Don't miss reporter Jackie Majerus' story about Mayor Art Ward's decision to cancel the fireworks planned for the city's 225th anniversary celebration.After the police chief said he couldn't get enough officers to cover the event, Ward decided to KO the show that city councilors recently approved and the 225th Anniversary Committee had arranged.
One of the committee members, Tom Dickau, quit in disgust. He said the fireworks were the linchpin of the entire weekend (June 11th to the 13th).
A car show, a soap box derby race and more remains of the weekend plans, but there won't be any rockets roaring up from the former mall site -- unless residents create some fireworks of their own.
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Copyright 2010. All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
25 comments:
Union town, Union police, Union everywhere you turn, Union, Union, Union, this is what you get and this is what you deserve.
Greece, Spain, Portugal, Italy, France, Britain, here we come.
If the people of Bristol want to watch fireworks, they can come to my house near the Dutton Heights housing project, they do fireworks every night from now until August. You might as well come over and watch, since taxpayers are subsidizing their rent already to help pay for the fireworks.
So is the Police Department trying to make a stance? I say we still have the firework display and just block off the streets, and on with the show.
How absurd is this. First the management made the decision to cancel not the Union. Secondly, are we to believe that no event of this type can happen since we can't schedule overtime more than 5 days before an event. I do not know their contract but lots of other contracts give the employer power to hire other security if no one takes the overtime. We keep blaming the unions for the failures of the (mis)management. Something else is driving this foolishness.
First of all, about 10 days ago while supporting one of the local downtown business, we were informed by the owner that the fireworks were cancelled by City Hall. They could not give a solid answer as to why it was cancelled.
Second: Why would you even consider planning an event on the same weekend as the St. Anthony Festival which is the same weekend every year. If they wanted to incorporate a lot of activities to celebrate the 225 yrs, then they should have done more reviews as to police requirements. Do you really need 10 officers at the car show, which historically has had only minor problems? Couldn't you have overlapping coverage because it is a relatively small area?
The mayors office needs to communicate with the community as to what it wants and what it is willing to pay for. Many of us tax payers would like a fireworks display for this grand celebration.
What a shame..this will be remebered
the mayor has the ability to authorize overtime and he chose to not do it. Simple as that, but since he has historically never taken responsibility for anything, esp. something that could be unpopular, I am sure he is happy for the police to take a hit on this.
Greece, Spain, Portugal, Italy, France, Britain, here we come.
May 25, 2010 11:50 PM
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Truth Hurts
Bristol is a LOST CAUSE so lets celebrate this in 225 stupid ways BOYCOTT all these boring events and especially the "official" idiots that plan these disasters. Stay home and waste your time without spending any money OR if you are activity motivated - go out and trash Rockwell Park for the umpteenth time or better yet, Run Away / MOVE Away as fast as you can from this town !!
The Hartford Advocate I heard is working on a big Bristol piece for its 225th... What would the Advocate have to say about Bristol?
Boycott,
Please listen to your own advice and boycott all of these "boring events," so the rest of us can be sure to enjoy them without being subjected to your whining and negativity. Thank you!
May 25th 2010 here was where the police were at:
1 on rte.69 just past Central with an electric truck doing something to a pole.
1 further down on rte. 69 near the corner of Union st. I am guessing something to do with the corner they are rebuilding.
2 on the bottom of Union St. and South St. with Verizon/ClP trucks
1 at the intersection of South and Main, guys with a vacuum tube down a manhole
1 at the Downtown cafe again couple guys inside a manhole
2 at the library on Main directing traffic while CLP messed with the lines
2 on Farmington Ave. near the car wash with road construction.
Last but not least, 2 Bike cops at the corner or Jacob and Rockwell Park pulling people over for seat belt violations at the stop sign.
10 cops and it is 3.2 miles to breakfast. That doesn't include the 72 project or other various random spots Bristol just decides to tear up the road for no reason. Does it seem to anyone else that this consructtion is taking a hell of a long time? When the heck are they even going to finish Rte.6?
4:05 - by the time that you wrote that blog, you could have called city hall and gotten the answer - you work like the same people whom you are describing - you must be a supervisor.
Something doesn't add up here: Divenere says that he doesn't have enough cops to work but Ward blames it on cost. Which is it? Those two should get their stories straight. Sounds like Ward just doesn't want to spend the $$$.
4:05 PM: You should seriously consider getting a life of your own.
Bristol needs a Mayor!!!
6:30 PM
Bristol is fine, but your village called...they miss you!
All you people do is complain whenever the city spends a small amount of money for things that are needed but when it comes to fireworks, it's a different story. All of a sudden there is no budget crisis and we should spend the money on such a frivolous thing. Some of the people in this city have their priorities really mixed up.
Secondly, St. Anthony's function is a PRIVATE function that has nothing to do with the anniversary celebration so they pay for their own police so those police cannot also cover city events.
Thirdly, I suppose none of you brilliant people realize that fireworks are considered explosives which means you need to have more police because the area on which they have to cover is much larger due to the hazardous nature of explosives. You say "Oh we don't need ten police officers for the car show." Well, they're not just covering the car show. They're covering much, much more. Everything regarding police coverage is law driven. We MUST follow the law.
Lastly, every city the size of Bristol is a union city. That's the way it is, like it or not. Do not blame the officers who chose to become officers to protect and serve just because they are union. Again, they have no choice and I frankly am tired of hearing about union this and union that. If you don't like it, get a union job. These people did not decide to put themselves in harm's way because it was a union. They are police officers first and foremost. Try living in a country where the police are mostly corrupt and useless. You don't have to go very far to find that. It's called Mexico!
I was very disappointed to see the "Our View" opinion in the press regarding these fireworks. I don't believe the Press should be inciting Bristol's citizens to make a huge stink about this. This is turning into a citizens versus police/city leaders issue and I am sick and tired of seeing the police made to be the scapegoats in this town. If the chief says he can't get the officers needed to cover it, then he can't get them. Let's not start getting angry with the mayor and our city leaders. Make up your mind, Bristolites! One minute you're complaining that the city is spending too much money on unnecessary things, but the next minute you want to spend money on overtime for fireworks. I think we can have a grand celebration without fireworks. Sure, it would be a nice way to end the evening, but I'm not about to lose my head over the fact that it won't happen nor will it lessen the enjoyment of the day. An enormous amount of time and effort has been put in by the vendors and celebration organizers to make this a wonderful celebration regardless. This has nothing to do with the city's pride. We are a proud town, but it becomes very difficult to hold your head up high when the town you live in is constantly being berated and criticized by some of its own citizens and it doesn't help when the paper that was founded here joins in the fray.
Bristol needs a new Chief of Police.
8:21 - Amen
Bristol has a police chief?
8:21
Maybe if the cops in this town stop acting like d-bags towards everyone else we wouldn't be making them out into scapegoats.
Just sayin...
2:10 Again, a statement with no examples of how the police have been "d-bags" to everyone. Also, don't you think it's a little ridiculous to speak for every citizen in this town? You obviously must run into the police all the time. What does that say about you? I think I'll take the word of a police officer before I take yours ... just say'n.
I'm a former Bristol public school teacher and I don't see any scholars or good student from high school becoming cops, but I do see many of the lower ranked students who were trouble makers and bullies that do become Bristol cops. I wouldn't be surprised if they continue behaving just like the did when they were in school, except now they have a badge.
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