Bristol Town Office Plan to Reopen to the Public

For More information Contact:

Town of Bristol                                
Office of the Select Board – Town Administrator Nicholas J. Coates (Nik)           
5 School Street                                 
Bristol, NH 03222                            
(603) 744-3354
[email protected]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 19, 2020

Bristol Town Office Plan to Reopen to the Public

The Bristol Select Board continues to actively monitor the COVID-19 situation in Bristol, Grafton County, and the State. In consultation with our Emergency Management Director and Health Officer, we have decided that effective Monday, July 6, 2020, the Town Office at 5 School Street will be reopened to the public for appointments.

The following outlines the “re-opening plan” which will be in effect July 6 to August 3. At its August 3 meeting, the Select Board will determine whether to further reopen the Town Office. We appreciate your patience in this ever-changing environment.

Online and Other Business Options:

We continue to encourage customers to conduct business whenever possible through the green drop box at the front of the Town Office, online through the Town’s website at www.townofbristolnh.org, over the phone, by mail, or email. When those options are not available, appointments must be made with various departments.

At the bottom of this release is the contact information for staff contacts to make appointments. You may contact these departments now during normal business hours to begin setting up your appointments. Normal business hours for the Town Office are Monday through Friday 8:00am-4:00pm, and until 7:00pm on Wednesdays for the Town Clerk/Tax Collector.

To accommodate re-opening the building, we have developed the following processes which will be in effect until further notice. These practices are based upon public health guidelines and are designed to keep both our employees and the public safe.

Please note that certain departments may need to adapt procedures specific to their area of the building and services. We will learn, adjust and adapt as we move forward, and ask for your help and patience during this time.

Conducting Business in Person:

• All appointments with staff will be during normal business hours
  • Town Clerk/Tax Collector staff will allow two appointments at a time in their lobby, which will be separated by a screen.
  • Land Use and Town Administrator/Finance staff will allow one appointment at a time in their lobbies.
  • The Welfare Officer will be by appointment only by telephone or in-person at the Land Use window.
• Customers must contact staff in advance to set up appointments. Staff will inform the customer at that time of the protocols in place.
  • Knock on the door or call office number to announce arrival.
  • Wait in your car until someone comes out to meet you.
  • All transactions shall be conducted by Town employees located behind the glass windows of the Town Clerk/Tax Collector, Land Use and Town Administrator/Finance.
• Customers wishing to purchase an annual or visitor Town Beach pass can purchase them in person 8:00am-Noon Monday through Friday now through July 2. Customers can go to the right-side entrance of the Town Office and meet an employee who will be stationed outside (or inside the door if raining). No passes will be sold at the beaches and no day passes will be sold at all. Customers can also purchase them from the Town Clerk/Tax Collector by appointment or the mail. After July 2, Beach passes may only be purchased at the Town Clerk/Tax Collector’s office by appointment or by mail.
• Customers wishing to purchase a Transfer Station sticker can purchase them in person 8:00am-Noon Monday through Friday now through July 2. Customers can go to the right-side entrance of the Town Office and meet an employee who will be stationed outside (or inside the door if raining. Customers can also purchase them from the Town Clerk/Tax Collector by appointment or the mail. After July 2, Transfer Station passes may only be purchased at the Town Clerk/Tax Collector’s office by appointment or by mail.

Meetings:

• The main meeting room will be the only meeting room available for committee meetings. Furniture will be arranged according to CDC, NH Department of Health and Human Services, and Emergency Order guidelines.
• The Select Board and other committees will hold in-person meetings at the Town Office. To ensure continued compliance with CDC and DHHS guidelines, the meetings will only be attended in person by Select Board members and staff who are requested to attend. The public will continue to have the ability participate through electronic means as outlined in meeting agendas.

Building Processes and Adaptations:

• The Town Office has been sanitized and will continue to be thoroughly cleaned every day.
• Hand sanitizer stations have been established throughout the building, and members of the public are asked to use such hand sanitizer prior to entering any department.
• Glass transaction windows are at all customer service counters.
• Whenever possible, we ask customers stand 6 feet back from the customer service counter.
• Upon entry, customers will be encouraged to wear a mask to promote the safety of our employees. If customers don't have one, they will be offered one upon entry into the building. Employees have also been encouraged to wear masks during transactions to promote the safety of our customers.
• Employees will be vigilant in monitoring their health, and those who are sick or not feeling well will stay home.
• Unless it is necessary for face-to-face contact when responding to an inquiry from the public, employees will respond via telephone or email.
• If an in-person conversation occurs, everyone is asked to maintain a 6 foot distance whenever possible, and if not possible, we encourage everyone to wear a mask or meet outside.

Be Prepared and Be Flexible:

Department Heads have been instructed to plan for potential COVID cases in the event we experience higher than usual absenteeism. This may include rotating groups of employees to work from home/work on-site, so we ask for your continued understanding and flexibility regarding our ability to serve you.

These protocols will be in place until further notice. At its August 3 meeting, the Select Board will determine whether to further reopen the Town Office to the public. We thank you in advance for your cooperation – working together, we hope to have a safe and healthy re-opening our community. Again, please note that departments may need to adapt procedures specific to their areas of the building and services. Do not hesitate to contact us if you have any suggestions as to how we may help to keep our employees and residents safe and well.

Finally, we will continue to monitor all local developments related to COVID-19. We continue to be committed to timely and ongoing communication about any and all changes to our operating status as well as any recommendations to the public from public health and other government officials. Updated information can be found on the front page in the news section of the Town website at www.townofbristolnh.org, Town’s Facebook page (“Town of Bristol”), and public access television channel.

“How To” Complete Transactions:

Website: The Town website address is www.townofbristolnh.org, and we encourage you to visit the website frequently for new information and updates.

