Ask Tom Barrett

Ask Tom Barrett

Last month, The Atlantic Cities asked its readers what they would ask mayors if they could ask them anything. Today, Cities debuted its new video series “Ask A Mayor” that answers those questions. The series will run for eight weeks and will feature mayors from around the country. And our very own Tom Barrett makes an appearance in the first two: “What’s the First Thing You Do When You Arrive at City Hall Each Day?” and “What’s the Weirdest Place You’ve Ever Been Confronted by a Constituent?” Barrett says there’s no typical day in the life of a mayor and…

Last month, The Atlantic Cities asked its readers what they would ask mayors if they could ask them anything. Today, Cities debuted its new video series “Ask A Mayor” that answers those questions. The series will run for eight weeks and will feature mayors from around the country.

And our very own Tom Barrett makes an appearance in the first two: “What’s the First Thing You Do When You Arrive at City Hall Each Day?” and “What’s the Weirdest Place You’ve Ever Been Confronted by a Constituent?”

Barrett says there’s no typical day in the life of a mayor and that’s why he likes it. He also says he’s been confronted by a constituent in a men’s room and says, “that’s not an effective place to talk to a mayor.” (Hey Milwaukee, knock that off.) 


Abby Callard was an assistant editor at Milwaukee Magazine from 2012-2014. Her journalistic pursuits have seen her covering the Hispanic community in mid-Missouri, politics in Washington, D.C., art and culture for Smithsonian magazine, the social enterprise space in India and health care in Chicago. Abby has a degree in journalism from the University of Missouri.