Medford Sun

By AUBRIE GEORGE | The Medford Sun
As Medford Township heads into 2010, residents will see new mayor, Bob Martin, take office and can also look out for the township moving forward on long-awaited projects while looking for ways to keep costs and spending down.
Martin and councilman Dave Brown said Council’s biggest challenge this year would be keeping taxes down.
“We’re always looking for ways to cut costs,” Brown said. “Our concern is making Medford a great place to live and keeping our young people here as well as our senior citizens, they are our greatest resource.”
Brown said council has been meeting with township department heads and directors and asking them to do anything they can to cut costs and keep spending down in their departments.
In addition, Martin said the township would continue to look to engage shared services agreements, much like a recent measure council approved to purchase a synthetic turf groomer with surrounding communities.
“That’s something we’re going to continue to look for,” Martin said. “Whether it be leaf pickup, brush disposal or anything with public works or public safety that we could possibly do.”
Following along with the issue of taxes, Martin said residents should expect a township-wide tax revaluation, which he said, is set to get underway this February.
Residents will see the township move toward construction to install a solar field on six acres of township-owned land by the township’s sewer plant. Officials said the township will save about $200,000 a year once the panels are up and running and will benefit from the stable and reduced cost to operate the plant.
“Residents will have a modern, efficient sewer treatment plant.” Brown said.
Brown said council would continue to look for ways to update Medford’s infrastructure in 2010.  He said the township has already moved forward with renovations at the Union and Taunton fire stations.
The goal of those projects, they said, is to upgrade both of the facilities so that they are brought up to safety standards and so the buildings offer a comfortable environment for the township’s volunteer firefighters. 
Brown and Martin encourage more young people to volunteer for public safety in Medford in 2010, noting that there are excellent benefits for volunteers such as full training and tuition sharing opportunities.
“It’s great for your resume,” Martin said. “It’s a springboard into life.”
Martin said his son, who is now a trauma surgeon, got his start volunteering for public safety in Medford. 
“Public safety in fire and EMS is a very sound way for young people to give back,” Brown said.
Brown and Martin said council would continue a focus on public safety in 2010.
“Public safety is our number one challenge and priority,” Brown said.
They said the public safety department recently came up a way of replacing the township’s ambulance vehicles by refurbishing the patient car in current vehicles with up-to-date lighting and safety features and attaching the cars to new chassis. The department plans to continue to replace its vehicles that way, they said, which will save a quarter of a million dollars over the long haul.
The township is also encouraging residents to get on board with Nixle – a free, web-based community information service that residents are able to subscribe to in order to receive personally relevant, location-specific information instantly over the Web or sent to their mobile phones or and smart phone devices. The police department implemented Medford’s use of Nixle in October 2009. Residents can find out more information and sign up for an account by visiting www.nixle.com.
In 2010, Martin and Brown said they would continue to work with the Medford Cultural Arts Center toward getting their planned, permanent mainstay at the Main Street Friends Meetinghouse stabilized and ready for them to move in. Renovations made possible by state funds will continue at the meetinghouse in 2010, they said.
In addition, they said, they would continue to work with the Senior Advisory Board to implement and enhance programs for Medford senior citizens at the recently renovated Cranberry Hall.
Later down the line, Brown and Martin said the township has a vision for a teen center as well as an updated library. Officials said there is nothing on the drawing board as of yet regarding those concepts, but said they would begin developing a vision for them in 2010.
“I think it’s important to have a vision,” Brown said. “Three years ago we didn’t have a cultural arts center or a senior center.”
A new canoe launch on the north side of Kirby’s Mill will be installed this spring, they said.  The canoe launch will be installed so that canoeists and kayakers can access the Medford Canoe Trail safely and conveniently instead of having to walk across Church Road from the parking area to the water on the south side of Kirby’s Mill.
The Medford Canoe Trail is a two-mile trail on the Southwest Branch of the Rancocas Creek that begins in Medford Park and ends at Kirby’s Mill. From there, the Rancocas Creek continues to the Delaware River. However, there are fallen trees that currently block a portion of the creek between Kirby’s Mill and Lumberton.  Martin and Brown said they would continue to work with Burlington County to get the creek cleared so that canoeists and kayakers could access the trail all the way to the Delaware River.
Martin said he expects the township’s Returning Veteran Committee, which welcomes back returning modern war veterans to the local Medford community and sponsors homecoming events that honor their service, would most likely grow in 2010.
“That’s going to get bigger and bigger and stronger and stronger,” Martin said.
The revitalization of Main Street will continue in 2010, Martin and Brown said.
“That’s an initiative we really want to step up this year,” Martin said.
They said revitalization has already begun with the demolition and reconstruction of Medford’s historic Stagecoach Stop, which began in November. They said the township would continue to encourage other people to come in and put together a storefront on Main Street as well.
“We want to bring it back to the way it was many years ago when it was the heart of Medford,” Martin said.
In addition, Martin said the two business associations in town, the Medford Business Association and the Historic Medford Village Association, would work together throughout 2010 to unite all of the business areas that are located throughout the township.
He also said that they would look to bring more commercial ratable properties into the township.
“Every area in town is unique,” Martin said, “So we are looking or things that will really fit in with our people.”
Martin said the township would also examine the township’s roads and traffic patterns to come up with plans for improvement. 
Both Martin and Brown said they look forward to the Hartford Road and Route 70 intersection improvement project coming to completion in 2010.
In addition to the budget challenges, Martin and Brown said they see COAH as being a continuous challenge for Medford in 2010.
“We’re not against affordable housing, we’re against the way it’s mandated,” Martin said. “So we’re going to continue to try to protect our taxpayers from that.”
While there will be significant challenges ahead, Martin and Brown said they look forward to a successful 2010 and that a good deal of that success will come from the township’s many volunteers.
Both said the township’s volunteers are extremely vital as well as appreciated throughout the township.
“Out volunteers are really the mainstay in Medford,” Martin said. “They’re very important to us.”
Martin and Brown reminded residents that any group or committee that has a need or idea should approach council so that they can work together to address their needs and make Medford a better place.
“We’re constantly trying to upgrade Medford and give residents a good place to live,” Brown said.

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