast, luncheon
on the green, a beautiful view of the harbor, reserved seating,
museum access, on-site parking and a fabulous view of the parade!
Call 401 253 5000 to reserve or go to: events@herreshoff.org

NY passes RI for highest cigarette tax

New York’s total cigarette tax of $4.35 per pack has bumped Rhode Island’s $3.46-a-pack levy to second-highest in the nation. Gov. Donald L. Carcieri and lawmakers raised the Ocean State’s tax by $1 last year, the fifth increase in the last decade.

Connecticut ranks third-highest at $3 a pack, having also raised its cigarette tax by $1 last year. Massachusetts’ is seventh-highest at $2.51.
From Providence Business News

This dog is ready to go!

This dog is ready to go and comes from a highly reputable breeder and Long Haired
Whippet expert. Click on poster once to enlarge.

HMM August Regatta

Save the Dates: August 27 - 29, 2010
Click on image once to enlarge.

New Dog Store on Metacom next to Rite Aid

Actually this store is not NEW. It opened in October 2009.
It's new to me! Theplace carries really good Grade 5
(the highest quality) dog food - the best you can get and
the stuff that Petco rarely sells. Very knowledgable help
and reasonable prices. Give them a try!
They even carry "Taste of the Wild - Pacific Salmon" kibble.
(This is what RITA loves. Excellent for dogs with sensitive tummies.)

Pet Lovers Pet Supply, 576 Metacom
Between Rite Aid and China Moon in the Bell Tower Plaza

Telephone: 401 253 1200
Open on Sundays too

Berretto's gas station closing for good.

This is huge news and a great loss to Bristol. Apparently Joe Jr. does not want to continue in the gas station business and does not want to lease the business to another gas station either. Above is a photo of the ad they ran in the Phoenix this week. As opposed to BP, they were extremely responsible in keeping tight tanks from spilling into the harbor during high tides and floods. They will be sorely missed.
Please click on images once to enlarge.

Boat Accident in Bristol Harbor

I was lucky enough to be sailing last night and was told of a terrible boating accident that toke place in Bristol Harbor (east of Hog Island) on Wednesday evening (June 23) around dusk just as the Bristol Yacht Club sailing races were ending.

A 22' Boston Whaler with a married couple on board collided with a 31' sail boat with three people on board. Apparently, at the time of the crash there was no one steering the Whaler. Witnesses said they heard loud voices arguing coming from the Whaler just before the crash.
Amazingly no one was killed. Both people on the Whaler were taken to RI Hospital. No one was injured on the sailboat.

It seems this kind of thing is happening with more frequency both on land and on sea.
I find just driving takes super vigilance to avoid people who are simply not paying attention.
Photo above shows the impact of the Whaler.
See article attached in Pro Jo in last Thurs or Fridays paper. Click on it once to enlarge.

Senator Reed helps local merchants

June 25, 2010
401-453-5690

This information just in from Alayne White who met recently with Senator Jack Reed to discuss
credit card swipe fees.

THE CREDIT CARD SWIPE FEE BILL PASSED!

Local Business Leaders Thank Senator Reed for Supporting Commonsense Swipe Fee Reform
After meeting with Senator Reed’s staff in Washington, D.C. to urge support, Senator Reed votes to support small businesses and consumers

WASHINGTON—With swipe fee reform poised to pass Congress, small business owners in Rhode Island thank Senator Reed for supporting commonsense reform in conference committee. The bipartisan measure sponsored by Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL) is now included in the final version of financial reform legislation, which could be signed into law by President Obama as early as next week. Local small business owners, including Alayne White of Alayne White Spa, Julie Zito of the Pastry Gourmet, Paul Mancieri of Leo’s Restaurant, and Jessica Grantiero of the Savory Grape met with Senator Reed’s staff last week in Washington, D.C., to discuss the firsthand effects of excessive swipe fees and urge support.

