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ELECT
Jean
de Smet |
First
Selectman
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Jean moved to Windham in 1979 and Windham hasn't been
the same since.
Jean graduated magna cum laude with a degree in English
from UConn in 1978. Working as a clerk-typist wasn't active
enough for Jean, so she got her Electrician’s license
and has worked as a master electrician in the electricians’ union
for 28 years, serving 2 terms as an elected officer in
the union.
Among what Jean considers to be her successes, she includes
starting the 3rd Thursday Street Fests. The success of
the Fests is indicative of Jean’s organizational
and leadership skills, hard work, perseverance, vision,
and sense of fun. And proves what a great community we
are.
Jean serves on many Windham committees and regional organizations
because she puts her beliefs into action. As a member of
Neighbor-to-Neighbor, Jean initiated the “December
Artisan’s Store”, an experiment that proved
both that a local craft store was wanted and needed, and
that our community could work cooperatively to make it
happen. As a member of the Victorian Neighborhood Association,
Jean organizes and gives wagon tours of our Victorian Houses
during the Annual Home Tours. Jean helped to produce the
first Annual Riverfest, organized the Chocolate Fest, produced
the Save–the-Y Shaboo Fest and has marched in all
22 Boom Box Parades.
Jean’s not afraid to get her hands dirty: you’ll
find Jean digging in the Community Garden, weeding at Julia
de Burgos Park, mulching the Memorial Park playground.,
pruning on the Garden on the Bridge, or picking up garbage
at the 3rd Thursday Street Fests.
As a community activist, she's battled environmental threats
and won, including the battle to prevent mercury-laden
medical waste from being burned at the Windham Energy Recover
Facility in North Windham and she stopped the construction
of a statewide ash landfill along the Shetucket River in
Windham Center. She is fighting to preserve our historic
buildings in downtown and against the misguided placement
of 74 units of supportive housing off of Roanoke Avenue.
Jean always speaks out on issues that impact Windham residents,
including Charter revision, the cat ordinance and Universal
Health Care.
Jean’s an effective administrator, not a bureaucrat.
She chaired the Windham Recycling Committee for six years,
creating the first recycling flyer, establishing leaf composting,
and writing monthly articles on environmental actions we
can take at home. She has served on the Affirmative Action
Commission and the Open Space and Conservation Commissions.
Jean was on the Board of Directors of the Willimantic Food
Coop, the YMCA, and President of the Community Land Trust
of Windham, which developed 14 units of permanently affordable
housing. Jean is Co-chair of the CT Green Party. As Vice-President
of Thread City Development, Inc, Jean is working to bring
together developers and businesses to invigorate our downtown.
Jean has humbly received many acclamations for her citizenship,
including the Secretary of State Citizen Award; the Storrs
Chapter AAUW Woman of the Year; Access Agency's Community
Service Award, WILI-AM's Ray of Sunshine, and the Windham's
Romantic Willimantic Cupid for 2003. Jean is a member of
too many state and national environmental, civic, art and
advocacy groups to list.
Jean de Smet and Bob Hackemack chose to make Willimantic
their home because they love its friendly, diverse, small-city
atmosphere which is surrounded by the beauty of the scenic,
sheltered villages, rivers and woodlands of Windham. A
piece of heaven on earth.
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This site created
for
Jean de Smet for
First Selectman,
Thomas McNally, Treasurer
Please send campaign contributions to:
Jean
de Smet for First
Selectman
Thomas McNally, Treasurer
PO Box 161, Windham, CT 06280
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