$200K Bush Statue Gift To Be Considered By Greenwich RTM

GREENWICH, CT — The Greenwich Representative Town Meeting is scheduled to consider accepting a $200,000 private gift to fund the design, construction and installation of a statue honoring former President George H.W. Bush during its April 20 meeting.

The proposed statue would be installed outside the Havemeyer Building at 290 Greenwich Ave., in the existing circle along the front walkway, according to plans previously approved by the Greenwich Planning & Zoning Commission.

The funding would come from private donors, including former state Sen. L. Scott Frantz (R-26), and would cover the full cost of the project. The Board of Selectmen voted two in favor with one abstention on Dec. 23, 2025, to approve the statue plans.

Explanatory comments associated with the RTM call note the sculptor is "several months away from being able to produce a mock-up of the statue," but Camillo has provided photo to reflect the statue's design.

Bush spent his formative years in Greenwich when his father, Prescott Bush, was a U.S. Senator from Connecticut.

He attended Greenwich Country Day School, and also met his wife of 73 years, the late Barbara Bush, at a dance in town.

When Bush turned 18, he enlisted in the Navy and eventually flew 58 combat missions during World War II, his official White House biography says.

During one mission over the Pacific Ocean, Bush was shot down by Japanese anti-aircraft fire and he was rescued from the water by a U.S. submarine, according to his bio. Bush was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for bravery in action.

Bush served as the CIA director, ambassador to the United Nations and vice president before he was elected as the 41st president of the United States in 1988. He lost a re-election bid in 1992 to Bill Clinton.

Bush died on Nov. 30, 2018, at the age of 94.

The item is listed for possible action.

In addition to the Bush statue proposal, the RTM is scheduled to consider several financial and municipal items.

Among them is a $1,325,000 appropriation request for the Department of Public Works to cover costs associated with snow and ice removal during the 2025–26 winter season. The request includes funding for overtime, materials, equipment rental and other operational expenses.

The RTM is also expected to consider a $142,700 appropriation of grant funds for the Registrars of Voters, to support election-related expenses.

Several call items involve appointments to town boards and commissions, including the Flood & Erosion Control Board, Harbor Management Commission and Board of Ethics.

The meeting is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. from Central Middle School and via Zoom.

More info on the April 20 meeting can be found here.

Note: A previous version of this article said the Board of Selectmen voted to approve the statue gift on Nov. 14, 2024. The Board of Selectmen approved the statue plans 2-0-1 on Dec. 23, 2025.