Town of Hampton - Lane Memorial Library

dollar Hampton Beach Infrastructure Project and the reconstruction of Route 1. Other major public works
projects undertaken during his time with us included the Sun Valley sewer project, the Highland Avenue
multi-disciplinary reconstruction effort, and up-grades to the Wastewater Treatment Plant. In 1999,
James spearheaded the first change of location for Hampton’s seat of government in 150 years,
culminating in the moving of the Town offices to 100 Winnacunnet Road, 50 years after the fire that led
to the “temporary” building that housed Town government at 136 Winnacunnet Road for half of the 20 th
century.
However, a review of 10 years’ worth of James’ annual Town Manager’s reports reveals that his major
focus was on people, their needs, and how government might best satisfy them. James was a highly
accessible manager, who put his community first and listened with patience to all perspectives. Perhaps
James’ greatest accomplishments have been his creation of new Town positions to meet the challenges of
modern life in seacoast New Hampshire, and his hiring of well qualified and highly educated Department
Heads to fill new and already existing positions. The fact that Town government has survived so well in
the six months between James’ retirement and his replacement’s coming on board is a testament to the
high quality of the administrative team that James carefully built during his tenure.
James’ Town Manager’s Reports invariably ended with a Biblical quote, but in closing I will simply
paraphrase Winston Churchill to say of James that in his long managerial career spent here and elsewhere,
James’ time in Hampton was his “finest hour.” God bless you, James, and best wishes in your future
career and life endeavors.
Respectfully submitted,
Mark S. Gearreald, Interim Town Manager
James S. Barrington and Mark S. Gearreald
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