Bedford Town Candidates
Unofficial returns, • denotes winner
Town Councilor, for three years, vote for two
• Christopher Bandazian – 1,721
• Bill Dermody – 2,093
Jonathan Zdziarski – 845
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Library Trustee, for three years, vote for one
• Anthony Frederick – 2,869
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Supervisor of the Checklist, for six years, vote for one
• Joan McMahan – 2,797
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Supervisor of the Checklist, for four years, vote for one
• Benita Diamond – 2,699
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Town Clerk, for three years, vote for one
Brenda Bernard – 418
Lynn M. Cornell – 345
• Lori Radke – 1,113
Paul F. Roy Sr. – 942
Anne Scanlon – 278
Elaine Tefft – 284
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Town Moderator, for two years, vote for one
• Ryk Bullock – 1,886
Brian Shaughnessy – 1,518
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Trustee of the Trust Funds, for three years, vote for one
• Daniel J. Barnes – 2,793
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Bedford Town Warrants
Unofficial returns, • denotes winner
Article 3: Shall the town approve the following Town Charter amendments – Sections 1-3-5, filling vacancies on the Town Council; 1-4-1 appointment of a town manager; 1-4-4 determination by council that town manager is incapacitated; 1-4-6, authority of council to overrule the town manager with respect to disciplining of a department head; 1-5-11(a), authority of council to incur debt; and 1-5-12(c), waiving competitive bid requirements to be amended by deleting from each section the existing language requiring a super-majority vote of five councilors and inserting the following language requiring a super-majority vote: “affirmative vote of five (5) councilors?”
Explanation: Each of the above sections currently requires a super-majority vote of the Town Council, by using different language. The intention of this amendment is to use the same language throughout to ensure consistency in interpretation of these sections. For clarification purposes, it is the intention of the council, by making these changes to the charter, to ensure that these items, in order to pass, need the affirmative vote of at least five Councilors.
• Yes................................2,543 No................................753
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Article 4: Shall the town raise and appropriate up to $8.6 million to reconstruct and rehabilitate town roads, $ million of which to come from the issuance of bonds or notes and $600,000 to come from interest earnings on the investment of these bond proceeds, and to authorize the Town Council to issue and negotiate such bonds or notes and to determine the rate of interest, and take such other action as may be necessary to issue, negotiate, sell and deliver such bonds or notes in the best interest of the town of Bedford, and pass any vote relating thereto. This article requires a two-thirds ballot vote.
Explanation:The issuance of this long-term debt will address two major concerns in town, one being the continuation of the town road reconstruction and rehabilitation program which began in 2003 and the other being necessary safety improvements at the intersection of Route 101 and Nashua Road. It is the intent of the Council to first handle the Route 101/Nashua Road safety improvements due in part to the increased traffic resulting from the opening of the new middle/high school on Nashua Road. Engineering consultants hired by the school district have projected the cost to be approximately $3 million. At the completion of the engineering and design phase for the Route 101/Nashua Road project, if the cost does not reasonably resemble the original projection, the council may reallocate funding as necessary providing it is in the best interest of the town. The remaining funds will be used to continue the town roads program as described above through 2009. The Town Council and School Board recommend passage of this article.
Yes................................1,917 • No................................1,621
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Article 5: Shall the town will vote to raise and appropriate up to $12.9 million to reconstructi and rehabilite town roads, $12 million of which to come from the issuance of bonds or notes and $900,000) of which to come from interest earnings on the investment of these bond proceeds and to authorize the Town Council to issue and negotiate such bonds or notes and to determine the rate of interest thereon, and take such other action as may be necessary in the best interest of the town of Bedford, and pass any vote relating thereto. NONE of these monies are to be used for any road NOT owned and maintained by the town of Bedford. Revenue from the issuance of bonds or notes under this article shall not be used to reconstruct rehabilitate or improve roads that are the responsibility of the state of New Hampshire, including but are not limited to, Route 101, Route 114 and the Everett Turnpike. Submited by citizen petition. This article requires a two-thirds ballot vote.
Explanation: This long-term debt will address major concerns in the town of Bedford, regarding the continuation of the town road reconstruction and rehabilitation program which began in 2003. It is the intent of the signers to insure that town monies are spent fixing town roads first and demanding that the state of New Hampshire accept responsibility to improve and maintain its own infrastructure. All funds will be used
to continue the town roads program.
