City council took a moment during its December 21 meeting to look back on the year that was, and to show appreciation to those in Bedford who pulled together to work though these challenging times
“Seeing how everybody responded and worked together and helped one another definitely lifts your spirits,” said City Manager Mike Mallis during the final meeting of the year. “That’s what Bedford is all about.”
Mallis thanked the residents for their patience and flexibility as the city changed some of the ways services were delivered during the pandemic. He said that cooperation by the residents does not go unnoticed and is much appreciated.
He also expressed gratitude toward city businesses. “I know that this has been challenging as well. Some of you have contributed in many different ways, either through donations or in-kind efforts to help one another … it is really appreciated and you get to see what a true community is,” Mallis said.
Finally, Mallis thanked the council and all the city employees. “”We’ve learned a lot; we’ve helped one another; we’ve helped those in need in the community,” he said. “And again, I don’t think we can get through a year like this year without everyone working together.”
Mayor Stan Koci also thanked the citizens for “putting up with” City Hall being partially closed at times, and totally closed at other times.
“I know it’s a headache,” Koci said. “But that is the hand that we are dealt and that’s what we deal with, and hopefully things will loosen up a little bit as we move along through the new year.”
Ward 6 Representative Don Saunders also looked forward to the new year with optimism regarding the pandemic.
“Let’s hope in 2021, we’ll be able to turn things around with the vaccine coming,” Saunders said. “Hopefully we can manage to knock this thing out in a reasonable amount of time.”
In other business:
* The council approved contracts with Allied Door Systems, Inc. to make the public-use doors in both Ellenwood Center and City Hall touch-free, using sensors that will make the doors open automatically. Mallis said the bid for the work on the doors at City Hall came in at $20,182. Most of the money used for the work on the doors comes from the federal COVID-19 CARES Act grants. According to Finance Director Frank Gambosi, the city has received $1,161,000 in the different rounds of CARES funds to help pay for the costs incurred by the city to deal with the pandemic response.
* Mallis said despite the COVID restrictions, “Shop with a Cop” was able to still take place this year. He thanked the Bedford Police officers, volunteers and generous donors for all of their participation for the event. He said officers were able to get lists from residents, and then shop for and deliver all of the items in a successful way.
* Mallis said he would look into complaints by business owners that people have been parking on Broadway Avenue for many hours during the day, and not heeding the allotted parking times. Mallis said part of the issue could be the need for more signage to remind people of the parking hours. He also said that policing of parking infractions has been hindered since a Supreme Court decision last year that said municipalities could no longer chalk tires to determine if vehicles have violated parking rules. Saunders said businesses in the northern part of downtown are affected more by these parking issues, since they are located further from the municipal lots.
