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BEDFORD, N.Y. --As the month of October slips away, town elections come nearer, with November 8 set as the main event. Friday marks the final day to register to vote in town, and it also begins our inside look at who is running for town council.
Chris Burdick is finishing up his first term on the Bedford Town Board, and has been a resident of the town for nearly 20 years. The attorney for Stewart Title Insurance Company knows that through the last four years, he has seen what the town board can do and what they can improve on, such as communication.
There are certain actions that the town board took that I think could have been better explained, and that the explanation could have been disseminated more widely, Burdick said. Its a struggle to get the community engaged, and I dont blame that on the community because we all lead busy lives that comprise us.
Burdick learned the ways of town government by serving on the Wetlands Control Commission, which he was chairman of for nine years.
I met a lot of property owners, and became familiar with issues specific to their property obviously. I got to know the workings of the town government pretty well, he said.
In his term, Burdick was specifically involved in the ridgeline ordinance (the amendment to the steep slopes law), and the dark skies ordinance, to name a few. Along with attempting to improve energy conservation and town beauty, he has been involved in the boards financial moves regarding the budget, which have occured at a very tough time.
Who could predict the severe recession that weve been experiencing? Who could predict the drastic drops in revenue? You cant predict these things. You cant predict whats coming your way, he said.
Predictions might be futile, but what Burdick and the rest of the board can assure is that decisions made on the towns behalf will not come from party lines.
Number one obligation is to act on behalf of all the residents. Not just Democrats, not just Republicans, and not for just a particular group or section. We dont always get it right, I can tell you that; we make mistakes like everybody else. But we make a sincere effort to serve, he said.
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