Return to Area Profiles Table of Contents 

Ray in his white hat greets guests arriving at his annual social.

Some of the music at Ray Burton's Annual Social was provided by this beautiful Dutch-made organ.

As they do each year, the Strawberry Farm Band entertained Ray and his friends.

The ladies of United Congregational Church in Bath brought food to the Ray Burton Annual Social in the back of a friend's pickup.

Ray Burton: A Public Servant Who Serves
Researched and Written by Janine Weins
(Posted 7/19/07)

The disapproval rating of Congress is 70% and of President Bush is 65% according to a July Associated Press poll. Although there are no recent polls of the voters' approval of their representative to the Governor's Council in District 1, an informal survey of voters indicated that the vast majority approve of the manner in which Ray Burton serves his constituents, and many say they wish other politicians would do their job the way Ray does his job.

Ray Burton has been an Executive Councilor from District 1 for nearly 30 years and has served as a Grafton County Commissioner for 15 years. As an Executive Councilor, Ray is paid $12,000 a year. His salary as Grafton County Commissioner is $9,500. Ray understands the value of a sale and a church supper. Many voters wonder if their congressmen and senators who make $162,500, and the president who receives $400,000 plus an expense allowance, can relate to the difficulty many have in stretching a paycheck over the things they need and finding a bit extra for things they want.

Ray lives in the home in which he grew up. His office is in his home and his home phone number is listed. Ray answers his own phone. If callers have a question, Ray, or someone he contacts, will get back to them. This past April when my woods were devastated, I asked Ray if there was any information available to help me with the clean-up of my woods. Within a week, Nori Parr, Grafton County Forester, called and said, "Ray Burton asked me to call you." Nori, who is an exceptionally knowledgeable forester, gave me information and advice I subsquently used as a guide for cleaning up the damage done by the April storms to my woods.

Several years ago when a subcontractor for the state put a cold topping on a road I regularly biked, I told Ray I thought the bumpy road was dangerous for biking and would be dangerous in the winter in an ice storm. Shortly after I complained to Ray, the road was resurfaced with an appropriately hot mix.

My mother called Ray "The Potato Man" because he set up a program at the Grafton County Jail whereby inmates grew potatoes. In the fall, the inmates harvested the potatoes which were distributed to families who needed food. My mother never tired of saying more politicians should be like Ray—put the prisoners to work and provide food for those that are down and out.

Every summer Ray invites his constituents to his home for an annual social. This year the event was held on Saturday, July 14th. Attendees parked in Ray's hayfield. The Strawberry Farm Band and Ed O'Brien and his Dutch-made organ provided entertainment. The ladies of the United Congregational Church in Bath prepared a supper of baked beans, ham, potato salad, macaroni salad, and cold slaw.

The man often called the hardest working man in politics doesn't get the same big pay check the Beltway politicians collect, but he doesn't have to live in the beltway either. Ray lives in an old farm house on a beautiful piece of property on River Road in Bath, New Hampshire. He drives his own classic cars to parades, town meeting, various community events, and to church on Sunday where he plays the organ. Ray spends his time with people who consider Ray their friend and who approve of the job he is doing as their elected official.