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January 21 - January 27, 2023
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‘THE WORDS I STATED WERE INAPPROPRIATE’
– MEDFORD COUNCILMAN FRANK CZEKAY
Resident Brian Carns
Councilman Frank Czekay
Resident David Carns Photos By Douglas D. Melegari
Medford Councilman Apologizes for Apparent Threat of Further Prosecution Made at Council Meeting, Recognizes Repeated Assertions He Made About Carns Deed Were Untrue, But Resists Calls to Resign; Woman Calls on Medford Mayor to ‘Take Responsibility’ as Town’s ‘Leader’ for What Has Happened By Douglas D. M elegari Staff Writer
MEDFORD—An embattled Medford Township councilman has now publicly apologized for what was seen as a threat of further prosecution aimed at the Carns family during what he called a “difficult” Jan. 3 Me d ford Tow nsh ip Cou nc i l meeting, adm itting Jan. 17 that his “choice of words” were “inappropriate” and “came out wrong,” but is, so far, resisting growing calls for him to tender
his resignation “immediately.” In fact, Republican Councilman Frank Czekay, who delivered the public apology during a Jan. 17 council meeting, told this newspaper immediately following the session that “no,” he would not be resigning, and when asked if he would still seek re-election later this year, responded, “that decision hasn’t been made yet.” Czekay, who ran on the ballot nearly two-and-a-half years ago along with GOP Deputy Mayor Lauren Kochan, who
is also up for re-election this year, also acknowledged that repeated assertions he made during the Jan. 3 council meeting that the Carns siblings are “not on the deed” for their family’s farm at 265 Medford-Mount Holly Road were in fact not true. “You are on the deed, there is no question about that,” declared Czekay on Jan. 17 after asking Brian Carns to remain at the microphone, while also addressing David Carns directly, who was sitting in the audience at that particular moment in time.
But then Czekay, after issuing the public apology and maintaining that he was being “sincere,” remarked to the twin brothers, “whether you are a current owner, I am not going to debate that,” leading Brian Carns to declare, “Dude, you should resign!” “Right now – resign Frank!” declared Brian Carns, troubled that Czekay not only seemed to once again imply that he was not the owner of the farm in public view, but See COUNCILMAN/ Page 6
INDEX Business Directory...................................14
Marketplace/Job Board................................. 14
Local News.................................................2
Worship Guide..........................................11
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