To the editor:

In your article "Councilor shares insight into Memorial Day parade change", the town council president provides an "after the fact" statement that appears to be an attempt to conduct damage control for his council's egregious decision to strip the Barrington United Veterans Council of its 2022 Memorial Day responsibilities.  

While attempting to deflect blame for his actions, Mr. (Michael) Carroll essentially admits that his actions were politically motivated and retribution for the Barrington United Veterans Council's 2-year vocal opposition towards the Town Council's decision to repeatedly fly unauthorized and partisan political banners under the American flag over its Veterans memorials. 

If Mr. Carroll had any reservations of our group's ability to conduct a dignified day of remembrance for our town's war dead, he should have brought up his concerns with our members before last week's Town Council meeting. Now he is displaying a sudden burst of candor eight days after the fact. If anyone in the public has concerns about how the Barrington United Veterans Council conducts its ceremonies, I encourage them to watch them on the Barrington United Veterans Council Page at: https://www.facebook.com/BUVeteransCouncil  

Unfortunately, the Town Council has failed to attend our last two events so perhaps there in lies the confusion.

There you will find recordings of all our live-streamed events conducted over the last two years, including the 2020 Veterans Day event referenced by Mr. Carroll. Just to further clarify, there were no Anti-BLM signs at that event, only two lawn signs placed out at the edge of the road away from the ceremony merely asking individuals to "Respect the Flag" by "Keeping Politics" off of it. 

In addition, I would like to clear up any misconceptions that somehow the Barrington United Veterans refused to perform its chartered duties for last year for Memorial Day 2021. I encourage the public to review the April 5, 2021 Town Council Meeting where I clearly articulate 1 hour and 16 minutes into the recorded event that our council had already begun planning the execution of the Town's Memorial Day activities for 2021 at Victory Gate. Our plans were further accurately reported in an April 12, 2021 Barrington Times article entitled "Barrington Town Council OKs FTM, but shuts down parade". However, for some unknown reason the town manager at the time decided to plan and execute a separate overlapping Memorial Day event at the Town Hall without even informing us of his intentions. So just to clarify, once again it was the Town Council through the Town Manager that chose not to participate with the Barrington United Veterans Council who had already locked in their event with the public through an announcement in the Barrington Times.

The Barrington United Veterans Council would like the citizens of Barrington to know that we remain ready, willing and able to execute our ceremonial duties as articulated in our 1954 Bylaws and how we have successfully conducted them over the last 68 years, as long as the Barrington Town Council is willing to restore our rightful position and lead role in the planning and execution of the Town's Memorial Day Observances.

Paul Dulchinos 

Barrington

Mr. Dulchinos is Barrington United Veterans Council President.