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Residents urge transparency as Bedford council moves to closed session on forest/reservoir land
Summary
A resident questioned why a closed-session item about reservoir-area property appeared on the agenda; the council later authorized a closed session citing state code to discuss acquisition or disposition of forest property in the Peeps Magisterial District and consult the town attorney.
A resident said the closed-session line in the council’s agenda raised alarm among neighbors and urged the council to make any decisions about reservoir land public, while a second commenter suggested conservation-easement options. Later in the meeting the council voted unanimously to enter closed session to discuss a land transaction and consult the town attorney.
Leslie Mahaffey, who identified herself as living at 1517 Woodland Road, raised two concerns during appearances before council. She said the presence of private-contractor trash receptacles in town-owned Liberty Lake Park left her “taken back” and asked whether the town was paying an outside vendor to pick up refuse on town property. Mahaffey also flagged the closed-session agenda item dealing with property around the reservoir and asked, “when you're at liberty to discuss it, I hope that, whatever decision is made, that it is brought before the citizens for a public hearing… and put it out for bid if that's a process that is involved.”
Mahaffey added that the item’s appearance on the published agenda “lighted up some fire with some citizens” once she shared it on social media and said the closed-session description gives the impression of backroom dealings: “it gives the impression that there's something that you scratch my back, I'll scratch your back type thing.”
Dave Goode, who said a friend asked him to attend, urged the council to consider conservation easement options for the land around the reservoir: “is there any thought to conservation easement, utilizing this land, put it into a conservation easement, whether sell it or not.”
Later, the mayor moved that council enter a closed session “pursuant to Virginia code 2 dot 2 dash 3 7 1 1 8 3 for the purpose of concern discussion or consideration of the acquisition or disposition of land and for consultation with the town attorney regarding legal status of such property, where discussion in open session would adversely affect the bargaining position or negotiating strategy of the town. Regarding forest property outside town limits in the Peeps Magisterial District of Bedford County.” The motion was seconded and council voted with all members in favor to enter closed session.
The meeting was adjourned and rescheduled to reconvene at 6 p.m. on Jan. 20, 2026, when financial statements are to be presented; the transcript shows the council did not disclose details of the closed-session discussion in open session at the meeting’s close.
