Public Access Improvements Coming To Town Hall

Municipal activities are about to get a lot easier to follow for Bristol residents. The town is using a grant from the Rhode Island Foundation to fund the design of a modern audiovisual system in its future town hall meeting space.

“We are grateful for the opportunity to invest in systems that foster an open and transparent government,” said Steven Contente, town administrator.

The project will include assessing the existing audio and visual systems, conducting a walk-through of the new meeting space and obtaining equipment and room recommendations as well as cost estimates.

“Our goal is to bring long-term value to constituents through the reduction of production cost, improved video quality and increased access to information,” Contente explained.

The funding is through the Foundation’s Herman H. Rose Civic, Cultural and MediaAccess Fund.

“By providing the means to support libraries and other civic, cultural and literacy-focused organizations, we can bolster their position as community centers that encourage discussion around important topics,” said philanthropist Herman Rose, who created the fund. Over the years, it has awarded more than $400,000 in grants.

The Rhode Island Foundation is the largest and most comprehensive funder of nonprofit organizations in Rhode Island. Working with generous and visionary donors, the Foundation raised $114 million and awarded $52 million in grants to organizations addressing the state’s most pressing issues and needs of diverse communities in 2018. Through leadership, fundraising and grant-making activities, often in partnership with individuals and organizations, the Foundation is helping Rhode Island reach its true potential. For more information, visit rifoundation.org.