Bristol to age gracefully

Robert Casar, a Republican activist in town, offered this:

I hope that 25 years from now Bristol is the hub of activity for central Connecticut.

After a restructuring of city schools I see a series of CT state championships won by athletic teams from Bristol High School, which emerged as a powerhouse in the state since Eastern and Central merged into 1 school for grades 10-12. Other changes include 1 school for all city-wide kindergarteners, and traditional neighborhood grade schools for grades 1-5, and jr. high schools for grades 6-9.

I see a restructuring of city government to be leaner and more efficient. Most functions will be managed regionally, particularly offices dealing with land-use, planning and economic development. The town clerk's office will be almost entirely automated, and based on advances in computer security, all functions will be able to be completed via the Internet. Payroll functions and the role of the corporation counsel will be outsourced. In spite of this, city council (and thus, the board of finance) will be expanded, to include 3 members elected at-large.

After enacting an income tax of 1% on all wages earned in the city, Bristol will have bailed itself out of the debt created during the early 2000's. They will keep the tax, however, and use it responsibly to construct a completely new civic center facility housing government offices, courts, and public safety headquarters, as well as athletic facilities (indoor pool and ice rink.) Thanks to new synthetic eco-friendly materials, roads will be impeccably maintained and parks and athletic fields will always be green. Our police officers and fire/rescue workers (the FD will provide ambulance/paramedic service) will be among the best trained and equipped in the state.

Sadly, some of the churches in town will likely be closed due to dwindling attendance, and other institutions may go the way of the dinosaurs as well. It's hard to imagine that all of our veterans from WWII and Korea, and almost all from the VietNam era will no longer be swapping stories around town and that families will be bringing their grandchildren to show them Great-great grandpa's name on Memorial Boulevard.

Overall, with the right vision and the right people in the right places, I believe that Bristol will age gracefully over the next 25 years.