Government

    Stacey Hailey is the new guy on Bedford City Council.

    He won a contested election last fall and now he has to do it all over again in order to have a seat on Town Council, which takes over from City Council on July 1. This time there isn’t a contested election, but Hailey is aiming to be among the top four vote getters who will receive four year terms.

    C. G. Stanley has served on Bedford City Council since 2002. With Bedford’s reversion to town status coming up on July 1, Stanley is seeking a seat on the new Town Council.

    He’s a Bedford native.
    “I’ve got some good memories of growing up here, good lasting memories,” he said.
    Stanley described Bedford as a thriving community in his youth.

Jim Vest grew up in the town of Bedford. Today Vest lives in the city of Bedford.

    Now, he’s running for Bedford Town Council.
    Vest is currently a Bedford City councilman. He previously served on City Council from 1982 to 1994, including a tour of duty as vice mayor. Vest said he left at that point because he believed in term limits at the time. He returned in 2006 and has served ever since.
    “It was suggested that I run again, so I did,” Vest said.

    Three of the four candidates vying for the Republican nomination for the 19th House of Delegates seat showed up in Bedford last week to speak before a candidate forum held at the Bedford Municipal Building.

    Zachary Hatcher, Zach Martin and Jim McKelvey showed up speak. Terry Austin did not attend. According to Charlene Poole, who spearheaded the effort, Austin, like McKelvey and Martin, had received an invitation to the event three weeks ago. Hatcher got his notice late because he had only recently announced his candidacy.