Letter: Two Years To Win Your Trust

With the elections fully behind us, I felt the need and obligation to first and foremost thank the entire Bristol and Warren community for utilizing their Constitutional right to vote. Please thank a veteran for that right.

Every day I have tried to respect your opinion via your voices and words, and recognize that every two years your vote represents your feelings.

Having accepted the results, I would like to publicly announce that I believe that this election has enriched me personally by gaining a better appreciation for the political race, but more importantly, the benefit of having met a new Bristol family and friend in my competition, Michael Donahue.

I realized early on that both he and Warren's John Hanley were in the race for good reasons, and either man would represent our towns equally well. The time spent with my youngest daughter Amanda has been both priceless and educational and I thank you all for this opportunity.

For all returning and newly elected officials, first order of business is acknowledging that you will not make everyone happy in your decisions and accepting that for truth. We are so very fortunate to have so many devoted citizens willing to step out of their comfort zones to ask for your support to represent you, the public, on boards, commissions, committees, councils, administrator, manager, representatives and senators.

The reality is that we now have two years until the next election to make you and our community stronger and prouder. Not much time for such a large responsibility. Our work is cut out for us, but together, having witnessed it first-hand, anything is possible. Positive and constructive dialogue among each other and the public at large are the keys to success! Like you, we will be watching, reading and listening.

I look forward with great anticipation on being a small part of that partnership with my fellow colleagues in government, both past and present, witnessing together the 21st century revitalization of Bristol/Warren & Rhode Island at large.     

Kenneth A. Marshall
State Representative-elect