If you live in Bristol, you know how special our town is. Our waterfront, parks, open spaces and connection to Narragansett Bay are important parts of what makes Bristol a great place to live. Maintaining our infrastructure, preserving open space and improving recreational opportunities are important responsibilities for our community.
Question 5, the Green Economy Bond, includes funding for infrastructure, land preservation, public facilities and recreation. These are areas that have a direct impact on Bristol.

As Town Administrator, I have worked with the Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank on projects addressing these needs. At Independence Park, a $461,500 Municipal Resilience Program Action Grant supported a larger $1.6 million project that included stormwater improvements and a new public boat ramp.

Bristol is also moving forward with drainage improvements in the Silver Creek Watershed through a $2 million low-cost loan from the Infrastructure Bank’s Resilient Rhody Infrastructure Fund. The project will improve drainage and help protect homes, roads and public infrastructure.

Question 5 includes $25 million for the Resilient Rhody Infrastructure Fund, along with funding for state parks and facilities, farmland preservation, open-space protection, local recreation, marine infrastructure, watershed restoration and brownfield remediation.
The Infrastructure Bank’s revolving loan structure provides municipalities with access to low-cost financing for needed projects, while repayments can be used to finance additional projects in communities across Rhode Island.

Strong infrastructure, preserved open space and quality parks and recreational facilities are long-term community assets. Investing in these areas is an important part of responsible stewardship and maintaining Bristol’s quality of life.

For these reasons, I support Question 5, the Green Economy Bond.

Steven Contente
Town Administrator