Medford Sun

By AUBRIE GEORGE | The Medford Sun
A new mayor was introduced last week when former mayor Dave Brown handed over leadership to Bob Martin during the township’s reorganization meeting.
“I’m so honored and privileged and blessed to become the mayor of Medford Township,” said Martin as he took his seat.
Martin, who grew up in Medford in the 1950s and ‘60s, said he used to cut the mayor’s lawn as a boy.
“I never would have imagined that one day I would become mayor,” Martin said. “I look forward to taking on my new responsibilities.”
Brown was sworn into a four-year term on Council alongside his November election running mates Chris Myers and Joseph Lynn, Jr. Assemblyman Scott Rudder, a former Medford Councilman, attended last week’s meeting to swear in the three incumbent Council members.
Former Councilwoman Mary Anne O’Brien, who recently took her seat on the Burlington County Board of Chosen Freeholders, also attended last week’s meeting to swear Martin into office as mayor and Myers into office of deputy mayor.
In addition, the township offered O’Brien a proclamation for her past two years of service on Medford Council.
O’Brien and Martin, both Republicans, ran together for Council seats and were sworn into four-year terms in 2007.
O’Brien’s departure leaves one unexpired seat open on the five-member Council.  Council will appoint a replacement to fill that spot until the next general election. Whoever is selected to fill O’Brien’s seat will have to run in the November election in order to fill out the remainder of O’Brien’s term, which is scheduled to expire in 2011.
In speeches, Brown and Martin looked back at 2009 while laying out the township’s goals going forward into 2010.
Brown said he was proud of what the township accomplished in the past year.
“I think every resident will benefit from what we did,” Brown said.
Of the accomplishments he highlighted were the township’s continued acquisition of open space, which is now at a total of 4,000 acres; the purchase of the Main Street Meetinghouse for the future destination of the Medford Arts Center as well as lease of a Burlington County Times Main Street building for its temporary home; the demolition and eventual reconstruction of the historic Stagecoach building; and council’s ability to keep taxes down so that residents saw no increase under the 2009 municipal budget.
Looking ahead, Martin said the township would provide solar power to township buildings, promote the revitalization of Main Street, and continue to challenge unfunded mandates such as COAH and the Abbott decision.
“I will not take these responsibilities lightly,” Martin said.
In other news:
n Council made several professional appointments for 2010, including the re-appointment of Richard Hunt of Parker McKay as township solicitor as well as Chris Noll of Environmental Resolutions, Inc. who will be the township engineer again this year.
n Police Chief Anthony Canale told Council that the Medford Police Department has received an award from Nixle for the community’s  wide-spread use of the free service.
Nixle is a free community service information system that supplies residents with timely, relevant information to their cell phones or computer any time of the day or night.
Canale said the department would receive about $10,000 for the participation award, which he said, would be used in the police department, possibly for a training program.
Although Nixle is free to use, standard text message rates apply for cell phone subscribers who do not have text plans with their cell phone providers.
Through Nixle, residents can create an account and chose which information they would like to be updated with by selecting who it comes from – such as the municipality or the police department.  Residents can chose to receive secure information such as traffic alerts, Amber alerts, road closings, time-sensitive public safety alerts as well as information about community events and activities. To sign up for a free account by visiting Nixle’s Web site at www.nixle.com.
Council is scheduled to meet again on Tuesday, Jan. 12 at 7:30 p.m.

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