In May, the Barrington Town Council voted to make June "Barrington Pride Month."

And this month, the council wanted to share a statement of support at the Pride flag-raising ceremony planned for outside the town hall on June 15. But that effort encountered some resistance during the June 8 council meeting.

Barrington Town Council President Michael Carroll asked his fellow councilors if they were comfortable with the statement he had drafted and planned to share with the organizers of the flag-raising.

Kate Weymouth said she was fine with it, but Jacob Brier said he had a "lack of comfort" with the statement.

Mr. Brier said that while the council passed a resolution making June Pride Month in town, he did not believe it was necessary for the council to be further involved in the initiative unless they were called upon.

Mr. Carroll said he thought it was important for the council to "send a message."

Sara Jordeno, one of the organizers of the event, spoke during the council exchange. The Barrington resident said that when she arrived in town two years ago from New York her family did not feel welcome. But, she said, she met Mr. Brier who has worked hard over the past year to support "rainbow families" in town.

Ms. Jordeno said the flag-raising will be a brief ceremony and organizers would not likely have enough time to share a statement from the council. She said her own speech will run only three minutes.

Ms. Jordeno said event organizers have asked Mr. Brier to speak, serving as a representative of the town council.

Mr. Carroll then made a motion to adopt the statement. Ms. Weymouth seconded the motion, adding that if there's not time to read the statement at the event, that was fine. Council member Joy Hearn voted in support of the statement, but said she was OK with it just being posted to the town's website.

The motion passed 4-0 with one abstention — Mr. Brier said he wished to abstain from voting because he is speaking at the event.

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