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To the Bristol Town Board:
We are writing on behalf of the Bristol Lions Club, with concerns we have over donations made to the town. First, I would like to say that the Lions Club is a non-profit organization that has worked on several projects to beautify the community. We have contacted the town on several occasions inquiring about things the town may need. We have also done things that the town has not asked for. Having said that, I would like to address some concerns with donations that the Lions Club has made to the town.

The first concern is the park benches, which we have donated to the town and maintained over the years. Two of those benches have not been installed. They were donated to the town over two years ago, to be placed at Congdon Park next to the children’s playground.

Second, the Lions Club had noticed that the town did not have welcome signs as you entered town. We volunteered to spearhead that project, design, and build new “Welcome to Bristol” signs. We spent a considerable amount of time and effort on designing a sign that the Lions and the Bristol Community could be proud of. Since the original installation of these signs, we have taken it upon ourselves to maintain the signs, repairing them as needed. When the sign on S.R.15 South was hit and destroyed, the Lions Club took it upon themselves to make a new sign and donate it to the town: two years later it is still not installed. We have noticed that the “Welcome to Bristol” sign on S.R.120 by Rabers Golf Course, meant to invite people to Bristol, has been spoiled by bolting town ordinance signs to the backside. We called the town manager and expressed our displeasure. In response, the town bolted new ordinance signs to the North Division Street “Welcome to Bristol” sign. The Lions Club feels that in doing so, it takes away the intent of the signs and lowers the standards at which the Lions Club and the community strive to achieve for the town of Bristol.

We have inquired with the town manager as to what has happened to the sign and the park benches. His response was he would check into it, and get back with us. It has been over a month and we have yet to hear anything back. We understand that the signs and benches were donated to the town, and that the Lions Club doesn’t have much say on what the town does with them. However, we do feel that the town has not acted in good faith, since the benches were donated for a specific use. This leaves us in an awkward position, and will make us rethink any future donations. Also, from this point forward, we will no longer maintain the town signs, since it is perceived that the town doesn’t care about their appearance.

Sincerely,
Board of Directors, The Bristol Lions Club