Letter to the Editor

Water Authority Charts New Course

Letter to the Editor: New members of the Bristol County Water Authority board are bringing new blood and new ideas to the table to the benefit of all ratepayers.

Six months time, some new blood, and an infusion of new ideas appear to be helping the Bristol County Water Authority get their ship back on course. Barrington Director Robert Allio pointed out at the last meeting that their pension fund management company, which has been at the helm for at least 20 years, has underperformed for the last five years. It was decided to send out an RFP for a new Fund Management firm.  Director Allio has also started having regular Strategic Planning meeting where they address issues that have been dormant for quite some time, or absent . One of the items on the agenda is to prepare operations manuals, which they have not had in the past. Director Allio had also suggested at a prior meeting that the website …

•  65 Comments
• Photos (1)

Manifold Witness

8:44 pm on Thursday, August 30, 2012

Ring, ring. Insignificant Public: “Hello”. Low-Hanging-Political-Fruit Big-Boy: “Hi Insignificant. A question…” IP: “What do you want to know now?” LHPF BB: “Kenny wants to know what the little people think about his campaign.” IP (winces): “Campaign promises aren’t exactly a campaign.” LHPF BB: “What do you know about Kenny’s campaign promises?” IP: “We can read. BristolRI02809 is telling it all…   more ›

A Day at the Beach is a Slice of Heaven

Follow writer Linda Andrade Rodrigues' blog Sea, Sky and Spirit at her website.

POLL: Should Superintendent Negotiate Teachers' Contract?

Barrington Superintendent of Schools Michael Messore is married to a teacher at the high school and would be involved in negotiating a new contract that would have an impact on her compensation.

The superintendent and finance director of the Barrington schools historically have negotiated teacher contracts. That could create a bit of a quandary this year. Michael Messore, Barrington’s new superintendent, is married to the head of the foreign language department at the high school. So, Messore would be directly involved in negotiating a new contract with the teachers’ union that would have an impact on his wife’s compensation. The School Board will approve whatever contract is negotiated, of course, not Messore. The board has the final say. But Messore would play a major role in setting compensation for all teachers. School Committee Chairman Patrick Guida is well aware of the possibility that this situation could create a bit of a…

•  2 Comments
• Photos (2)

POLL: Do Teens Need OK to Tan?

A new law requires parental or medical permission for every other tanning visit by people under 18 years old — what do you think?

Starting Jan. 1, anyone younger than 18 will need a parent's written permission to use indoor tanning booths after a new law went into effect this week. Legislators had originally considered an all-out ban on indoor tanning by teens, but approved a compromise in the waning days of the 2011-12 session. The compromise requires a medical prescription, or a parent's note and signature every second time a teen uses an indoor tanning bed. Supporters argued that the restrictions would prevent exposure to UV radiation, which is classified as a Class 1 carcinogen by the World Health Organization. In an article recently published on the Providence Journal website, one salon owner said the new law will be difficult to enforce, since some tanning …

•  3 Comments
• Photos (1)

Howard Johnson

10:36 pm on Thursday, August 9, 2012

Thankfully, ( thanks to Romneycare inspired PPACA upheld by the SC) these idiots' parents can keep them on the family insurance plan until they are 26 and the bill for their chemo won't be a burden on the rest of us if they get an early diagnosis! If they decide later in life to spend money at the tanning salon instead of buying health insurance, then at least they'll pay a token penalty for that…   more ›

Letter to the Editor

Raise Voices for Senior Housing

Senior housing advocate Barbara Donovan pushes for development where affordable housing is now planned in Barrington.

Let’s talk some more about our Town. Last week’s issue of the Barrington Times detailed for us what is currently being proposed for land development. I read with interest the plans for the projects at George St. and Sowams Rd. George St.    – 1 and 2 bedroom cottage style units – sounds perfect for seniors !! However, the location would not be suitable for seniors as it is much too remote.  And, I don’t really think that seniors want, or should have to, worry about septic systems, well  water (including drinking), and water storage tanks in case of fire.  Really sounds more like boy and girl scout camping units. However, Sowams Road is of GREAT interest.  Now, if we could move those cottage style units to Sowams Road, we would have hit the…

•  8 Comments
• Photos (1)

Gary Morse

5:26 am on Friday, June 29, 2012

Barbara, Your proposal needs more financial analysis to establish how a win win can be achieved. I have done that analysis having been on the Barrington for Equitable Taxes (BET) Steering Committee for two years. The impact to those remaining in their homes is a complex problem. If you want to discuss, I can easily be reached. Sincerely Gary Morse   more ›

Over 55 Here, No Place to Live

More than 25 percent of Barrington residents are 55 or older; do we want to be known as 'formerly of Barrington' after we scale down?