“Swipe fee reform is approaching the finish line – thanks to the support of Senator Reed," said Alayne White, owner of Alayne White’s Spa in Bristol and Providence. “Small businesses have been devastated by rising swipe fees for years, and the relief provided by the swipe fee amendment would go a long way in helping us. There are many things I could do if I wasn’t paying outrageous swipe fees to Visa, MasterCard and the big banks - for example, expand my business, hire new employees or offer more competitive prices to my customers. I was grateful for the opportunity to meet with Senator Reed’s staff and am pleased he heard us out and has sided with Rhode Island small businesses and consumers. Congress now has an historic opportunity to pass swipe fee reform as early as next week, and I hope they will do just that. Everyone wins here.”

The U.S. currently pays higher swipe fees than any other industrialized nation – with rates that have tripled in less than a decade. Rates are set by credit card companies and can be increased at any time. Most recently, Visa increased rates by 30% in April. Swipe fees associated with debit card transactions can be as much as 43 times higher than those associated with paper check transactions – despite the fact that a debit card is essentially just an electronic check. Senator Durbin’s amendment addresses this discrepancy and would ensure these fees are “reasonable and proportional” to the cost of processing the transaction. At the same time, the Durbin amendment protects more than 99 percent of credit unions and small banks across the country. A bipartisan majority in the Senate passed an amendment last month, the House-Senate conference committee supported it, and now the measure needs final Congressional approval.

Good LNG News!

This email just in from Susan Maloney about the Gablinski LNG bridge height bill. It passed!

Dear friends, neighbors, and anti LNG supporters,

THIS IS REALLY GREAT NEWS!!!! Tonight, Friday, at midnight, State Representative Doug Gablinski's bill that recently passed both RI Senate and House will automatically be signed into law without Governor Carcieri's signature. This means that NO SHIPS CAN PASS UNDER RHODE ISLAND BRIDGES UNLESS THERE IS A THIRTY FOOT CLEARANCE!!! LNG tankers would presently clear the Mount Hope Bridge by a mere five feet., so now THEY WOULD VIOLATE RHODE ISLAND LAW!

There will be a news conference to announce this ....MONDAY MORNING (June 28, 2010) AT 11 O'CLOCK AT THE END OF FERRY ROAD, BY ROGER WILLIAMS, UNDER THE BRIDGE. Save the Bay, Save Bristol Harbor, state politicians, etc. will be there. Please come and join in this momentous moment!

Raise a glass at midnight tonight! This might be the final nail in the LNG coffin!!! Pray!

Celebrate!
Susan (Maloney)

Shakespeare on the Lawn at Linden Place

The Bristol Theatre Company Presents "Shakespeare on the Lawn at Linden Place" featuring a Contemporary Version of Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing

William Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing is a fun, frothy romp though the travails of high school, complete with note-passing, hearsay, mistaken identity, and the big dance where everything changes. For three consecutive Sundays in July, the Bristol Theatre Company will present this classic tale in a new way that is entertaining for the entire family. The performance will take place in the historic Linden Place gardens at 500 Hope Street on July 11, July 18 and July 25 at 4 P.M.

Messina High School is overrun with rumors. Star athlete Benedick is convinced he can't tolerate classmate Beatrice, but rumors of Beatrice's love for him convince him otherwise. Beatrice is convinced she can't tolerate Benedick, but rumors of his love for her convince her otherwise. Benedick's friend Claudio thinks that Pedro is in love with Hero and that Hero is in love with Borachio, but in fact Hero is in love with Claudio. It's all Vice Principal Dogberry can do to keep everything straight. Will the whole student body collapse under the weight of it all, or is it Much Ado About Nothing?

Admission is $12 and tickets may be purchased at the door. In the event of rain, the performance will take place in the Linden Place ballroom. Bring your own chair, blanket and picnic! For more information, call the Linden Place office at 401-253-0390.

Friends of Linden Place is a non-profit organization responsible for the restoration and preservation of the historic house museum at 500 Hope Street in Bristol, Rhode Island, and for the promotion of cultural, artistic, and educational programs in the community. The mansion and grounds are open to the public from May to October, during the holiday season, and also by appointment.

