The Town of Bedford Needs You!

Editor’s Note—As of Friday, Jan. 8, we continue to wait for the confirmation of the Governor’s signature on the bill that authorizes changes to our Town Election procedures. The legislation includes a requirement of 10 versus 50 signatures of registered voters to qualify for placement on the ballot for Bedford’s Town Election on March 13.

Ensuring that our Town’s elected boards operate effectively requires complete boards with members elected by residents. Therefore, we need to ensure that these vital parts of the management of our Town are fully staffed through the Town Election on March 13. Ideally, voters will have choices between candidates to ensure that the board members represent the community.

On March 13 registered voters will consider who will best represent them for ten positions on eight boards and committees. To date, there are three candidates who as incumbents have indicated plans to run for an additional term and four current officeholders have indicated they will not seek re-election. Three have not announced or declared their intentions.

Now is the time to consider how you might offer your skills, knowledge, and experience to be part of Town Government. Consider the list of open positions and identify where you might want to serve. Use the Town website (www.bedfordma.gov) to learn more about the role and responsibilities of a given position. Watch videos of recent meetings and attend meetings (see the Town Calendar for scheduling information).

Because there will be no Town Caucus this year, all candidates will need to secure nomination papers for signatures by Thursday, January 21. This will require making an appointment with the Town Clerk Bridget Rodrique. (Each candidate is expected to come in person except with prior arrangements with the Town Clerk.) Each candidate will be given 25 copies of the nomination papers to facilitate the collection, given the constraints of Covid-19. The required number of signatures can be on multiple sets. However, all must be original”wet” signatures, not reproductions via an electronic collection.

Signature collection will need to be started as soon as papers are secured because the deadline for return is Saturday, January 23. One option is to ask potential signers to come to your address with the petition in an identified location. Another would be to drop papers in mailboxes of willing signers who are then asked to return them to the candidate’s mailbox.

The positions that will appear on the ballot are