Town Office Mailing Address: Should you need mail anything to the Town Office, the address is as follows:

(Specify which Department, if possible)
Bristol Town Office
5 School Street
Bristol, NH 03222

Drop Box: In front of the Town Clerk/Meeting Room entrance to Town Office, there is a secure, green drop box where you may drop off checks (NO CASH) or other paperwork. Should your paperwork not fit, please refer to the list of contacts below to make alternative arrangements.

Town Office General Telephone Number: 744-3354 (See contacts below for specific extensions).

Transactions: The following is a list of the transactions most often performed for our residents in the Town Office, and directions as to how each may be accomplished.

Town Clerk/Tax Collector’s Office: Use the following options listed below OR call 744-3354 then choose option 2 to ask a question or set up an appointment.

• Beach Passes: Can be purchased at the Town Office at the far right of the building in person Monday through Friday, 8:00am-Noon, until July 2. After that, by appointment only. Beach passes are limited to Bristol residents and taxpayers and visitors of residents and taxpayers.
• Transfer Station Passes: Can be purchased at the Town Office at the far right of the building in person Monday through Friday, 8:00am-Noon, until July 2. After that, by appointment only.
• Renewal of a car registration: Can be done online via our website portal: https://www.townofbristolnh.org/home/pages/online-payments.
• Registration and title transfers of a newly purchased vehicle: By appointment only. No one will be penalized for late transactions while through this process.
• Copies of vital records (birth or death certificates): Can be requested online via our website portal at https://www.townofbristolnh.org/town-clerk-tax-collector/pages/vital-statistics.
• Tax, Water and Sewer payments: Can be made in one of three ways: (1) online via our website portal (https://www.townofbristolnh.org/home/pages/online-payments); (2) via mail (checks ONLY and post dates will be honored as the date of payment); or (3) via dropping your check in the drop box (again, no cash).
• Dog licensing: Renewals can be done online (https://www.townofbristolnh.org/home/pages/online-payments); registration of new dogs by appointment only.
• Boat registration: By appointment only.
• Voter Registration: By appointment only.
• General tax or records questions: Call or email Town Clerk/Tax Collector Raymah Simpson ([email protected]). 

Assessing Office: Use the following options listed below OR call 744-3354 then choose option 4 to ask a question or set up an appointment.

• Property Record Cards: Can be accessed on the Assessing page of the website at https://www.townofbristolnh.org/assessing-department
• Filing for Exemptions and Credits: Information for verification or renewal can be sent by mail or dropped off in the drop box.
• Intents to Cut and Intents to Excavate: Can be mailed or scanned/sent to Land Use/Assessing Manager Christina Goodwin ([email protected]).
• Verification of Owners on Abutters List: Already created abutters lists can be emailed for ownership verification to Land Use/Assessing Manager Christina Goodwin ([email protected]).
• General Assessing questions, call or email Christina Goodwin ([email protected]).

Land Use/Permitting/Health Office: Use the following options listed below OR call 744-3354 then choose option 5 to ask a question or set up an appointment.

• Land Use permits: Permit applications are available on the Town website at https://www.townofbristolnh.org/permitting-and-enforcement and will be accepted via email, mail or drop box outside the Town Office. Payments are to be made by check only. Should you need to drop off plans or applications which will not fit in the drop box, please call.
• Building plan reviews: Will be accepted via email, mail or drop box outside the Town Office.
• To file land use board submissions (including Planning Board, Zoning Board, Conservation Commission), or to review property files, site plans, subdivision plans, etc., call or by appointment.
• GIS/Maps: Visit https://www.townofbristolnh.org/assessing-department or call.

Human Services: Call 744-2522. Messages are checked daily and responded to as soon as possible.

• Applications for assistance can be accessed at https://www.townofbristolnh.org/human-services-department and emailed directly to [email protected].

Finance/Human Resources: Use the following options listed below OR call 744-3354 then choose option 6 to ask a question.

• Finance information can be accessed at https://www.townofbristolnh.org/finance-office
• Job and board opportunities can be accessed at https://www.townofbristolnh.org/employee-human-resources

Other Non-Town Office Departments:

• Fire Department: Dial 911 for emergencies; for non-emergencies call 744-2632.
• Police Department: Dial 911 for emergencies; for non-emergencies call 744-2632 during business hours or 24 Hour Dispatch at 744-2212.
• Minot-Sleeper Library: Call 744-3352.
• Driveway Permits, road-related issues, snow plowing and roadway drainage: Contact Highway Department Superintendent Mark Bucklin at [email protected] or (603) 744-2441.
• Trash and Recycling general questions: Contact Highway Department Superintendent Mark Bucklin at [email protected] or (603) 744-2441.
• Water/Sewer related questions: Contact Water/Sewer Office Manager Audrey Landry at [email protected] or (603) 744-8411.

Parks, Trails & Playgrounds:

The Town works closely with the Tapply-Thompson Community Center to provide recreation opportunities in the community. We have evaluated the Universal Guidelines from DHHS and determined that the Kelley Park playground equipment will available for use again starting June 25. Kelley Park, Eagle Scout Park, Millstream Park, the bike path, and Pemi Trail/Bristol Falls Park is already open to the public.

Events and Fireworks:

The Fireworks Committee is currently planning a fireworks show on July 4 on the lake. The show will be just fireworks, no vendors, no entertainment. Another announcement on the Town website and Facebook will be made as soon as more details are worked out.

The Community Events Committee is also planning concerts for the summer. The first concert is scheduled for July 2 at Kelley Park. Future announcements on the Town website and Facebook will be made as more details are worked out for the concerts and other events.

Of course, should you have a general question and you are not sure who to call, please contact Town Administrator Nik Coates: [email protected] or (603) 744-3354 then option 3.