Page 9 - City of Bedford FY22 Budget

History of City

G e og ra p h y

The Ci t y o f B edf o r d i s l o cat ed i n No r t heas t Tar rant Co unt y i n t he r eg i o n o f No r t h Cent ral Texas . It l i es appr o xi m at el y f o ur t een
m i l es f r o m do wnt o wn F o r t Wo r t h and t went y -t wo m i l es f r o m do wnt o wn D al l as al o ng S H 121. B edf o r d i s cent ral t o ar ea
ai r po r t s s i t uat ed { v e m i l es wes t o f D F W Int er nat i o nal Ai r po r t , t went y -t wo m i l es wes t o f D al l as Lo v e F i el d, and t went y -t wo
m i l es s o ut heas t o f Al l i ance Ai r po r t . The Ci t y has a t o t al l and ar ea o f appr o xi m at el y t en s quar e m i l es , o r 6 ,39 3 acr es .

History

S et t l er s { r s t ar r i v ed i n t he B edf o r d ar ea i n 186 0. In 186 9 Wel do n W i l es B o bo m i g rat ed t o t he ar ea f r o m B edf o r d Co unt y ,
Tennes s ee and es t abl i s hed a s t o r e nam ed “B o bo ’s S t o r e.” He s ecur ed t he { r s t po s t o f { ce i n 1877, and t he t o wn was nam ed
B edf o r d f o r hi s ho m e co unt y . B y 1882, t he co m m uni t y had g r o wn t o a po pul at i o n o f abo ut 2,000 and had 28 bus i nes s es al o ng
B edf o r d Ro ad, i ncl udi ng t hr ee g eneral s t o r es , t wo dr ug s t o r es , t wo bl acks m i t h s ho ps , t wo s al o o ns , t wo co t t o n g i ns , and a g r i s t
m i l l .

The publ i c s cho o l s y s t em was es t abl i s hed i n t he ar ea af t er 189 4. B edf o r d El em ent ar y S cho o l was co ns t r uct ed at t he cur r ent
s i t e o f t he O l d B edf o r d S cho o l i n 19 12 and r em ai ned i n o perat i o n unt i l 19 6 9 . It was t he { r s t us e o f br i ck as a bui l di ng m at er i al i n
t he ar ea. The t ur n o f t he t went i et h cent ur y s aw a s t eady decl i ne i n t he B edf o r d po pul at i o n. A new g r o wt h per i o d beg an wi t h
Wo r l d War II as m i l i t ar y bas es and def ens e co nt ract o r s beg an t o bui l d i n s ur r o undi ng ar eas . F o l l o wi ng Wo r l d War II, t he
B edf o r d B o y s Ranch was es t abl i s hed o n a 253-acr e t ract o f l and i n 19 49 .
Form of G ove rn m e n t

B edf o r d i nco r po rat ed o n Januar y 22, 19 53 wi t h a po pul at i o n o f appr o xi m at el y 475 i n a t wo s quar e m i l e ar ea. At t hat t i m e, t he
Ci t y had a m ay o r -co m m i s s i o n t y pe o f g o v er nm ent . Ho wev er , o n S ept em ber 24, 19 6 6 t he ci t i zens ado pt ed a ho m e r ul e char t er ,
al o ng wi t h t he co unci l -m anag er f o r m o f g o v er nm ent .

Cur r ent l y , B edf o r d o perat es under t he co unci l -m anag er g o v er nm ent . It el ect s a May o r and s i x Co unci l Mem ber s at -l ar g e t o
s er v e s t ag g er ed t hr ee-y ear t er m s . Al l po wer s o f t he Ci t y and t he det er m i nat i o n o f po l i cy ar e v es t ed i n t he el ect i v e Co unci l ,
whi ch enact s l eg i s l at i o n, ado pt s budg et s , det er m i nes po l i ci es , and appo i nt s t he Ci t y Manag er - who execut es t he l aws and
adm i ni s t er s t he g o v er nm ent o f t he Ci t y . The Ci t y Manag er i s di r ect l y r es po ns i bl e t o t he Co unci l and each o f t he depar t m ent
di r ect o r s r epo r t t o t he Ci t y Manag er ’s o f { ce.

City of Bedford, TX | Budget Book 2022 Page 9