Bedford Town Council Organizational and Regular Meeting – March 16, 2026

The Bedford Town Council held an organizational and regular meeting on March 16, 2026, to swear in a new councilor, elect officers, assign committee roles, review results of a facilities survey conducted during the town election, and act on several business items. The meeting began at 6:30 p.m. and adjourned after approximately 1.5 hours.

Organizational Business

• Oath of Office: New Councilor Matt Solomon Bader was sworn in as a town councilor.
• Election of Officers: Councilor Phil Griazzo was elected Chair (motion by Councilor Strand, seconded, all in favor; Griazzo abstained). Councilor Gail Levec was elected Vice Chair (motion by Councilor Fahy, seconded, all in favor).
• Board and Committee Assignments: Chair Griazzo announced assignments for each councilor, including primary and alternate roles for town boards and budget liaison responsibilities.

Discussion Items

• Facilities Election Day Survey Review: Councilor Levec presented results from a survey conducted during the March 11, 2026 town election, where 2,400 of 4,241 voters participated. Four options were presented: (1) build separate fire stations on the east and west sides while keeping police at the safety complex; (2) major upgrades to town office and DPW garage; (3) bundle all facilities work into one warrant article; (4) no new buildings, only repairs. Option 1 received 839 votes (most), option 3 received ~600 (second), option 4 received 577 (third), and option 2 received the least. Councilors discussed that strong support for action (75% chose options 1-3) is tempered by significant tax concern among option 4 voters. The survey was informational; no vote was taken. Councilors agreed to continue public engagement as facility planning progresses.

Key Outcomes

• Veteran Tax Credit Ordinance (Introduction): The council introduced Ordinance 2026-02, which would increase the optional veteran tax credit from $500 to $750 and the total disability veteran credit from $2,500 to $5,000 over three years. A public hearing was scheduled for April 8, 2026. (Motion by Councilor Levec, seconded, approved unanimously.)
• Household Hazardous Waste Grant Acceptance: The council accepted a $3,312 NHDES grant for household hazardous waste collection, authorized expenditure, and authorized the town manager to execute the agreement. (Motion by Councilor Strand, seconded, approved unanimously.)
• Stormwater Regulation Waiver: The council granted a waiver of stormwater regulation section 1.03.b.9 for a proposed gas station and convenience store development at South River Road and Technology Drive (lot 35-3-1). The DPW director confirmed the waiver meets the spirit of the regulations. (Motion by Councilor Levec, seconded, approved unanimously.)
• Minutes Approval: The council approved the minutes of the February 25, 2026 public session (3-0-3, with three new councilors abstaining) and the February 2, 2026 deliberative session (unanimous).
• Town Manager’s Report: Town Manager Rick Sawyer reported election turnout of 4,241 voters (25% of registered voters, third highest in a decade), announced the April 11 Clean-Up Bedford Day, dog licensing deadline, and summer camp registration. He also thanked former Councilor Bill Carter for his service.

Councilor Comments

New and returning councilors expressed gratitude for the opportunity and looked forward to serving the community. The meeting adjourned at approximately 8:00 p.m.