Bedford council candidates don’t agree on what’s best for the city

In Bedford’s only contested council race, the two candidates have opposing views on the city’s future and how it should be managed.

Roy Turner, a retired physician who has served on the council for nine years, and real estate agent Darryl Day are squaring off in the Place 5 race. The election is Saturday.

Day ran for mayor last year and said he is running for the Place 5 seat because residents are not happy with the status quo, citing concerns about the lack of new businesses in the city, the conditions at the Boys Ranch Lake and a feeling that they have no voice at City Hall.

Turner, 77, who has lived in Bedford for 46 years, disagrees, saying that Bedford has made a “remarkable” recovery since the Great Recession and the North Tarrant Express construction.

“During the highway construction, we went out and knocked on doors. Now we are having businesses wanting to come to Bedford,” he said.

Turner added that the city is doing something right to have increasing sales tax revenue.

He gave examples including the flagship Movie Tavern and the Mexican Inn leaving the city and then coming back.

Turner said that Bedford Commons, a project that will include business and residential development, is another reason why he wants to remain on the council. The development has to be planned very carefully to be a success,” he said.

“If you look at the statistics and attitudes, Bedford is far from being a stagnant city. We are coming out of the doldrums from what we had in 2000,” Turner said.

Turner said he also wants to continue working on developing the Boys Ranch Park, calling it an “under-utilized jewel.”

He is also concerned about the ducks and the turtles that couldn’t get out of the water at the lake, and said ramps were built for the animals and that the city is working closely with the the Texas Department of Parks and Wildlife.

Increasing starting salaries for Bedford’s first responders is also important as Turner said they have been neglected in terms of pay.

Day said he has talked to many residents and small businesses who feel like the city doesn’t listen to their concerns.

Day said that during a business round table he attended, several said they were planning on moving out of Bedford when their leases were up for renewal.

Day said he is also concerned that the city has not been forthcoming with information about Bedford Commons and wondered how the development could compete with nearby Glade Parks.

“The city is only interested in working with big businesses, such as a hospital,” he said.

He said the city does not provide information to residents, who must search for it on Bedford’s website.

The Boys Ranch Lake is another concern, Day said.

“During the bond election, we were told we were [improving the lake] for the sake of the wildlife. A lot of people thought that they were voting for something that was wildlife-friendly,” he said.

“The city has tried to be proactive, but it wasn’t very well thought out,” he said.

This story was originally published May 2, 2016 at 2:48 PM with the headline "Bedford council candidates don’t agree on what’s best for the city."