By FELIX CARROLL

Both the head of the Bedford Central Board of Education and the man who often played the role of thorn in her side will not seek reelection to the school board in the May 20 election.

"I do feel it's time," said Dot Fallon, who currently serves as the board's president. "Six years of intense energy devoted to one thing has been tremendously rewarding, but it's time for me to look to do something else."

Joseph Whelan, striking both a conciliatory note and the defiant stance he's perfected as the board's lone nonconformist for the past three years, said this week that running again would be futile, given the current makeup of the board.

"What I went on the hoard to accomplish cannot be accomplished under this existing structure," he said. "What I want to do is work on a state level and work on a local level in order to get the ship back on course. Right now, spending-wise, it's a runaway train. The board is not constituted in such a way that training is valued. Objectivity is not valued, know-how is not valued.

"I will say this: The people I've worked with on that hoard are some of the finest people, and most dedicated people - particularly to their own families - that I've ever seen," he added. "But that's not necessarily the job description. And the administration, those are the brightest, most qualified people you could ever have. But we're sort of the bandleaders," he said, referring to the school board, "and the orchestra is not playing the symphony."

The deadline for school board candidates to file candidacy papers to run in the election was Monday. In Bedford Central, Susan Elion Wollin is running unopposed for Ms. Fallon's seat. Jason Black and Mark Santora are running for Mr. Whelan's seat.

In Katonah-Lewisboro, incumbent Judith Collins-Turi is not seeking reelection. The candidates for her seat are Peter Breslin and Robert Meyer.

Don Scott, who serves as the board's president, is running unopposed for a second term.

"If you would have asked me the first week of my first term, I would have said I'm doing this for three years and that's it," said Mr. Scott. "But I think you learn so much over three years, it's almost like you feel like now I'm in the position where I can really contribute."

He added, "But I promise this one will be the last one."

"I feel really good about the six years I've spent on the board," said Ms. Fallon, whose son graduated last year from Fox Lane High School and whose daughter is a freshman at the school. "I think the board has accomplished some really positive things for the district in this time, and I feel like it's a good time to leave when you feel really good about the work that you've done and allow somebody else the opportunity to step up and make their own contributions.

"I'm ready to move on to another chapter in my life that I haven't really identified yet," she said.

Among what she considers her accomplishments as a board member is seeing the district through the so-called Satan Suit, in which the district was sued for teaching pagan rituals. Also tops on her list, she said, were evaluating and modifying the middle school program; the passing of last year's $67.7-million construction bond; assessing and evaluating performance and developing talent; and working on the latest teachers' contract.

"I think this last teachers' contract really accomplished a number of things for the district that are critically important, and probably most especially having the teacher's participate in health care programs' costs on a percentage basis so that will constantly grow, is major."

Ms. Fallon and Mr. Whelan's terms end June 30.

"I've never had more fun and more satisfaction in my life," said Mr. Whelan " just by raising questions and seeing that the answers were coming from well-meaning people."