Dermody Tells Union Leader He's Embarrassed

Those who read the Union Leader saw that there was a short story on Tuesday about the search for a new Bedford Town Manager and about Bedford's soon to be adopted "code of conduct", so warmly embraced by our Town Council as their manifesto for good behavior by Bedford residents who serve on the Town's boards, commissions, and committees.

In the article, Council Chairman Bill Dermody made his now familiar assertion that the Town Council isn't trying to stifle anyone through its mandate for silence by anyone who doesn't agree with a majority opinion of the Town Council or of a town board, commission, or committee. In Dermody World, protest is not allowed no matter how valid the reason for it, minority opinions are worthless and "contrarian" and must be dismissed, and people who defy him or the opinion of a majority are subject to censure. But God forbid that anyone would think that he or the Council is trying to control anyone.

The article continued with Dermody calling it "counterproductive" to have someone speak out against a policy or procedure of the majority. In fact, he went on to say, "Once it's decided that something is going to happen, then that's what's going to happen." So take that all of you Bedford residents who find it hilarious that Dermody has the chutzpah to tell you that he's not trying to stifle you while he mandates that you keep quiet and go along with things.

But what really jumped off the page in the article was Dermody's statement that he is "embarrassed" that the Town Council has found it necessary to try to correct the behavior of Bedford residents. Yes. He actually said, "It's something we shouldn't have to do in the town of Bedford." (Please note that he did NOT say that it is something that the Council should not be trying to do. He instead strongly continues to defend the Council's unprecedented arrogance.)

A statement of embarrassment by Dermody is quite a revelation. I didn't think that Dermody could ever be embarrassed by anything given his own sometimes churlish and bullying remarks at public meetings and to the press. I didn't think that Dermody could ever be embarrassed by anything given his tacit approval of the actions of certain Council members who have exhibited insulting behavior toward Bedford residents, or who have blithely disregarded their duty to provide substantiated facts to Bedford residents instead of expecting residents to arbitrarily accept their blather without question and without documentation. I didn't think that Dermody could ever be embarrassed by anything given his support for elected and appointed officials ignoring or circumventing laws at their will and/or when convenient to them. It's enlightening to know that our Council Chairman is instead embarrassed by Bedford residents whom he judges as unruly. May the saints be praised for our pious and imperial Council Chairman.

Anyway . . . since Chairman Dermody brought up the subject of embarrassment, I want to say that I too am embarrassed. But my embarrassment is due to the fact that Bedford is quickly becoming known as the little village where local officials are becoming more and more like the characters in "Alice in Wonderland",  and the curious happenings are becoming routine. And that is something for which embarrassment is truly appropriate.