Bedford running for commissioner
By Other
Published in News on June 13, 2004 2:07 AM
Roger Bedford is making his first run for office, seeking the District 6 seat on the Wayne County Board of Commissioners.
Bedford, a Republican, will face Democrat Jack Best in the Nov. 2 election. Best was recently appointed to the county board to serve the remainder of Ken Gerrard's term.
In his campaign statement, Bedford said his greatest attributes are "Christian values, progressive ideas and common sense."
He continued, "To prosper, Wayne County must lobby for Seymour Johnson Air Force Base to remain open, develop viable initiatives to attract new businesses, utilize all available resources, reduce waste and redundancy, and resolve our ongoing school system problems."
Bedford said that as a commissioner, he would welcome the chance to work with the Wayne County Board of Education.
"Money alone cannot fix problems. Therefore, raising taxes is not prudent," Bedford said. "Changing leadership and adding accountability to those who serve is desperately needed."
He concluded, "The majority party has failed Wayne County long enough. The voters of District 6 deserve a choice, not a politically appointed incumbent."
Bedford is a native of Wayne County. He graduated from Eastern Wayne High School in 1970 and then attended Wayne Community College before joining the Air Force. He served 23 years before retiring in 1995.
His primary background is in personnel and systems management, he said.
He is an active member of New Hope United Methodist Church, where he is the financial secretary, a trustee and a member of the administrative council. He also belongs to the United Methodist Men and was named "lay person of the year" in both 2002 and 2003.
He has been active in the Wayne County Republican Party, having served as a precinct chairman and as a precinct judge.
He has been married for 23 years to the former Carla Patrick of Goldsboro. The couple has three sons and a granddaughter.