Bedford Voters Reject $1.3M Sprinklers And Alarms For 3 Schools

BEDFORD, NH — Voters in Bedford approved a nearly $78 million school budget as well as improvements to a gym and turf replacement but rejected new sprinklers and alarms for three schools. On the town side of the ballot, voters had four competitive races on the town ballot. In the town council race, Lori Radke and William Carter won two three-year seats.

Chris Bandazian came in third, falling less than 90 votes short, while Kelleigh Murphy placed fourth.

In the trustee of the trust fund race, Joseph Fahey beat Craig Stevens.

Robert Brooks was also successful being elected as a library trustee over Jerry Hanauer by around 870 votes.

Hugh Donovan was also elected to the supervisor of the checklist race over Paul Belliveau.

Three of the four ballot articles were approved by voters. The single proposal that failed was a $60,000 wastewater and stormwater asset management project bond that would have ended up being forgiven by the state after completion. The vote was 2,240 to 1,325, failing to reach two-thirds by around 150 votes.

There were no competitive races on the school ballot and voters approved all but one of the school warrant articles.

A $1.3 million proposal to install sprinklers and alarms at Memorial, Peter Woodbury and McKelvie Intermediate schools was rejected by about 190 votes.

A proposal to spend $793,000 to replace turf and gym floor resurfacing was approved by around 115 votes.

The full results are posted on the town's website.

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