Yes................................1,187 • No................................2,286
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Bedford Zoning Amendments
Unofficial returns, • denotes winner
Article 2: Zoning amendments proposed by the Planning Board:
Amendment 1 – Are you in favor of amending Article 45-2 Definitions of commercial use by deleting “An occupation, employment or enterprise that is carried on for profit by the lessee or licensee,” and replacing it with the following definition: "Any use involving in part or in whole the sale of merchandise, materials or services, but not including home occupations as defined in this section. This amendment is intended to clarify that commercial uses may be carried on by for profit as well as not for profit entities.
• Yes................................2,908 No................................492
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Amendment 2 – Are you in favor of the amending Article 45-2 Definitions by adding “group of tanks exceeding a total of 500 gallons.” Amend Article 45-2 Definitions as follows: “Structure, a combination of materials for occupancy or use, such as a building, bridge, trestle, tower, framework, tank or group of tanks exceeding a total of 500 gallons, tunnel, tent, stadium, platform, shelter, pier, wharf, bin, sign, fences and retaining walls over six feet in height, swimming pools, sports courts, or the like.” This amendment is intended to allow tanks or groups of tanks that total 500 gallons or less to be exempt from the minimum structure setback requirements.
• Yes................................2,454 No................................905
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Amendment 3 – Are you in favor of amending Article 45-2 definitions as follows: Amend Article 45-2 definitions by adding: “Kennel” an establishment licensed to operate a facility housing dogs, cats or other household pets and or where grooming, breeding, boarding, training or selling of animals is conducted as a business. This amendment is intended to add a definition for kennel which currently does not exist.
• Yes................................3,031 No................................376
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Amendment 4 – Are you in favor of the amending Article 45-9-6 U.S. Route 3 Corridor Performance Zoning District permitted uses by adding Subsection (y) Kennel; and amending Appendix 45-A Table of Uses by adding kennel as a commercial use permitted in the Commercial and Performance Standards zones. This amendment is intended to specifically allow kennels in the Commercial and Performance Standards Zones.
• Yes................................2,856 No................................490
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Amendment 5 – Are you in favor of deleting the words shown in strike through and adding the words in bold as follows: To amend Article 45-11-2 District Regulation for Signage, Section (i) Route 3 Performance Zoning District, Subsection (1) : All signs shall be set back from the side and rear property lines at least 50 feet, 30 feet and from the front property line at least 10 feet. This amendment is intended as housekeeping to be consistent with Article 45-11-1(a) which was amended in 2006 and currently provides for a 30-foot setback.
• Yes................................2,692 No................................671
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Amendment 6 – Are you in favor of amending Article 45-4-2 Use Regulations, Section (b) Uses Permitted By Right With Conditions Imposed, Subsection (2) Elderly Housing, by deleting Subsection (d) Parking in its entirety; and to amend Appendix 45-A Table of Uses by deleting footnote number 28, Elderly Housing, Subsection (d) Parking in its entirety. This amendment is intended as housekeeping so to be consistent with the Land Development Control Regulation Section 322.2 Off-street Parking Requirements and the 2002 amendment which removed all other parking requirements from the zoning ordinance.
• Yes................................2,788 No................................456
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Amendment 7 – Are you in favor of adding the words in bold as follows: To amend Article 45-4-2 USE REGULATIONS, Section (f) Supplemental Provisions, Subsection (1) Home Occupations, Level II Subsection (e) as follows: Septic system design/capacity for home occupations that have any nonresident employees or that use large-water or waste-water volumes, such as day care facilities, hair salons and catering services shall be verified in writing by a licensed New Hampshire septic designer or a professional engineer. This amendment is intended to require applicants seeking home occupation permits who have nonresident employees verify that their septic systems are capable of handling any additional flow, if any.
• Yes................................2,735 No................................616
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Amendment 8 – Are you in favor of deleting the words in strike through as follows: To amend Article 45-6-5 Cluster Residential Development, Design Requirements Section (j) Design Standards for Single Attached Dwelling for Elderly Housing, Subsection (3) as follows: The installation of residential sprinkler systems or the construction of firewalls shall be required for buildings containing single attached dwellings. This amendment would make the installation of fire suppression sprinkler systems mandatory for attached elderly housing units.
