If you live in Bristol and go to only one town function this year, make it the hearing about the Bristol Mills Dam in the Bristol Consolidated School gym at 7 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 30.
We have deep reservations about any changes to the dam beyond maintenance and repair, and whatever the fish ladder needs to function as it should.
No change to the dam should prioritize fish passage over the townspeople’s use of the swimming hole for both swimming (duh) and fire protection.
Which of the options from the Bristol Mills Dam Advisory Committee report will best preserve these values and address the issues with the fish ladder?
We don’t know yet, but we plan to attend the meeting to learn more and hear what the committee and all of our neighbors have to say.
Bristol residents owe it to this committee of volunteers to attend the meeting with an open mind and understand the options. Then they owe it to themselves to turn out for town meeting and make the best decision for the town’s future.
So actually, you have to go to at least two meetings. No one said democracy was easy!