Rolling Stone McChrystal article

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/17390/119236?RS_show_page=0

Bristol Harbor Update from Barbara Healy

June 21, 2010 from Barbara Healy
Many thanks Barbara for this update on Harbor issues in Bristol.

First, thanks to Lindsay's blog, I learned that the Planning Board is holding a Public Informational Meeting tomorrow night, June 22, at 7 PM, at Town Hall regarding the Robin Rug building. Please go to the Town website to review the agenda. The purpose is to review the master plan which is available at Town Hall and can be viewed by appointment. This was a major issue of discussion when we were holding regular meetings as a Task Force. It faded away for a while but now seems to be on the table again, perhaps as a result of the slowly improving economy. I do have some concerns, particularly regarding the handling of wastewater from this site and plan to be at this meeting.

Second, the Charter Review Commission, of which I was a member, has completed its task of review and has now forwarded its recommendations to Town Council. The Council has the final word on what reaches the ballot and will hold a public hearing later in the summer. Please note the the Council has scheduled a special meeting for Thursday, June 24, as a working session to iron out among the members what will be presented to citizens for the public hearing. Regarding waterfront issues, we have recommended that the Harbor Department be under the charter aegis, which it currently is not, in the section dealing with public safety along with Police and Fire departments. This was well received at a recent workshop. We also recommended that the harbormaster report to the administrator rather than Town Council. This seems to be a more contentious issue and bears watching as it really is the crux of the whole harbor department organization. Regarding the issue of job descriptions, the charter commission had several discussions. Finally, we recommended that job description for department heads be compiled by the town administrator (or mayor, if title changed) and Personnel Board and be placed on file in the administrator's office. We also recommended an organization chart of Town government be placed on file. I also plan to be in attendance at this meeting.

Third, the water sampling project for Bristol Harbor is in full swing for its second season. Keith Maloney is one of the coordinators of this effort by Save Bristol Harbor to gather data in support of a Predictive Habitat Model for the harbor. This is an ongoing project which will take several years to gather data. URI is a partner in this experiment. It is efforts like this, by interested and committed volunteers that make this town so special. Contact Keith if you have the time or inclination to help out.

Fourth, one of the long term issues that really concerns me, and is a component of many of the development projects is the effect on water quality in the harbor and beyond down into Narragansett Bay. I attend just about every Harbor Commission meeting. These meetings are also regularly attended by shell fishermen, and they are expressing increasing concern over closing of the shellfish beds due to pollution. There was a massive outpouring of sewage during the recent torrential rains in March. This was understandable because of the huge volume which had to be handled, but the regular, run-of- the- mill closings seem to be increasing and the fishermen are concerned. It is their livelihood. They are worried that the aging sewer system is being overwhelmed and we should be, too. I see no long-term planning in the works about this issue. Perhaps there is, but I haven't noticed.

And of course, the LNG threat is always with us. Susan Maloney has been great in sending along information. I am more hopeful that this horrible proposition on the part of Hess will die due to lack of need. It's always about money. Keep informed and join any grass-root efforts that you can to fight this plan that some are trying to force on us.

See you around,
Barbara Healy, Charter Review Commission member and Voices for Bristol Waterfront Task Force Chair.

Reminder Robin Rug Meeting Tuesday night

The Planning Board will hold a Public Informational Meeting on
Tuesday June 22, 2010 at 7 pm at Town Hall to review the
Master Plan for the Major Land Development for the Robin Rug
Complex as a mixed use building with approximately 24,670 SF of
commercial space and 98 residential units.

Plans and supporting materials are available for review at the
Office of Community Development at 253 7000 x 147 by appointment.

Save the Bay Bristol LNG Match

Don't forget about this important Town of Bristol - Save the Bay Match! Click on image once to enlarge image.

Bristol Videos on Boston TV

Below are links to four 3 minute videos from WCVB TV Boston ABC News - all on identifying the 'Mystery' town of Bristol to Boston viewers.
They were filmed in what appears to be April and May 2010. They DO make the place seem awfully inviting. (Almost too much so!)