• Yes................................2,799 No................................556
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Bedford School Candidates
Unofficial returns, • denotes winner
School Board member, for three years, vote for two
• Bob Donahue – 1,401
Bill Foote – 1,212
• Don Graff – 1,630
Gary Pariseau – 707
School District Warrants
Unofficial returns, • denotes winner
ARTICLE 2 – To purchase land for and to fund a new emergency accessway to the middle school/high school. To provide for an emergency, second accessway to the Ross A. Lurgio Middle School/Bedford High School complex off Chestnut Drive shall the school district raise and appropriate $445,000, (a) to purchase approximately 1.3 acres of land located adjacent to the middle school/high school owned by Chalant Development Corporation and; and (b) to construct the emergency accessway for $275,000, of which will come from money previously raised in the School District Land Fund and $170,000 to be raised through general taxation. Majority ballot vote required.
• Yes................................1,889 No................................1,652
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ARTICLE 3 – Negotiated salary increase for the teaching staff. Shall the school district raise and appropriate $683,066 to fund additional cost items related to the first year of a three-year collective bargaining agreement between the Bedford School District and the Bedford Education Association for the 2008-09 school year which resulted from negotiations with the teachers and which represents the negotiated increase over the 2007-08 salaries, fringe benefits and other cost items? Majority ballot vote required.
• Yes................................2,318 No................................1,217
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ARTICLE 4 – Conditional article for teach-ing staff salaries. Shall the school district, if Article 3 is defeated, authorize the school board to call one special meeting, at its option, to address Article 3 cost items only? Majority ballot vote required.
• Yes................................2,237 No................................1,201
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ARTICLE 5 – Negotiated salary increase for the custodial/maintenance staff. Shall the school district raise and appropriate $60,984 to fund additional cost items related to the first year of a three-year collective bargaining agreement between the Bedford School District and the Bedford Education Support Staff Association for the 2008-09 school year which resulted from negotiations with the custodial and maintenance staff and which represents the negotiated increase over the 2007-08 salaries, fringe benefits and other cost items? Majority ballot vote required.
• Yes................................2,477 No................................1,060
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ARTICLE 6 – Conditional article for the custodial/maintenance staff salaries. Shall the school district, if Article 5 is defeated, authorize the school board to call one special meeting, at its option, to address Article 5 cost items only? Majority ballot vote required.
• Yes................................2,373 No................................1,156
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ARTICLE 7 – Negotiated salary increase for the secretaries, clerks, instructional teaching assistants and kitchen staff. Shall the school district raise and appropriate $143,016 to fund those additional cost items related to the third year of a three-year collective bargaining agreement between the Bedford School District and the Bedford Education Personnel Association for the 2008-09 school year which resulted from negotiations with the secretaries, clerks, instructional teaching assistants, and kitchen staff and which represents the negotiated increase over the 2007-08 salaries, fringe benefits and other cost items? Majority ballot vote required.
• Yes................................2,358 No................................1,101
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ARTICLE 8 – Conditional article for secretaries, clerks, instructional teaching assistants and kitchen staff salaries. Shall the school district, if Article 7 is defeated, authorize the school board to call one special meeting, at its option, to address Article 7 cost items only? Majority ballot vote required.
• Yes................................2,273 No................................1,170
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ARTICLE 9 – Operating budget. Shall the district raise and appropriate as an operating budget, not including other appropriations voted separately in Articles 2, 3, 4 and 7, the total of $55,051,097? (If this article is defeated, the operating budget shall be $54,362,437, which is the same as last year, with certain adjustments required by previous action of the school district or by law, or the governing body may hold one special meeting to take up the issue of a revised operating budget only.) Majority ballot vote required.
• Yes................................1,985 No................................1,458
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ARTICLE 10 – Acceptance of gifts. Shall the school board be authorized to accept on behalf of the district, without further action by the voters, gifts, legacies and devises of real or personal property which may become available to the district during the fiscal year? Majority ballot vote required.
• Yes................................2,800 No................................649
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Voter turnout: xxx
Registered voters: xxx Turnout percentage: xxx%