Don Milbrand: Town of Bristol doing everything possible to keep us safe

To The Daily Sun,

With the daily changes being made to our lives regarding the Covid-19 situation, I would like to provide some information to help keep the residents of Bristol better informed. Right from the start of the state and federal actions in late March, the town administrator and department heads have been acting on the orders and mandates set forth by our governor and president. They also have been thinking ahead and being proactive on circumstances that may arise. Their work has helped the Selectboard to put in place the many necessary temporary policies to protect the town’s residents and employees.

We all have worked to ensure safety while continuing town functions and services. All town departments and operations are continuing. Many precautions are in place to protect from the spread of the virus so that it will not severely disable any department. For most of the departments, you will not see much change other than the general precautions that have been implemented. The biggest change you will see is the virtual town office where business is now being done by electronic means and over the phone.

The best source of the latest information is the town webpage. Resources there fall into several categories: resources for individuals, resources for businesses, health information, local closures, remote services and public service announcements. There are also informational videos. The information is updated frequently so check back often.

Also, there are four banners posted around town to help inform people with limited or no electronic access. Check for these at: the town office, Millstream Park, transfer station and TTCC. Info is posted on windows and cork boards at those locations. Lastly, people can always call the town office number. It will be forwarded to the employees working from home or leave a message and someone will return your call.

In looking ahead, the departments are being cautious of the impacts to the economy and its effects to town revenues. They are closely following their budgets and waiting on projects and expenses that can be done later in the year. Direct expenses from the crisis are also being tracked to submit for state and federal aid that may become available. Finally, the town’s unreserved fund is in good shape and available to the Selectboard to help mitigate lost revenues when setting the tax rate later this year.

I encourage everyone to please have patience and understanding during this time. Many of the orders being issued are done quickly and there are many details that need to be clarified afterward. Towns must sometimes act to the letter of the order while they are trying to get guidance from the state for your specific situation. It’s very frustrating for everyone.

Finally, I ask everyone to follow the guidelines that are being set. The better they are followed, the quicker we can get past this without more intrusions. By working together, we can get back to normal as quickly as we can.

Don Milbrand, Selectman

Bristol