Bristol officials preach teamwork at swearing-in

Steven Contente, Andrew Tyska join re-elected leaders in taking the oath of office Monday

By Patrick Luce
Posted 12/6/16

With repeated messages of teamwork and cooperation, Bristol’s newly elected public officials took the oath of office Monday night during the 23rd inauguration of town leaders.

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Bristol officials preach teamwork at swearing-in

Steven Contente, Andrew Tyska join re-elected leaders in taking the oath of office Monday

Posted

With repeated messages of teamwork and cooperation, Bristol’s newly elected public officials took the oath of office Monday night during the 23rd inauguration of town leaders.

New Town Administrator Steven Contente kicked off the evening’s teamwork theme during his inaugural address after taking the oath of office from RI Supreme Court Chief Justice Paul Suttell in the Colt School Auditorium.

“I’m honored you’ve given me this opportunity. It’s not an honor I will take for granted, nor one I will take alone,” said Mr. Contente, the former deputy police chief who unseated former Administrator Tony Teixeira. “While I was sitting here, I was thinking about one of the things I learned as a cop - stay on your beat, wear your hat and work together. If we all do that, we really can be a great community.”

Mr. Contente harkened back to Bristol’s days as a “manufacturing powerhouse,” a tradition that has been growing again. Town leaders need to protect and expand Bristol’s business base, he said, and take care of the town’s infrastructure, especially the roads, for businesses and residents.

“We need to look at our town’s strengths and make sure our assets don’t become liabilities through neglect,” Mr. Contente said. “We need to keep businesses and Bristol. Let us actively support Bristol’s history, heritage and patriotic character.”

Mr. Contente beat Mr. Teixeira by just 43 votes, among nearly 10,000 cast, in one of the closest elections in recent memory. But it wasn’t the closest in the town’s history, as former Town Councilman Halsey Herreshoff, acting as master of ceremonies Monday, pointed out.

“I only won by 16 votes in my first election, so Steve, I think that makes you about three times better than me,” joked Mr. Herreshoff, who decided not to run for another term after decades in public service.

Perhaps acknowledging the split decision that propelled him into office, Mr. Contente promised to work with and for all Bristol residents.

“I am aware that the support I receive will be balanced by the number of people who will criticize,” he said. “I will be faced with a multitude of challenges. I will listen, analyze, decide and act in the best interests of the people.”

Like Mr. Contente, Town Councilman Andrew Tyska was sworn into public office for the first time Monday night. A naval architect and the owner of Bristol Marine, Mr. Tyska shares a manufacturing and marine background with Mr. Herreshoff, the man he is replacing on the council. Bristol’s waterfront and its business community — particularly its entrepreneurial and manufacturing tradition — must be enhanced and protected, he said, a job he and other town leaders vowed to take on.

“We can support our business community by agreeing that a business’ success is access to the workforce and access to space,” said Mr. Tyska, who said the town must connect its students with local businesses to keep talent in town. “Our waterfront today is vibrant and known all over the world. We must preserve, protect and improve waterfront access. Responsible development while preserving access will be the ship that sails us.”

Mr. Tyska will join re-elected Town Council members Nathan Calouro, Mary Parella, Edward Stuart and Tim Sweeney, all of whom were sworn in by RI Superior Court Judge Walter Stone, and all echoed the teamwork sentiment that was the theme of the night. Mr. Sweeney added perspective he gained during a recent trip to Haiti, where he joined other missionaries in digging a well for a small village in the impoverished country.

“For seven days, I feared drinking the water, eating produce, showering. It really dawned on me how fortunate we are,” said Mr. Sweeney, who related the sad reality of a country in turmoil. “There is poor government, a poor education system. I looked around and it was so easy to see what needs to be done, but I realized this is starting from scratch. Without clean water, you have nothing. When we finished that well, I saw the people so happy to have what we take for granted. If we all can work together to be the best that we can be, then there’s no stopping us.”

Mr. Stuart echoed a similar theme, quoting from perhaps the most famous missionary of all — Mother Theresa, who once said she may not be able to change the world alone, but she can “cast a stone across the waters to make many ripples.” Such selfless giving is an ideal for which town leaders should strive.

“Greatness is based on what you give. That’s why Bristol is so great and will be for years to come,” Mr. Stuart said. “I promise to cast a stone that creates those ripples.”

Another councilman’s ripples are still spreading, even as he heads off into retirement, according to Ms. Parella. Mr. Herreshoff has been a dedicated public servant and made a huge impact on the community, she said, specifically mentioning his dedication to the waterfront and open space. Mr. Herreshoff is credited with spearheading the creation of several parks around Bristol, including Independence Park, Rockwell Park and Walley Park.

“Halsey, I’ll miss you as the other bookend,” Ms. Parella said of her fellow Republican, compared with three — now four — council Democrats. “I look forward to working with the new council. Even greater things are possible if we join our voices and our energy, and work together.”

And that doesn’t just mean working with other elected officials, according to Mr. Calouro, but with town department heads and employees who conduct the bulk of the work on behalf of Bristol residents.

“Teamwork and collaboration are key. The ones who collaborate stay on,” Mr. Calouro said. “What we have here is just unbelievable, and it gets better all the time.”

Town Clerk Lou Cirillo, who was also sworn in for another term Monday, is a prominent part of the town “team,” that he said has a “fervent desire that residents of Bristol will not be disappointed. This is going to be a terrific team that is going to get things done for all our benefit.”

Election 2016, Bristol Town Council, Bristol Town Administrator, Bristol inauguration

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