My intent was to refrain from posting any human interest stories on this page but this Valley Breeze article has to be an exception. I knew Betty for many years and when she asked me to help her write and process her application to preserve her farmland I was more than happy to help. At the meeting of the RI Agricultural Land Preservation Commission when her application for the preservation of her farmland was acted on she charmed the pants of off the Commissioners with her winning personality. The scoring process is cut and dry so her personality didn't influence the numbers one bit, but the commissioners did love meeting Betty. She was at home and in her element in a room full of people who shared her love of farming and farmland. I teased her all the way home about how she worked the room like a pro.

Betty helped draft the North Smithfield Town #Charter and lectured me constantly on the importance of town government following it strictly. She was proud of the document she helped to craft. The civic lessons I learned from Betty are one of the reasons I created this page and often motivate me to speak up when local government makes foolish decisions. She was an old Yankee of the finest character!

#towncharter #humaninterest #cesario #preservation #conservation #agriculture