TOWN MEETING 2020, Cathy Cordes, Town Moderator

This article is part of a series of articles to provide information about this year's Annual Town
Meeting scheduled for July 11, 2020.
Part 1 - Logistics

To Bedford Voters,
On the surface, our Annual Town Meeting will look different. None of us ever imagined a Town
Meeting with physical distancing, face coverings, and outside on a football field on a Saturday!
Bedford is not alone. Every town in Massachusetts with Open Town meeting is doing similar
planning; many have completed their meetings. We have the advantage about reading about
those successes (and issues) so that we can fine tune our experience. What I can tell you, is
that the basic underlying principles of democratic process are being upheld. Voters have
attended–in larger numbers than expected. Everyone has been heard. Votes were taken. Our
form of self-governance is alive and well. We will have our turn on July 11 at 9 AM.

There is an extensive planning team working on all the details to keep voters as safe as possible.
The team includes the Town Manager, Town Moderator, Town Clerk, Directors of Health and
Human Services, Facilities, Public Works, the Police Chief, and the Fire Chief, along with staff
support from all these departments. The goal is to protect the voters and Town employees
during the Covid-19 pandemic, and to assure the legitimacy of our Town Meeting. Please refer
to the website at https://www.bedfordma.gov/town-meeting for up-to-date information,
warrants, presentations and background materials.

Location
The meeting will be held July 11, 2020 at Sabourin Field at Bedford High School. The MA
Department of Public Health has recommended that an outdoor meeting is much safer than
gathering a large group of people in an enclosed space indoors. In order to ensure the safety of
all residents, all attendees will be required to wear face coverings for the entirety of Town
Meeting. A face covering will be provided by the Town, if you do not have one. Physically
distanced chairs will be set up on the turf field, and Town staff will guide residents to their seats
in order to ensure proper distancing. Staff will also assist residents with how to properly leave
the field once Town Meeting has concluded. Hand sanitizer, sunscreen, and ADA-accessible
restrooms will be available for all attendees.

Parking
Parking will be available in the Bedford High School or by Town Hall. Handicap parking spaces
closest to Sabourin Field are located on the far-left side of Bedford High School near the
cafeteria entrance. Additional parking is available at the John Glenn Middle School lots. After
parking, walk down the path along the side of the field toward the High School.

Voter Check-in
The meeting is scheduled to start at 9 AM, but check-in for voters will begin at 8 AM. Voters
are encouraged to arrive early in order for the meeting to start on time.

Cathy Cordes, Town Moderator TownModerator@BedfordMA.gov 1

All voters and non-voting attendees will check-in at the tables located at the Field entrance
nearest the High School. Physical distancing will be strictly observed. You will NOT need to
check-in by precinct; a new system will allow voters to check-in at any table. Please state your
name and address loudly and clearly to the poll worker. Face coverings will be required at all
times. If you arrive without a face covering the Town will provide one for you.

Town staff will be available to direct you to seats. Seating will be in rows of single seats spaced
a safe distance apart – alternating with rows of two seats for persons from the same household
to sit together. All seating will be off a dedicated aisle, so there will be no crossing of paths to
be seated. Signs will clearly mark the flow and staff will be available to help direct voters.

Materials, Sound and Microphone Usage

An outside meeting means there will be no big screens and no PowerPoint presentations during
Town Meeting. All motions, warrants, supporting information, video presentations by Finance
Committee and Select Board, and other presentations will be posted online at
https://www.bedfordma.gov/town-meeting In early July. There are also FAQs, as well as copies
of this information. All voters are encouraged to review the online materials in order to be
prepared to vote. You can download to your own tablet, computer or phone. A printed copy of
all motions will be available at Check-in.

There will be a professional sound system with the microphones to ensure everyone will be
easily heard. Voters will not have to leave their seat to speak. Voters will raise their voting
card to be recognized by the Moderator and a microphone will be brought to you. After each
use the microphone will be sanitized.

There will be no live broadcast of the meeting but it will be recorded and shown later on
Bedford TV.

Voting
Every voter will receive a voting card when they check-in. It will be used to get the attention of
the Moderator if you want to speak, and it will be used to vote. There will be no "voice votes"
at this meeting. When a vote is taken on an article, all those in favor will raise their voting card.
Then, those opposed will raise their voting cards. The result will be announced as "The motion
passes (or fails)." If the Moderator is unsure of the result, the tellers will take a hand count.

Memorial Resolutions and Minutemen

Memorial resolutions for Bedford residents who have died in the previous year since the last
Annual Town Meeting are generally read at the beginning of the meeting. These are people
who have served the Town as employees, committee members, or elected officials. We will
observe a moment of silence for them but we will not be reading the list at this meeting. The
list will be included in materials, given to the press for publication and of course the families
will receive a letter from the Town. The Select Board wants be clear that this tradition will be
reinstated at future Town Meetings and further, that this year's list will be read at a future
Town Meeting.

Cathy Cordes, Town Moderator TownModerator@BedfordMA.gov 2

A few Bedford Minutemen will be posting the colors before the meeting. Do come early so you
can see them - they will be posting the colors at 9 AM.

The foundation of Town Meeting is the voters' right to speak and the right to self-govern. That
remains the guiding principle of this Town Meeting as well, just on softer ground and with more
fresh air. I hope to see you on July 11. If you have comments or questions you can contact me
at TownModerator@bedfordma.gov

Cathy Cordes, Town Moderator TownModerator@BedfordMA.gov 3