Past PTA President supports Janis Collins for Board of Finance

November 8th we have the responsibility to vote for members of local boards who will make a difference to our daily lives.  I urge you to learn about the candidates and give your vote to the person or people who are best qualified for each position. I have done my research and decided that is my top choice for Board of Finance.

I have known Janis since she moved to Westport in 2002.  We were PTA co-presidents at Green’s Farms Elementary School, and then served on PTA Council together.  Janis is a true asset to any school PTA she volunteers for.  She brings a level of professionalism, particularly through her leadership skills, financial knowledge, inclusive approach and innovative vision, that is rarely seen in volunteer organizations.  Janis continues to bring these skills to all community service positions she has taken on, from her current chairmanship of the Parks and Rec Commission, to her work helping the Westport Farmer’s Market and Homes with Hope strengthen their community connections.

Janis is very familiar with the Westport budget process having supported the Board of Education budgets over the years, and more recently developed and defended Parks and Rec budgets. She knows what it is like to be on the other side of the Board of Finance table and how important it is to be heard, respected and treated fairly.  As Chair of the Parks and Rec commission she goes out of her way to gather and analyze all perspectives, and collaborate with other town organizations, in order to develop and implement what is best for Westport.

In my experience over the last 6 years of attending and sometimes speaking at local board meetings I have found that a board member’s party affiliation is less important to me than their qualifications for the job. I am familiar with the voting records of BOF candidates who currently hold elected positions and although they all might state that they are pro education, the voting records or talking points of some of them might indicate otherwise.  If you observed the recent debate amongst Board of Finance candidates you would have seen how Janis did not engage in partisan rhetoric and blame games.  Instead she suggested clear solutions and vision about how to lead Westport forward in these challenging financial times.

Janis Collins has the perfect balance of fiscal conservancy and compassion for people that I want to see on the Board of Finance. Make the right choice for Westport and vote for Janis Collins.