Work is under way on a new flagpole installation located near the southern entrance to the Barrington Town Hall property. 

The project was approved by the previous Barrington Town Council, and includes a stonewall, a cement patio slab and three flagpoles. It covers about 460 square feet. 

The plaza will feature three fiberglass flagpoles which will fly the U.S. flag, the state flag, and any other outreach flag town officials deem appropriate. 

Former Council President Carl Kustell said the new installation will offer better visibility for the outreach flags. It will also remove outreach flags from the flagpole located inside the veterans memorial. 

Ramos Masonry is completing the work on the flagpole plaza. The Council awarded the construction bid to Ramos for $55,600. 

Ramos Masonry has worked for the town on other projects — the company built the stone walls at the entrance to the St. Andrew’s Farm Field property a few years ago. Landscape architect Kevin Alverson designed the flagpole plaza. 

An alternative plan included the use of brick pavers instead of the cement slab. Barrington officials are funding the project with American Rescue Plan Act money. 

The flagpole plaza followed a lengthy flag discussion in Barrington, which started shortly after town officials began flying various flags — including the Black Lives Matter flag — on the flagpole located inside the veterans memorial next to the town hall. Members of the Barrington United Veterans Council pushed back and asked the Council to remove any outreach flags from the pole in the memorial. Eventually, members of the BUVC resigned in protest over the issue.