To the editor:

I am so happy Neile Hartman is running for Barrington Town Council.  

I respect and admire all the work she has done already to help our community. I got to know Neile Hartman four years ago when she helped us reel in our Barrington School Committee from its headlong rush to tear down and consolidate all our elementary schools, and, at enormous proposed costs, build two large centralized buildings.  

While I just complained a lot, Neile got to work. Neile reached out to everyone she could about how important it is to have School Committee members who would engage with their constituents with meaningful community input and keep the costs reasonable. She was indefatigable in her efforts to support great new candidates for the School Committee. It was largely Neile’s efforts and door-to-door conversations that helped us elect a School Committee that listened to us, saved our neighborhood schools, and kept the costs down. 

We are now having the same type of high-handed governing from our current Town Council that we faced and overcame a few years ago from our School Committee. Our Town Council members choose to sit in absolute silence and won’t respond if a Barrington resident asks a question during public comment. Our Town Council, as if by fiat, simply disregarded the results of our Financial Town Referendum and overrode all our voting. 

I complain a lot, but Neile Hartman will engage with community members and get to work. Please consider voting for Neile Hartman and putting her on the Barrington Town Council.

Susie Holloway

Barrington