‘Satisfying’ political career coming to end

Posted 5/26/16

After having served Bristol in elected office for 34 years, I have decided not to stand for re-election to the Bristol Town Council in November.

This has been a difficult decision in that I …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Register to post events


If you'd like to post an event to our calendar, you can create a free account by clicking here.

Note that free accounts do not have access to our subscriber-only content.

Day pass subscribers

Are you a day pass subscriber who needs to log in? Click here to continue.


‘Satisfying’ political career coming to end

Posted

After having served Bristol in elected office for 34 years, I have decided not to stand for re-election to the Bristol Town Council in November.

This has been a difficult decision in that I greatly enjoy the challenges and results of council decisions in which I have long had a role. There is a particular satisfaction when things go right, citizens are benefitted, and occasionally some express appreciation. There never is a good time to leave, as challenges are always before the council. However, this term on the council has been fine, and my colleagues will do well with or without me.

In particular, just now, there are important matters to be addressed. The most trying of these is to settle the new initiative of Warren to reorganize the Bristol-Warren regional school district to make Bristol residents pay much more per student than the Warren share per-student. The matter is in the courts, to be finally settled in the fall. However, we have had to raise taxes in case it is ultimately necessary to expend an additional amount exceeding $2 million.

In the event this piracy is not vetoed by the high court, it is my view that in that case, the joint school community should be dissolved so that Bristol can then just run its own schools for reasonable per-student costs to provide continuation of the present fine school situation of education and culture; Warren can just go off on its own and sink or swim, according to its council actions.

I emphasize this matter as an illustration of the importance of your council servants in control of Bristol government for you very loyal citizens of this best town in Rhode Island.

Of course, as of this announcement, I become a “lame duck.” But given my record and outstanding cooperative situation on the council, I do not plan at all to be a lame “lame suck” during the next six months. And after that, I will keep involved to serve Bristol, its government, its great volunteer organizations, and the continuation of “Clean Bristol” to even sweep streets on occasion, as done this last spring.

You of Bristol have bestowed upon me a great honor to elect me to serve eight years as your town administrator, enabling signal improvements for Bristol, and also for a total of 26 years on the Town Council.

Except for the late town clerk, John Church, probably no other elected official has been granted so much time in office. Much of it has been both fun and satisfying. I shall miss the action. But it seems a right time to move onto a different schedule of activity. Many thanks to you all!

Halsey C. Herreshoff

Bristol Town Council

2024 by East Bay Media Group

Barrington · Bristol · East Providence · Little Compton · Portsmouth · Tiverton · Warren · Westport
Meet our staff
Jim McGaw

A lifelong Portsmouth resident, Jim graduated from Portsmouth High School in 1982 and earned a journalism degree from the University of Rhode Island in 1986. He's worked two different stints at East Bay Newspapers, for a total of 18 years with the company so far. When not running all over town bringing you the news from Portsmouth, Jim listens to lots and lots and lots of music, watches obscure silent films from the '20s and usually has three books going at once. He also loves to cook crazy New Orleans dishes for his wife of 25 years, Michelle, and their two sons, Jake and Max.