The Story
We’re bringing you a full rundown of what’s on the ballot (both school and town) for tomorrow’s local election. Buckle down, because this one’s lengthy.
Some Quick Info
The local election takes place tomorrow, March 8th from 7am-7pm. It is being held in the Bedford High School gym (so the students don’t have school – yay!). Citizens need to bring a form of idea in order to vote and you can check your registration and party status here.
Town Council
To be honest, we’re not entirely sure what the Town Council does, but here’s what you need to know. Candidates for the two open 3-year seats are David Gilbert, William Granfield, and Kathleen Bemiss. Gilbert, the current incumbent, says he wants to continue to serve on the board and represent common sense, fiscal conservatism, and the needs of the Bedford taxpayers. Grandfield wants to promote growth in the community. Bemiss is running on a platform of commitment to the people of Bedford, with no hidden agenda, political aspirations, or business ventures. Candidates for the one open 2-year seat include Phil Greazzo and Michael Strand. Greazzo has very little to say when asked any questions, but is running on a platform focused on cutting taxes. Strand’s platform focuses on public service, equal representation, and local control.
Library Trustee
Candidates for the singular 3-year position of Library Trustee are Pamela Van Arsdale and Craig Stevens. Incumbent Van Arsdale is running on her love for libraries and commitment to supporting the establishment. Stevens is running on a platform focused on public service and improving the community. A real nail-biter for this seat.
E-Z Dubs
Mac McMahan (quite the name) is running unopposed for the Trustee of Trust Funds (also quite the name) position. Barbara L. Chagnon is also running unopposed for Supervisor of the Checklist. Well, unless you count Santa Claus, known for his list-checking expertise. Brian Shaughnessy is running unopposed for Town Moderator. And finally, Bill Klein is running unopposed for School Moderator.
School District Clerk
Candidates for the 3-year School District Clerk position include Russan Chester and Maggie Wachs. When asked about his political experience, Chester responded with “none”. He is running because he wants to join the residents and children of the district with elected officials to make solutions. Wachs says she has built up information and now wants to give back to the community and work towards rebuilding consensus and trust.
School District Treasurer
Cameron Bernard and Tina Kozak are the candidates for this 3-year position. Kozak is running because she wants to get involved and give back. She also believes that her financial experience will be an asset to the district. We have no idea what Bernard’s platform is because he didn’t respond to any questions. Tells us something about his level of commitment…
The Moment You’ve Been Waiting For…
The School Board! One 3-year seat is open on the School Board for this election. First up is incumbent John Schneller. Our loyal readers know how we feel about him, but here’s his platform anyway. Schneller says he’s running for two reasons: to maintain the district’s budget, and to prioritize parent choice above administrator choice. He wants to focus on measurable improvement and parent involvement. A real charmer. Next is Sean Monroe, who is emphasizing his belief in 100% parent choice in every situation, as well as no COVID regulations and prioritizing academics – specifically math, science, english, history, and nothing else. Wow, those two candidates sound awfully similar. Lastly, Andrea Campbell, who is running to use her experience and expertise in public education to support and improve the schools in the district. She claims to do what she believes is best for the students in the district.
The Runaway
Most of these positions may seem small and insignificant, but they’re more important than most people realize. Eligible voters certainly have a lot to think about before tomorrow’s election.
What to Say…
When you’re REALLY tired of masking…
As we quickly approach our 2-year COVID-versary, there’s still legislation being rolled out at the state level regarding COVID protocols. Two weeks ago Governor Sununu announced that all schools in the state are now required to lift mask mandates. After receiving a lot of confusion about this new policy, he clarified stating that individual schools are now no longer allowed to impose mask mandates, and that doing so would violate New Hampshire Department of Education rules about student rights. This was unprecedented action, as schools like Bedford who respond to CDC dictated ‘Outbreak Status’ by imposing temporary mandates would now be considered to be infringing on state law. This gives ground for those angry Sean Monroe type folks to sue schools, costing them hundreds of thousands of dollars – which could be going towards teachers and students. Furthermore, this action was immediate, giving school districts that had sustained mandates no time to transition their students. Local elections also take place in several towns tomorrow, meaning some districts have their school budgets being voted on. Essentially, angry parents can hold something as essential as a teacher’s salary over the administrator’s heads for failing to comply with the mandate. It will be a test of will to see which school districts withstand the backlash.
When you’re feeling competitive…
Strap on those ice skates! Our last winter sport is left up, just in time for the weather to start warming up (hopefully). Boys Hockey beat out BG in their Quaterfinals, securing a place in the Semifinals for the Division I Championships. Their Semifinals are going to be this Wednesday, March 9th. If they make it through that game, they’ll head to State Champs, which is this Saturday, March 12th. Good luck boys, and be careful not to get hair bleach in you eyes! On another sporty note, Spring sign-ups have opened up. For those of you wishing to tryout for Baseball, Crew, Lacrosse, Tennis, or Track and Field, click here. Boys hockey is our last winter sport going at this point, right as the weather is in the confused phase in between winter and spring. The boys beat out BG in the quarterfinals, securing a place in the semifinals for the Division I Championships. The semifinal game is this Wednesday at the JFK rink. If they win that game, they’ll head to the championship game, which is this Saturday at the SNHU arena at 5pm. Hopefully that hair bleach will help them bring home a win. On another sporty note, spring sign-ups have opened up. Those wishing to tryout for baseball, crew, lacrosse, tennis, or track and field should fill out this form.
When the suspense has been killing you…
The results from the parking survey are back! A few weeks ago, Mr. Guerard sent out an email asking students whether they thought the on-campus student parking spaces should be numbered to prevent students without a parking pass from parking in spaces that aren’t assigned to them. We know you’ve been on the edge of your (car) seat waiting to know whether students need to get to school early to secure a spot in senior lot or if they can sleep in, reassured that their parking space is reserved for them. The tally from the survey stands at 243 votes in support of numbered parking spaces and 95 votes against, with each grade’s majority being in support and the junior class being the most opposed overall. With about 71% of the votes being in support, we predict the parking spots will end up being numbered. Sadly, we don’t have a definitive conclusion but the topic will be brought up at the next Community Senate meeting on Wednesday and we expect a decision to be announced shortly after. If this proposal gets approved, you can expect it to be in action by the beginning of next school year. Beware parking spot snatchers!
Things to Know
If you’re feeling generous…
The Red Cross Club is putting on a blood drive at BHS on Wednesday from 8:00-1:30.
Be a decent human…
In an email sent to the BHS student body last night, Jozokos reminded students to be kind and respectful to Russian and Ukrainian classmates with the current conflict happening in Ukraine.