If you haven’t heard, Bob Holton passed away last weekend. And if that name is unfamiliar to you, you need to hear the story of how Bridgewater became “Bridgewater.”
Bob (seen above standing on the frozen North River in 2018) was the Town Superintendent here for 41 years. When Bob arrived in 1973, the Town government was a little, say, provincial. There was nothing really wrong with it, but it didn’t try very hard to do well. Too often, important decisions were made ad hoc, and Council members were protective of their fiefdoms and their friends.
In these respects, Bridgewater was typical of rural Virginia, but Bob saw a better way. I call it the “Bridgewater Way,” but it might as well be called the “Holton Way.” He believed that big decisions should be informed by good plans. He held no grudge against the “good old boys,” but he believed that the law should apply equally to everyone, regardless of status. And he believed that with a capable, professional staff, Bridgewater could serve its citizens as well as any community anywhere.
These were radical ideas, and the old guard didn’t accept them readily. More than once, his continued employment was imperiled. But Bob could be fierce when he was confident (which was most of the time). Day-by-day, he built his vision of the Bridgewater Way, and citizens saw that life was getting better. Over time, a new standard was developed.
It is no exaggeration to say that everything we do here to provide a better life is possible because Bob, through force of will, rewrote the rules. He challenged both staff and Council to be better public servants. His legacy is our continuing challenge today.
So the next time you see something being done right in Bridgewater, think of Bob. It was he who led the charge to make Bridgewater’s government be worthy of its people.