Let’s talk about our Town.  This place is unique because of factors such as population, size/density, ethnic background, ratio of males to females, and average age. Hmm – Some facts:  According to the 2009 census, we are 16,455 strong !!  4,411 of us are over 55!  Amazing – just think, one quarter of the population in 2009 was over 55. One quarter of our population is over 55 and yet we have no place for them to live together as they continue their journey into retirement.  Little by little, one or two at a time will be forced to leave this lovely, unique seaside town in order to scale their living quarters down. Just as young people have common likes, desires and activities – so do the “more mature” of us.  As we age, we often face …

•  12 Comments
• Photos (2)

Gary Morse

9:22 am on Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Shades, Getting off the subject slightly, there is a "pension plan" notorious angle to this, as was observed in the West Warwick Police and Fire pension plan scandal several years ago. REIT's in a pension plan's trust fund holding's are classified under "alternative investments". As such, they can be "marked" up in value on some contrived future calculations. REIT's often serve this secondary …   more ›

2012 Barrington Election Guide

Here's a quick look at the Barrington candidates and races that will generate the most interest this summer and fall.

As we look ahead to the November elections, Barrington Patch is devoted to bringing you the information you need about every significant race in town. Here's our start on the candidates who have announced and the issues we'll be covering as November draws near. Bookmark this page for updates. Barrington Town Council will have three seats to be contested: Vice President Jeff Brenner, Councilor Kate Weymouth, and President June Speakman, who may be reconsidering her decision to give up her seat. Only one Republican challenger has emerged so far: Donald Nessing, who who has not formally announced but has indicated he will be running for a seat he also ran for two years ago. All of the legislative incumbents are running for re-election. Two of…

•  3 Comments
• Photos (1)

Gary Morse

10:43 am on Friday, July 13, 2012

I hope people stay focused on the issues. We have before us the legacy of our current town council that has to be examined. Consider: 1) Why is affordable housing receiving property tax breaks paid for by town residents, when many of the same town residents of lesser means have to pay the full weight of their own property taxes? 2) Why for over two decades did BCWA provide water from a polluted …   more ›

Letter to the Editor

Let's Enjoy Beach at Same Price

New user fee is too much for Barrington Beach.

This is my response to a letter you received a couple of weeks ago. Yes, I agree it is healthy to ride your bike, but not to the beach. How can you carry your beach bag, umbrella and cooler? The only way it would work out is if you live a block or two away from the beach. I strongly disagree with the beach pass increase. Having the senior citizens paying $10 (for the first time ever) is not right. They need to save their money for more important things. Increasing the pass to $30 is not right either. The Town Council should have had a meeting about this before they increased it. I go to the beach quite often but $30 is too much to charge for a small beach whose water is not that clean all the time and the sand is quite rocky. Let’s enjoy …

•  3 Comments
• Photos (1)

Atria Adds Memory Care Apartments

Atria Bay Spring Village in West Barrington expands with the addition of 25 memory care apartments.

Atria Senior Living has opened a new Life Guidance® memory care neighborhood at Atria Bay Spring Village, an assisted living community in West Barrington. Local leaders joined Atria Bay Spring Village residents, families and employees at a grand opening event last Thursday, May 17. David Troxel, an Alzheimer’s expert and author of five Alzheimer’s education books, including A Dignified Life and The Best Friends Approach to Alzheimer’s Care, A Guide for Family Caregivers, spoke, signed books and mingled with families. “Atria Life Guidance communities are secure neighborhoods designed specifically for residents living with Alzheimer’s disease or other memory impairments,” said Amira Rubin, a public relations officer with Atria. “Atria’s …

• Photos (3)

Letter to the Editor

BCWA Rules: 'Lost' and Found

A lot of water has flown under the bridge since water authority audit demanded reform to its enabling legislation and by-laws; they've been found after being 'lost'.

It's been more than two years since the BCWA controversy began when a scathing audit demanded much-needed reform, and we are still waiting.  Tony Teixiera and his team met at least six months ago and compiled a thorough and complete list of changes to the enabling legislation and by-laws that needed to be implemented at the BCWA.  This list of changes was vetted by all three towns individually, and then finalized at a March 29 Tri-town meeting held in Barrington.  The agreed-upon changes were then given to the solicitors who were to take care of finalizing the paperwork and forward it to the legislators and to the BCWA.  It apears that this information got "lost" on someone's desk and was never completed. At the Bristol Town council …

•  1 Comment
• Photos (1)

Gary Morse

3:50 pm on Monday, May 21, 2012

Thank you Director Palmieri! Sitting through a meeting of any type until late in the evening is by any standard, cruel and unusual punishment. You do it because you take the position of BCWA trustee seriously. Thank you, and also Bristol Councilor Teixiera, for getting rate payer interests back on track.   more ›