A statement sent to The Bedford Citizen by Dan Brosgol:
Citizens of Bedford,
I am pleased to announce my intention to run for the Select Board seat being vacated by Margot Fleischman in March 2024.
I have had the privilege of serving on the School Committee since 2015. That service has been highlighted by four building projects, two superintendent searches, and a global pandemic, on top of the usual business of budgeting and ensuring ongoing excellence for a school system that continues to rank in the top 10 percent of districts in the Commonwealth year-after-year.
I am proud of our work and my leadership during three terms as chairperson. I have tried to serve and lead by example with integrity and transparency, and a deep commitment to listening and open communication.
On top of my service on the School Committee, I have also volunteered and served on many other bodies, including the Capital Expenditure Committee, Youth and Family Services Committee, Youth Task Force, the Fiscal Planning and Coordinating Committee, and the Charter and Bylaw Review Committee.
I also served on the Board of Directors of Bedford Television, am currently the Summer Commissioner for Bedford Babe Ruth Baseball and Softball, was the race director for the Bedford Day 5K, and volunteer annually as a Bedford Santa.
My passion for Bedford and my commitment to service is something I am very proud of and it will be lifelong; I care deeply about this community and give my time freely and willingly to support the good work of the Town.
Bedford, a small community nestled up against much larger ones, continues to be a wonderful case study of how to run a town well. Our finances are in excellent shape, unlike many of our neighbors who ask for overrides as a matter of course. Our roads are well-maintained, unlike other towns who pay for schools, not paving, because they cannot afford it. Our schools are supported every year at Town Meeting with their budget and building requests, businesses relocate here because of our talented workforce, and people move here because of the incredible array of programs offered to residents of all ages by the Recreation Department and Council on Aging.
But there is work to be done, and problems to solve. The housing market continues to put home ownership in Bedford far out of reach for low- and middle-income families; we must think creatively about how to work both in Bedford and regionally about the crisis of affordability.
Our benefits offered to Town employees lag far behind other towns; we must do better by them and become more competitive in that area. A new fire station must be approved and built as soon as possible and our other capital needs must be addressed in our aging buildings and infrastructure.
Perhaps most importantly, we must continue to manage growth while preserving the small-town feel that we all love about Bedford.
Luckily, Bedford has the ability and the leadership to address these challenges head on. Our financial planning and collaborative work across departments, our new growth that continues to add to our tax base every year, and the businesses that call Bedford home generate millions of dollars of Free Cash and leave millions of dollars in our unused levy capacity every year- we are the envy of our neighbors in just about every town that surrounds us.
There is so much we can do, and should do, to continue to move the Town forward and I would love to help shape that conversation.
Bedford has been my home for nearly 17 years. My wife and I have raised five children here and moving here was probably the second wisest thing I have ever done… after marrying her.
I would be honored to serve on the Select Board to continue to work on behalf of the Town and its citizens.
I humbly ask for your support at the Town Caucus on Jan. 9 and at the polls on March 9.
With thanks,
Dan Brosgol
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