The first one interviews Judy Squires and focuses on the Fourth of July and the '225' fly over photo taken on May 1 at Independence Park.

The second one focuses on museums and parks and features Mount Hope Farm, Coggeshall, Linden Place, Blithewold and Colt Park (Walter Burke).
This segment also has a short interview with Virginia Yanyar at her beach house.

The third one focuses on boat building: The Herreshoff Marine Musem (Larry Fisher interview), Kestrel, Eric Goetz and Rob Browne (seen sailing).

The fourth one interviews Jennifer Cavallaro from the Bee HIve Cafe, Mike Byrnes of The China Trader, and Ray Gallison re LNG. Please post your comments!

1. http://www.thebostonchannel.com/video/23665183/index.html

2. http://www.thebostonchannel.com/video/23665190/index.html

3. p://www.thebostonchannel.com/video/23665188/index.html

4. http://www.thebostonchannel.com/video/23665186/index.html

Coggeshall Farm new website

Coggeshall Farm has a new website: Click once to enlarge image above.

JUNE, 2010

Welcome to Coggeshall Farm Museum's new web site! Knowing that so many people access our museum through the internet, we've redesigned our web presence to be user friendly and to hopefully capture a little of the museum's flavor. We hope that you find the new site easy to navigate and enjoy. Please visit our Calendar page for an updated schedule of special events and workshops, and check back as we expand and update our web exclusive features. We hope to see you at the museum soon,

Justin L. Squizzero, Director of Historic Interpretation

Old returning friends

I know Bristol's FOURTH is fast approaching but for now let's welcome back the delicious smells of flowering privet and honeysuckle mixed with the windy haze of afternoon Bristol breezes...nothing beats it!

Warren has new Farmer's Market

Commissioner Gist to speak in Newport

Deborah Gist, RI Commissioner of Elementary & Secondary Education to speak at
ALN (Alliance for a Livable Newport) Public Forum, Thursday July 22, 2010 in Newport. Place to be confirmed.

Ms. Deborah A. Gist will provide an overview of the significant progress her Department’s made since she began her tenure as the Rhode Island Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education just a year ago.
Earlier this month, the Commissioner submitted Rhode Island's Phase Two Race to the Top application for $75 million in additional school funding. Later this summer, we will learn how our application fared.

Rhode Island’s Phase One Race to the Top application came in 8th out of the 41 states that applied. The “Great Teachers and Leaders” section of our application received the 2nd highest points in the country. Additionally, RI received almost perfect scores for our state standards, our assessment system, our interventions in the lowest-achieving schools, and our new educator evaluation standards that are based on evidence of student growth.

As Commissioner Gist states, “Rhode Island has made progress in improving its education system, yet we all can agree that we must do much more to improve performance for all of our students. In particular, we must address our achievement gaps. If we want great schools across Rhode Island — the best in the world — then we are responsible for creating that greatness – all of us. I am ready to link arms with educators, leaders, and residents throughout the state to bring a true education renaissance to Rhode Island.”

Won’t you join us for what promises to be an enlightening evening?

BEE HIVE CAFE is HOPPING

This just in from Jennifer Cavallaro - Bee Hive Baker and Cafe Owner.
Remember they are now open for dinner from Thursday - Saturday. Dinner menu above.
Click once to enlarge.

Hi every one,

As some of you already know, we are doing dinner and serving wine and beer three nights a week at The Beehive. (THURS-SAT). It is going really well. Our aim is to provide top-notch food at affordable prices and judging by reaction so far we are achieving that goal. The Beehive has a unique, intimate atmosphere which lends itself to a casual dinner experience. After much thought we have decided to go to table service after 5pm (though the counter will remain open for coffee, pastries and to-go orders) Due to the small size of the cafe we cannot take reservations unless you have a large party of 6 or more.

I have to be honest and say that I am really proud of how much we are managing to achieve from our tiny kitchen. We continue to make everything from scratch, though we are increasingly having to bake at night because the kitchen is so busy during the day. If you do not see me around much it is because I am toiling away in the evening hours, Sunday thru Wednesday, in order to let Eli have full run of the kitchen during the day.

