Bristol Citizen’s Initiative Likely To Go To The Voters

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Bristol Citizen's Initiative Likely To Go To The Voters

By Kim Fletcher

http://www.mainelincolncountynews.com/index.cfm?ID=16922

Damarsicotta,ME

A voters' petition was submitted to the Town of Bristol at 5 p.m. on

Friday, Feb. 3, with 181 valid registered voter signatures,

according to Bristol Town Administrator e Poland. The

petition to the municipal officers seeks to place an article before

Bristol voters for their consideration at the open town meeting

scheduled for March. The article states: " To see what sum of money,

if any, the Town will vote to raise or appropriate for design and

construction to divert ground water around and away from the Bristol

Consolidated School. " The sum on the article is $125,000.

Bristol Selectmen will take action on Wednesday evening (Feb. 8) in

regards to the warrant article.

A small citizens' group put the petition forward, due to frustration

with Union 74 and the Bristol School Committee and its inability to

get support from the community to fix the Bristol Consolidated

School. Two years ago the school committee asked for $950,000 to fix

the school, and then again in December of 2005, the committee asked

for $2.6 million but both measures were defeated.

The citizen's group, spearheaded by Dick Chutter, also includes

Crider, Phil Congdon and Jeff Eilenberg. According to Chutter,

the group feels that the most pressing issue at the school is fixing

the water problem.

Congdon was asked about the group and was asked about the water

issue as a priority. " There are some people who have an interest in

getting things done, and I think as I have stated before in open

meetings, if we can't resolve the water problem which contributes to

the air quality, we may have to consider building a new school.

If we can't get it dried out, or I should say unless and until it is

dried out, which I think can be done, I think we need to be willing

to consider building another school. "

Congdon was told of a statement made by Bristol School Committee

Chairman Jack Fitzpatrick, that the water occurred during the

wettest month and on the wettest days in October.

" He claims it was an isolated incident, but I saw those rooms on

prior days and there was mold growing up on the side of the wall;

black mold probably 18 inches to 2 feet up the side of the wall.

And, that doesn't happen overnight. I think that refutes the

statement just on the surface, and if you go there, you'll find that

those two rooms aren't used because of the problem. "

Congdon related hearing of water problems dating back 40 years, when

skids were placed on the floor so that walking above the water was

possible in the rooms in question.

" I think when we get through with this, " said Congdon, " everyone

will be surprised how much difference this will make. I think this

is a start with trying to get things repaired, and this brings

things back around when the voters are given an option on a line

item. That's what they've been asking for for years. "