Why I'm Running for Re-Election by Jane Veron

(The following was submitted by Jane Veron, Village Trustee)
I'm Jane Veron, and I've had the privilege of serving as Village Trustee for the past two years. I love what I do, and I'm proud of what we've achieved, but there's much more I want to accomplish.

I am committed to representing the diverse interests of all Scarsdale residents and to preserving our heritage while also helping our Village evolve as needs change. Serving as a Trustee is both a high honor and a great responsibility. I'm out nearly every night of every week on Village matters. I have done my best to make myself accessible in the town, on the playing fields, by phone, email, text, or in person. I listen carefully to the vocal dissenters, and I solicit input from the quiet majority. I keep an open mind and my views evolve as I receive new information. I seek compromise and strive to reconcile competing views. I make tough decisions in our collective best interest. I require data to support assertions; and I believe in good process, even if it takes a little extra time and effort. No matter the circumstances, I conduct myself with integrity, decorum, and respect.
I have lived in Scarsdale for 20 years with my husband Andrew and three daughters. My two older daughters have graduated; my youngest is at Scarsdale Middle School.

I am an MBA, and throughout my professional career I've worked in management consulting, marketing, and strategy. Currently, I run The Acceleration Project. I started with a vision to channel underutilized talent to fuel economic development. Over the past five years, I grew TAP into a thriving nonprofit. TAP consults to small businesses, entrepreneurs, and municipalities. We keep local communities vital and empower professionals to deploy their skills. The majority of our work supports women- and minority-owned businesses across Westchester and Rockland Counties. Through TAP, I've grappled with the challenges facing local economies and the importance of stakeholder engagement. As a Trustee, this expertise helps me lead revitalization efforts in our own Village Center.

My passion for economic development and gender equality extends beyond TAP. I serve on the board of the Regional Plan Association and on the Women and Public Policy Leadership Council. Separately, I'm involved in angel investing and private equity.

I have been very active in Village life even before I was elected to the Board of Trustees. I was Chair of the Scarsdale Planning Board, President of the League of Women Voters of Scarsdale, Chair of SNAP, President of the Fox Meadow Neighborhood Association, and serve on the Board of the Scarsdale Foundation.

I brought all of this experience to my role as Trustee. Even more importantly, I approach everything I do with energy, drive, and vision in order to achieve the best for our community.

As just one example of my approach, I have been proud to champion the Ad Hoc Committee on Communications. Based on two decades of experience as a Scarsdale volunteer, it was clear to me that we could govern better if we could bring more information and transparency to our residents. I realized that, despite the best of intentions, the Village was not meeting the evolving communication needs of our community. I recruited volunteers from a cross-section of backgrounds and perspectives, set clear goals, and worked with the committee to produce results. In partnership with Village staff, we've launched a more user-friendly Village website (with a video tutorial and an awareness campaign), implemented a bi-monthly e-blast with up-to-date government news, researched local government social media practices, and delivered a detailed list of recommendations for future work that we continue to review. I am proud to have been part of an initiative that will have lasting positive impact on Scarsdale for years to come.

Our focus on downtown revitalization is critical to Scarsdale's vitality, and my commitment has included walking the Village with the Mayor and staff and speaking individually with merchants. I offered creative parking solutions and solicited feedback on new meters. I helped to reintroduce the Farmers Market, bring public art to Chase Park, and restore community spirit to our holiday "Light the 'Dale" event. I am energized to continue that work.

Only a fraction of a Trustee's work happens at board meetings. I've served as Municipal Services Chair; Chamber liaison; Library liaison; Board liaison to the Youth Advisory Council and Advisory Council for Scarsdale Seniors; liaison to the Cable Commission and as Personnel Committee Chair. Also, I attend neighborhood association meetings, community plantings, government dinners, parades, and ceremonies. My enthusiasm never flags. And I plan to continue at this pace.

I feel lucky to live in and serve our community. Thank you for considering me for a second term so I can move forward our good works on your behalf. I ask you to vote for me on Tuesday, March 20th. The polls will be at the Scarsdale Public Library, open from 6:00 am to 9:00 am and then 12:00 noon to 9:00 pm.