Council accepts two police retirements and approves condemnation of vacant parcel

The Bristol Borough Council voted July 6 to accept retirement letters from two longtime police sergeants and approved a condemnation resolution for a vacant parcel the borough described as 0.748 acres (32,581.65 square feet).

A council member moved to accept Sergeant Peter Fates’ June 15, 2026, letter confirming retirement effective at the close of business July 1, 2026; the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote with no recorded opposition. Minutes later, a separate motion to accept Sergeant Carlos Rivera’s June 23, 2026, retirement letter, also effective July 1, was moved and approved by voice vote.

Police leadership told council both officers served nearly 30 years. The police chief said he sent letters recommending elevating two full‑time officers to acting sergeant pending a civil‑service process and asked the borough to initiate testing for the sergeant position, with a goal of completing the process by Dec. 1.

Council also approved a resolution to condemn a portion of tax parcel 04‑024‑036, described in the motion as 0.748 acres (32,581.65 square feet), owned by Wilson Acquisition LLC, for municipal purposes. The motion was seconded and approved by voice vote; no council member recorded opposition on the floor.

All three items were moved and carried by voice vote during the meeting. The police‑personnel motions were procedural acceptances of retirement letters; the chief’s request to start civil‑service testing establishes the next formal step for filling the sergeant positions. The condemnation resolution authorizes the borough to proceed with a municipal acquisition process; council did not detail subsequent administrative steps during the meeting.