By Betsey Anderson
Former Bedford Selectman and Town Moderator
Rick Reed came to Bedford in the summer of 1988, while I was a Selectman. The position of Town Administrator (later changed to Town Manager) was created at the time of Bedford’s acceptance of our home rule Charter and he was the fourth person to serve in this role in a little over a decade. Rick had served as the Assistant City Manager of Gaithersburg, Maryland, a suburb of Washington, D. C., many times the size of Bedford. In contrast, Bedford was a relatively small town and suburb of Boston with a Selectmen – Open Town Meeting form of government and a complexity that belies its size. Within our boundaries, we have a VA Hospital, Middlesex Community College, an industrial base, portions of Hanscom Field, and a residential community.
In 1988 we were still becoming accustomed to the limitations of Proposition 2 ½ on our community and its spending, while facing the desire and need for spending in a number of areas. In addition, we have many boards and committees that play an important role in the planning and governing of Bedford, something that is different than other municipalities and in other parts of the country.
Much has changed during the ensuing thirty years. Rick played a crucial role in Bedford’s growth and maturity as a community and in the professionalism of its government. It is often said that Bedford is a well-run community and that is, in great part, due to the expertise and professionalism that Rick has brought to this position. His role according to the Charter is to recommend policies and long-range goals to the Selectmen, to appoint and supervise heads of departments for which the Selectmen are responsible (Finance, Public Safety, Public Works to name a few), to prepare the budget for the Selectmen’s departments, to negotiate contracts, to prepare a warrant report for the Town Meeting and much more.
In preparing to write this article, I reviewed Town Reports from the last 30 years. So much has changed in Bedford over these years. One of the first challenges faced by the Town and its leaders shortly after Rick’s arrival was a proposed plan that two hundred acres of forest land in Bedford be used as a landfill for material excavated during the construction of the Central Artery- Harbor Tunnel project. Ultimately the plan was abandoned, but it required the teamwork of environmental and legal consultants, a citizens committee, and local leaders to address this issue. Also in that timeframe, Middlesex College began its planning and development of the Springs Road Campus.
Despite difficult financial times, especially with the limitations of Prop 2 ½, Bedford was able to maintain its services without ever having an override. Rick’s leadership in reorganizing the financial departments of the Town and the cooperative efforts of the Fiscal Planning and Coordinating Committee, which he championed, played a large role in Bedford’s fiscal stability. In the mid-1990’s, it was apparent that Bedford’s facilities needed upgrading. In 1996, the Town voted to build an addition on the Library, move the Police Station to its current location, and to expand the Fire Station into the old Police space. These were all accomplished with a debt exclusion which expired when the debt on these projects was paid. In subsequent years, all of the Town’s buildings have had significant updates and expansions – including the DPW, Town Center Buildings and a major renovation of the Old Town Hall. Another challenge that the Town faced was the need to provide a long-term source of water as many of our Town wells were no longer safe to use. Rick led the Town through the long process of joining the MWRA and working with Lexington to bring the water to Bedford. This was a very big accomplishment and one that continues to serve us well today.
Rick has been an active participant in several multi-town initiatives especially those relating to those related to the Middlesex Turnpike and Route 3 corridor. He initiated the joint Facilities Department, a cooperative effort between the Town and the School Department. This not only provided for centralized services, but it exemplifies the excellent cooperation within the Town of Bedford among the many boards, committees, and entities. This is a rarity in some communities, but not in Bedford.
When I became the Town Moderator in 1999, I appreciated Rick’s support and help as I learned about this new position and role. We met before each Town Meeting to review each article which I found extremely helpful. Whenever I had questions, he always provided thoughtful and careful responses, yet never told me what I should do. I so appreciated his wisdom in my years as Moderator.
There are many more areas in which Rick played a leadership role. He has been an outstanding Town Manager and leaves Bedford in an excellent position for the future. Most importantly, I am glad I had the opportunity to work with Rick Reed over these many years and am proud to call him a friend. We all wish him the best in his retirement.
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