A chef from a very well known area restaurant was at The Beehive the other day and expressed astonishment that we could juggle all the components of a cafe-bakery-restaurant from our tiny kitchen. I was proud of my staff but also realized that "ignorance is bliss" - because I am essentially an amateur I am not bound by preconceptions of what can or cannot be done from a given space!

The Bristol 4th of July concert series is coming up. We will be OPEN FOR DINNER EVERY NIGHT. See you there.

All the best,

Jen Cavallaro

Father's Day

Happy Father's Day to all the Dad's out there - especially to all
the hard working Dad volunteers who helped build the Colt Andrews
new playground that was assembled last weekend (both Saturday
and Sunday). What a successful community effort!
Wonderful to see the results of almost 2.5 years of work to get this
project completed and paid for. The kids are ecstatic! Please leave a
comment and ID the Dad's above in the photo as well as offer details
on how this wonderful project came to be!
Thank you Amy and Ian, Cara Cromwell, Nina Murphy, Rick Chace,
Bart Ferris, Fred Orwiler, Charlie Garcia and many many others.
Photo above: Ian and Amy Parker's girls add water to the cement mix to
make a slurry for the foundation holes.

Nacho Mama's is Open for Business

The sign says DRY CLEANERS plain as day but beneath the sign is a new food place called
Nacho Mama's that makes yummy Mexican style burritos and tacos. They just opened and are located
at 76 State Street where the Pizza place used to be next to Citizens Bank on the corner of Hope and State!
Give them a try. I did by accident when looking for a pizza slice! Michael Siino, proprietor.

PBN Blithewold extensive article

A lengthy and informative article on Blithewold in this weeks (June 21-27, 2010) Providence Business News. http://www.pbn.com/detail/50674.html

RWU to begin advanced degrees in Historic Preservation

Did you know that RWU will be offering two advanced degrees in Historic Preservation starting in the fall?
A Master of Science in Historic Preservation: A two year 52 credit program for students holding a BA in any field.
And a one year 32 credit program for students holding a BA in Historic Preservation.

RISD Graduation Dance

We are so fortunate to have RISD in our back yard. Here is a short video of the dance on RISD graduation day Saturday June 5, 2010.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rW7_AO37u_g

Town Council Meeting agenda

Town Council Meeting agenda for this Wednesday June 16, 2010http://sos.ri.gov/documents/publicinfo/omdocs/notices/4494/2010/92132.pdf

Mount Hope Farm: PUBLIC WELCOME!

Many of us are aware that significant change is afoot at Mount Hope Farm. The new management has brought a new energy and a welcoming attitude to the Farm. Some changes will take time to implement but the Farm needs to rebuild its revenue base NOW - both the B & B (the Governor Bradford House Country Inn) and events utilization of the The Barn and the Cove Cabin.

Those of us who are actively involved wish you to seriously consider Mount Hope Farm for out of town guests lodging or as a location for your next event. You can obtain specifics on both aspects of the Farm by visiting their (soon to be updated) website www.mounthopefarm.com or by calling 401.254.1745 ext 103.

The Farm is looking for lots of help: Specifically part time secretarial work, gardeners, website help and light handyman work. If you or anyone you know is interested, please let Michael Gerhardt know.

If you’d like to discuss other ways of getting involved with the Farm either email me (lindsaygreen@cox.net) or contact Mike Gerhardt, Interim Executive Director, at 254.1745 ext. 101.

Thank you.

Mount Hope Farm needs your HELP

Many of you might have been reading in the Phoenix newspaper
about various changes going on at Mount Hope Farm. The farm
is undergoing a current transition with a new and capable interim
director, Michael Gerhardt. Jim Farley, past President, has officially
resigned.

Tonight the Town Council (at Town Hall at 7 pm) will decide if the
Town of Bristol will give Mount Hope Farm a bridge loan to help
them through a current difficult financial period.

