Medford Sun

By AUBRIE GEORGE | The Medford Sun
In less than a month, one of three applicants recommended by the Medford Republican Committee will fill a vacant seat on Township Council.
Council has fewer than 30 days to choose Victoria Fay, Brett Wartenberg or Frank Czekay to fill the council seat vacated by Mary Anne O’Brien, who was sworn into a three-year term on the Burlington County Board of Chosen Freeholders on Jan. 1.
Medford Republican Committee Chairman Stephen Madosky, Sr., said he had 14 days from O’Brien’s resignation, on Dec. 31, to choose three names and formally submit them to council.
Madosky said the committee had interviewed seven candidates before submitting a formal recommendation to council on Jan. 8.
He said a man and a woman who represent the Republican party from each of the 17 voting districts in Medford came together to vote on which names should be submitted to council
Madosky said all of the applicants were qualified and involved in township organizations or activities in some way.
Fay is the owner of Bain’s Deli in Medford and in Haddonfield and is president of The Historic Medford Village Association as well as a member of the township’s economic development commission.
Also on the economic development commission, Wartenberg is a chiropractor and is the owner of Main Street Chiropractic in Medford, which has run for over 20 years, Madosky said.
Czekay, an accountant and an attorney, is vice chairman of the township zoning board and is also treasurer of the Deerbrook Civic Association and the Deerbrook Swim and Tennis Club, Madosky said.
Council has 30 days from the time the formal recommendation was filed to make a decision on which applicant will fill the seat, Madosky said.
Mayor Bob Martin said he and at least one other councilperson would interview all three of the applicants before making a decision.  
Martin said council would look for the person who best fits with the current council and who has the future of Medford first at hand.
“We want somebody that wants to do this for the right reason,” Martin said.  “I think all three of them are that person, we just have to figure out which one would fit in best at this particular time. It could be any of the three.”
Martin said he hoped council would have all their facts together and be able to have a discussion at council’s next meeting, scheduled for Jan. 26.
Whoever is chosen to fill the seat will need to run as an incumbent in the November general election to fill the seat for the remainder of O’Brien’s original four-year council term, which is set to expire in 2011.
After the term expires, they can run in the next general election for a full term, if they choose to do so.

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