To the editor:

How sad Town Councilors have no respect for Barrington Veterans. The Barrington United Veterans Council (BUVC) will no longer support or be affiliated with a local town government that disrespects its Veteran Community, by not maintaining the decorum having a politically charged and controversial partisan banners fly over top the memorial, according to a letter to the Counselors signed by 12 members of the Veterans council.

Recently, the counselors claimed in a meeting that Paul Dulchinos was not “available” to coordinate the Veteran’s Parade! The Town Manager claimed that last year it took town employees too much time to coordinate the parade. So now the town is going to pay $5,000 to a “Parade Coordinator”! All because of the wokeness of these elected officials, who rejected requests for compromise: such as erecting a separate flagpole away from the veteran’s memorial or moving the flagpole or the memorial.

The BUVC with Mr. Dulchinos as Commander does way more than just the parade. Here is a list of things those volunteers have done since their inception in 1954!

1. Emplace and maintain all Veterans Monuments and Memorials in Town.

2. Plan, organize and run all Veterans events and ceremonies: Memorial Day, Veterans Day and Victory Day.

3. Organize and run annual flag placements on Veterans graves.

4. Recommend updates to Veteran Property Tax Exemptions.

5. Review Veterans Property Tax Exemption applications and verify eligibility. 

6. Maintain the downtown square Veterans Banner Program.

7.  Provide a single voice for all Veterans Service Organizations in Town and provide counsel and guidance to elected and appointed Town officials concerning all matters effecting the Town's Veterans.

8.  Provide liaison and local point of contact for the State's Office of Veterans Affairs. 

9.  Place wreaths on Veterans Memorials for all seasonal events and Veterans observances.

Although I no longer live in Barrington, I do have family there!

Demand that these controversial and politically charged flags be moved away from the Veterans Memorial.

Kenneth Zanoni

East Providence