Letter: Please don’t delay Bristol marina expansion any longer

Posted 1/18/18

This is an open letter to the current members of the Bristol Town Council:

Question : What do 120-plus Bristol residents, their families and friends all have in common?

Answer: They have …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Register to post events


If you'd like to post an event to our calendar, you can create a free account by clicking here.

Note that free accounts do not have access to our subscriber-only content.

Day pass subscribers

Are you a day pass subscriber who needs to log in? Click here to continue.


Letter: Please don’t delay Bristol marina expansion any longer

Posted

This is an open letter to the current members of the Bristol Town Council:

Question: What do 120-plus Bristol residents, their families and friends all have in common?

Answer: They have all been patiently waiting, some since 2010, on the Bristol Harbormaster’s official “Recreational Dock Wait-List” for a dock boat slip, at the Bristol Marina (see: www.onlinemooring.com).

As part of the November, 2016 election, Bristol voters overwhelmingly approved a proposed $17,000,000 voter bond referendum, which included a $2,000,000 Marina Expansion Capital Project. This project has been unanimously supported by the Bristol Harbor Commission, Bristol Harbor Commission Advisory Committee and the Bristol Economic Development Commission (EDC); Explore Bristol, the East Bay Chamber of Commerce and numerous other groups and organizations.

Indeed, given that this capital project is essentially, a low-tech, low-risk project, delaying further is very problematic. This is the only capital project authorized by the voters, in 2016 to still not have started, even though a consultant’s study (Pare), complete with recommendations, has been received, but not made available to the public, as of yet, via a public workshop.

Simply put, “If you Build It, They Will Come,” as made famous in the 1989 Movie, “Field of Dreams,” isn’t really even applicable as “They” are already here. All 120 of us!

This marina expansion capital project was already put on delay, once, during last year’s 5-Year Capital Plan formulation, to this July, 2018 (FY19). As the spokesman for the 120-member wait-listed Bristol residents, and a long-term member of both the EDC and BHC Advisory Committee, I (we) strongly urge you, Chairman Nathan Calouro, and our entire town council to not delay this capital project further, via this year’s 5-Year Capital Plan Update.

Conclusively, money (revenues) to the town will uniquely cover all the debt service on the principal financed. Let’s get it built, now.

Patrick “Pat” M. McCathy

4 Maple Shade Court

2024 by East Bay Media Group

Barrington · Bristol · East Providence · Little Compton · Portsmouth · Tiverton · Warren · Westport
Meet our staff
MIKE REGO

Mike Rego has worked at East Bay Newspapers since 2001, helping the company launch The Westport Shorelines. He soon after became a Sports Editor, spending the next 10-plus years in that role before taking over as editor of The East Providence Post in February of 2012. To contact Mike about The Post or to submit information, suggest story ideas or photo opportunities, etc. in East Providence, email mrego@eastbaymediagroup.com.