Marketing panel set up for Bristol

The city's temporary marketing committee became a permanent one this week. "We are ready to move into the next phase," Mayor Ken Cockayne said. Replacing the ad hoc panel that led the effort to create the "Bristol - All Heart" campaign will make it possible for the city to ensure that somebody's keeping close tabs on marketing opportunities. Cockayne appointed five men to the committee: former city Councilor David Mills, who led the earlier panel; Howard Schmelder, a longtime Bristol Development Authority commissioner; John Smith, vice chairman of the Board of Finance; Mickey Goldwasser, another veteran BDA commissioner; and Jack Ferraro, who's done lots of volunteer work on the Memorial Boulevard School project and the Mum Festival. All served on the earlier marketing committee. Still, it's curious that a committee established to try to sell the city consists solely of older white men. Trying to sell the city without including women, young people, minorities or others who don't fit the demographics of City Hall's typical profile is at least a questionable move. But not a single city councilor piped up to ask about it. Copyright 2014 All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com