Dear Editor:

This letter is to bring attention to the problem of out-of-town residents requesting moorings in our harbor.  In fact these moorings are a precious town resource. The present town bylaws should be amended to allow only Bristol taxpayers to “own” the mooring locations in our harbor. The current bylaws allow a non-resident to “own” a mooring in our harbor after being skipped over three times to give precedence to Bristol residents, but none can really prove that they have actually been skipped over. Why should non-residents be allowed moorings in Bristol Harbor anyway, even if they have been skipped over 15 times?

All out-of-towners can perhaps be allowed to “rent” a mooring location renewable on an annual basis but never to own a location, as eventually this will deprive new Bristol homeowners from the privilege of having a mooring in our harbor. It is one of the few advantages that we as Bristol residents can truly call our own, and after all, it is our taxes that pay the salaries and the maintenance of the harbor. Let the residents of other states and other towns deal with their own harbor facilities to obtain mooring privileges.

Our new Harbormaster Greg Marsili, should be commended for his actions this year in regard to protecting the allocation of harbor moorings for Bristol residents.

George Burman

66 Highland Road