I read with interest the profiles of the Medford Council candidates in the recent edition of The Medford Sun. I don’t know the Democratic candidates personally, and I can only assume they have good intentions. However, the reasons they offer to vote for them, which are to provide all residents access to information and an equal opportunity for input to our local government, shows that they are misinformed at best.
The fact is our current township council, which includes Frank Czekay and Lauren Kochan, has regularly provided all residents a forum for feedback and input at council meetings. Anyone wishing to address council is encouraged to do so, and treated with respect and without interruption. All council meetings, as well as planning and zoning meetings, are live streamed and archived so all residents can see what is happening in our township. If residents have questions or suggestions, they can contact council members directly using their contact information, which is on the township website. Not to mention that council members regularly attend community events to engage with Medford residents. With this proven record of accessibility, how can the Democratic candidates claim that Medford residents are being kept in the dark?
In addition, the Democratic candidates’ position statements in The Sun offer only one reason to vote for them — that is simply because they are Democrats. They want change simply for change sake, but do not offer a single substantive proposal on how they would improve Medford. Actions speak loader than words, and all Medford residents should take a look at what the current town council has accomplished. Frank and Lauren are focused on Medford and they have contributed to Medford’s success.
Accepting the Democratic candidates’ pandering to residents that their party affiliation qualifies them to lead our community is a risky gamble we cannot afford. Therefore, I urge all Medford voters to vote on November 5th for Frank Czekay and Lauren Kochan for Medford Township Council and the rest of the column two team.
Robert T. Egan