Personally, I have been fortunate to be part of a small citizens group
formed in March called Citizen's for Mount Hope Farm (CMHF)
co-chaired by Mike Byrnes and Bonnie Warren. Some of us had the
opportunity to meet once with Michael Gerhardt. He has agreed to be
our guest speaker tomorrow night (June 10) at out regular CMHF
meeting at 6:30pm at the Bristol Library in the Herreshoff Meeting
Room on the Lower Level. You are cordially invited to attend this meeting
and to bring others who you think might be interested. Please RSVP
so I can be sure to provide you with a chair!

We have been working with Michael Gerhardt in organizing committees
to help the farm get back on track and to positively get the place moving
forward. Seven Committees are in the process of being formed. They are:

Governance (By Laws and nominating)
Finance/Audit
Development (Fundraising)
Long Term Planning
Buildings and Grounds
Marketing and Publicity
Programs

If you would like to volunteer on a committee, receive minutes of
past meetings or to be contacted with information of our next meeting
please let me know.

I regret I am sending this with such short notice. I'll be providing more
news of the farm as events occur and work progresses.
I hope you will think about joining this vital and important cause.
Best,
Lindsay Green for CMHF
lindsaygreen@cox.net

PS Below is an open letter to the Town Council dated May 3, 2010
written by members of the CMHF By Laws committee.

From: CITIZENS FOR MOUNT HOPE FARM
To: The Honorable Bristol Town Council

May 3, 2010

Bristol Town Council
Town Hall, 10 Court Street
Bristol, RI 0809

Dear Town Council:

The Citizens for Mount Hope Farm (CMHF) is a “Citizens group to promote good governance and economic viability at Mount Hope Farm.” Members include concerned neighbors, volunteers, business owners, educators, environmentalists, farmers, historians, and planners.

As a first step, we met with Ken Marshall, President of the Bristol Town Council, on April 4, 2010. Ken was asked if THE MOUNT HOPE TRUST IN BRISTOL BY-LAWS, amended in 1999 and now under review, were subject to public comment. This letter is in response to Marshall’s request that we submit our observations and suggestions.

It is our conclusion that governance of the Mount Hope Trust (the Trust) has not served the Trust’s Mission well. The management structure is overly complicated and the current management lacks transparency and does not allow for public involvement in governance of the Trust.

Therefore, we respectfully offer the following Recommendations:

1) The public would be better served if governance is re-organized as a traditional membership corporation. In such a traditional corporation, each person who is a member has one (1) vote at an annual general membership meeting where the election of Trustees and Officers for the ensuing year takes place. “Article IV BOARD OF TRUSTEES” needs to be re-written to involve citizens of the Town of Bristol and the surrounding region. We would be happy to supply model language on Meetings, Quorums, Voting and Dues, if needed.

2) The governance structure should be rationalized by doing away with the Board
of Governors and reconstituting the Board of Trustees which should have the
duty and power to direct the activities and affairs of the corporation. The Trustees should delegate authority to committees, officers, employees, agents or representatives to carry out the Mission of the Corporation/Trust. At a minimum, the Trustees should designate the following Committees: Buildings and Grounds; Finance/Audit; Finance/Investments; Development/ Programs and Nominating. To support this structure, the number of “At Large Trustees” should be from eleven (11) to fifteen (15) members.

3) Town representation on the Board of Trustees should be reduced from three (3) members to one (1) member. This would preferably be a Bristol resident appointed by the Town Council to serve for a three (3) year term, subject to a one term extension by majority vote of the Town Council.

4) A critical issue to improve governance is the need to establish Term limits for the “At Large Trustees.” Board members should serve a three (3) year term and be eligible for a second, consecutive term, if nominated and elected. After a second term, a Board member shall not be eligible for re-election for an interval of at least one year.

5) To reinforce the Mission of the Trust, the Trust should develop Conservation
Easements and Historical Preservation Easements “in perpetuity,” that will be recorded in the Land Evidence Records of the Town of Bristol. This could be accomplished by adding a new Section 10 to Article III, “MANAGEMENT AND RESTRICTIONS FOR MOUNT HOPE FARM.”

