Bristol administrative offices to move into new town hall in October

BRISTOL — With roughly 90 percent of the building renovations complete, the town expects to move its administrative offices into the new town hall in mid-October.

Town Administrator Nik Coates said the structural work has come in within budget, although selectmen had to dip into the contingency fund to cover $5,000 in unanticipated costs for a crane to deliver some steel through the roof of the former professional building.

The town also may be utilizing roughly $4,000 for the replacement of six locks with keypads — “unfortunately, something we need to do these days,” Coates said, noting that, during the move, town employees will also take part in active-shooter training.

The town purchased the 5 School St. property at the corner of School and Summer streets that had served as offices for Newfound Family Practice, an affiliate of LRGHealthcare, to allow the municipal offices at 230 Lake St. to move into larger quarters. The current Bristol Municipal Building will be turned over to the police department, which occupies a portion of the facility, to allow that department to expand.

Coates said the town has been able to save money in areas of the renovation project, allowing it to cover some of the unanticipated expenses. The town also received grants for new furniture and energy-efficient lighting. A new heating system also will conserve energy costs, he said.

The town clerk/tax collector, land use/health offices, welfare office, finance/HR office, Bristol Media/TV, and town administrator and executive assistant will be moving into their new quarters on Oct. 16-23, so those offices will be closed during that week.

“People can still send an email or call, but the town cannot guarantee it will return messages until after the reopening,” Coates said in a press release. “If someone needs to pay a bill, get a permit, make an appointment, and so on, they should plan accordingly to take care of that business before or after the move, or access the payment portal of the Town’s website at www.townofbristolnh.org.”

The new administrative offices will open by Oct. 24, with the Town Office phone number remaining the same (603-744-3354). Email addresses for town officials also will remain the same.