The 11 questions posed during the Town Council candidates’ debate brought out some differences and similarities in the three men vying for two open seats.

Chris Bandazian, Bill Dermody and Jonathan Zdziarski came before the BCTV cameras during the Feb. 14 debate, hosted by the Bedford Men’s Club, to discuss fixing town roads and providing services, while controlling spending and taxes.

Bandazian, who has lived in town for 23 years, has served on the Zoning Board of Adjustment for the past 16 years and is currently chairman. In 2004-05, he served on the Town Council after being appointed to a vacant seat. Currently, he is a member on both board of directors on the Educational Farm at Joppa Hill and Bedford Education Foundation.

“I have the skill sets that would come in handy on the Town Council,” he said.

While Dermody has no experience on any town boards, he said he has been an active observer, especially when the town was considering increasing setbacks on certain wetland areas about two years ago.

“I did my homework and with the help of 30 other residents, 650 properties were spared from an unreasonable intrusion upon their owners,” said Dermody, who is a 24-year resident of Bedford.

Zdziarski, who just moved to Bedford this summer after a hiatus from New England, said in that short time he has come to love the town and has a firm interest in its future.

“What I think this town needs is straight-thinking people and straight-thinking ideas,” he said. “We need to be good stewards of people’s taxes, and good stewards in what we invest in and what programs we support.”

The three candidates agreed that financial retraint is important but differed on how money should be spent.

Bandazian defended the current council’s budget, saying it is below the rate of inflation. He said this year’s budget would have been less, but contains a 53rdweek pay period, which accounts for a 2.2 percent tax increase.

Dermody, on the other hand, criticized the town manager’s recommendations for improving town office building and future upgrades to equipment and recreational fields.

He favors finding ways to increase the town’s tax base as more businesses fill the performance zone.

“We’re facing another double- digit tax increase in this town and unless we find ways to address this, something has to fold here,” he said.

The candidates had different opinions on the road bond, creating the Bedford Village Common and building a new fire substation on Route 3.

Bandazian feels residents would be better served if a substation was built on the western section of town, while Dermody and Zdziarski said it would encourage business growth if one was built along the Route 3 corridor.

“In terms of safety, it’s a nobrainer,” said Zdziarski. “It’s a good idea and it’ll improve our overall response time. In terms of how we pay for it is up for debate.”

Dermody suggested businesses could contribute to building the station, but Bandazian said it is unlawful to levy costs on such items.

The road bond created a heated debate as well.

Bandazian is in favor of ensuring safety near the high school. He said he supported the connector road and the town should have taken the opportunity to reap 80 percent payback from the state when it had the chance. But now it has become a town problem because the school district found out it cannot fund a road project.

“That misinformation has led us down a very costly road and will result in tax increases,” he said. “Whoever gets elected to the Town Council is looking at a train wreck after the fact.” But, he said, if we ignore road conditions, future costs will be astronomical.

Zdziarski said he supports the $8 million bond so traffic and safety issues at Route 101 and Nashua Road are solved.

Dermody agreed and opposes the $12 million road bond.

“We’ve been abandoned by the state as far as 101 is concerned. The Nashua/101 intersection is a disaster and it’s going to become a further disaster as our high school kids begin to drive,” said Dermody.

Bandazian supports careful planning as the town prepares its 10-year master plan this year, conserving open space as the town reaches build-out and watching tax dollars. Dermody said the town must focus on needs instead of wants and make sure people can put food on their tables. Zdziarski said he will bring fresh ideas to the council and will look at ways to control spending.

Each candidate said they would work toward better communication between the council and School Board.