The CMHF recognizes that we are a citizens advisory group and that the authority to make amendments and create new By-Laws for the Mount Hope Trust is the responsibility of the present Board of Trustees. We also recognize that the Town Council has the power to approve amendments of Article III and Article IV by a majority vote. We hope that the contents of this letter will provide constructive recommendations for use by decision makers. Our purpose, as stated, is to promote good governance and economic viability at Mount Hope Farm. We appreciate the opportunity to provide input and look forward to your response.

Respectfully submitted,
CITIZENS FOR MOUNT HOPE FARM (CMHF)

Michael T. Byrnes Elizabeth S. Warren
Co-Chair, CMHF Co-Chair, CMHF

cc. Town Council
Town Administrator
Town Clerk
Town Solicitor
Board of Trustees Mount Hope Farm

Loughlin Fund Raiser to be in Bristol

Click once on images above to enlarge.
John J. Loughlin II, of Tiverton, Rhode Island, is a three term State Representative and House Minority Whip representing District 71 in the Rhode Island General Assembly. When no one else was willing to take on Patrick Kennedy, Loughlin took on the challenge and in April of 2008 announced his intention to run for Congress in Rhode Island’s first congressional district. Continue reading at link below...
www.johnloughlin.org

Hazard Mitigation Public Comments

This just in from Diane Williamson, Chair of the Department
of Community Development, on the need and opportunity for
public comment on the draft Hazard Mitigation Plan. The Plan
is available on the Town of Bristol website at www.bristolri.us
Click once on box of type above for details.

Town of Bristol to match donations to Stop Hess LNG

The Bristol Town Council voted in May to match, dollar-for-dollar, up to $15,000 in Stop Hess LNG donations made to Save the Bay. To qualify, you must be a Bristol resident, a former resident, a Bristol business owner or have some other connection to the town. Save Bristol Harbor has made a hefty donation of $1000. Any amount will be matched!
Click on image once to enlarge. To make a donation go to: (This link was broken in an earlier blog entry.)
http://www.savebay.org/Page.aspx?pid=1203

The East Bay Habitat for Humanity (EBHFH) is having
a party on June 25 and you are invited!
EBHFH is building it's third house and
is hoping to build the fourth in Bristol. The group is
in need of volunteers not only to help build,
but to solicit food donations (coffee, donuts
and lunch = pizza and sandwiches) for the
worksite and to drive those donations to the
site on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The
house is being built on McAllistar Street in
Newport off of Thames Street.
For more info please go to:
www.habitateastbayri.org or contact
Susan Donovan at sdonovan@fctvplus.net
Click on image once to enlarge.

Town Council Mount Hope Farm Meeting

There is a special Town Council meeting scheduled
for Wednesday June 2 at 7pm at Town Hall concerning
a loan from the Town of Bristol to Mount Hope Farm.

It is my understanding that Michael Gerhardt,
Interim Executive Director of Mount Hope Farm,
has requested a secure loan in the area of $350K
from the Town of Bristol to help with the immediate
need for financial support and cash flow at the farm.

This bridge loan will be discussed at the meeting
with public comment allowed. A clear and forceful
message in support of this action is needed.

It is my understanding that the loan will be secured
by a 2 acre lot/house owned by Mount Hope Farm
off DeWolfe Ave to be used as collateral. This is not
part of the nine acre/buffer open space parcel.
The loan is to be paid back in installments with $100K
being the first installment - the rest in 2 or 3
installments to be paid on a performance basis.

Please make an effort to attend this meeting
(tomorrow night) in support of Mount Hope Farm.

Charter Review Workshop June 9

The Charter Review Committee has had 14 meetings over the past year or so and has put together a
draft amended copy of the 36 page Bristol Charter.
There will be a Town Council Workshop on the Charter on Wednesday, June 9 at Town Hall at 7 pm.
All matters relative to the charter will be open for discussion at this meeting and members of the
Charter Committee will attend to explain their input.
An electronic PDF copy of this draft document can be obtained from the Town Clerk's office.
NOTE: This meeting will be starting at 8pm - not 7pm as noted above.