Jeff Johnson
for Williamstown Select Board
JEFF JOHNSON FOR WIILLIAMSTOWN SELECT BOARD
Jeffrey L. “Jeff” Johnson, Jr., 47, a native of Williamstown, has thrown his hat in the ring, hoping to land the open three-year seat on the Town’s Select Board in the May 11th election. Johnson, currently serving on the Town’s Diversity, Inclusion and Racial Equity (DIRE) Committee, sees this an opportunity to make a difference in the quality of town governance and in the fabric of the lives of his neighbors.
“I love and appreciate this town, and to me, that means I have an obligation to serve to the best of my abilities,” Johnson said.
Here is my haul from Saturday’s [April 17] town litter clean-up! I worked along Route 7 this morning. My participation in the clean-up is consistent with one of the planks in my platform for the campaign: "Expand local environmental policies related to increased utilization of environmentally-safe energy, materials, and updated recycling solutions." I also insisted on completely recyclable yard signs for that reason. Climate change is real and I want Williamstown to help lead the way and renew, reuse, recycle.
Jeff has laid out an ambitious platform for the three-year commitment:
• Listening to all voices in town to identify common ground and to encourage participation when it comes to the operation of town government
• Establishing forums for safe, respectful, public dialogue to generate productive ideas from our greatest resource: OUR CITIZENS
• Uplifting the ideas of those who may be afraid to speak up; all voices are critical in order that we all belong
• Continuing the expansion of accessible, affordable housing in Williamstown to enable those who work in lower and middle-income jobs to live where they work
• Restoring residents’ confidence and trust that Williamstown is a safe, healthy and welcoming place to live
Jeff has specific priorities and projects in mind to help Williamstown achieve those goals:
• Update human resource (personnel) policies and procedures in all departments to meet the current standards for equity, regardless of race, national origin, religion, ability, age, sexual orientation, or gender identity
• Work to consistently integrate Articles 36 and 37 (from the 2020 Annual Town Meeting) into the policies and fabric of our town government as required by the vote of our citizens
• Create a more user-friendly Town website that includes support for our citizens in the areas of mental health, substance abuse, and victims of domestic violence
• Provide support for the new interim town manager and interim police chief while the Board’s social work team conducts its needs assessment on the safety and well-being of the residents of the Town
• Assist our police department with establishing stronger community connections via public forums, ensuring that support systems are in place to enhance new police data initiatives
• Draw on my background and skills to help adapt our policing policies to align with the State’s new “Act Relative to Justice, Equity and Accountability in Law Enforcement in the Commonwealth,” which creates a mandatory certification process for police officers, increases accountability and transparency in law enforcement, and gives police departments a greater ability to hire and promote only qualified applicants
• Expand local environmental policies related to increased utilization of environmentally-safe energy, materials and updated recycling solutions
• Strengthen community partnership with Williams College, with an emphasis on helping our most vulnerable and marginalized citizens
BIO
Jeff Johnson grew up in Williamstown and has been married to his wife, Jessica, for 15 years. They are proud to be raising their daughter and son here, Jayden, age 18 and Jeffrey, age 14, both of whom attend Mt. Greylock. Johnson attended Williamstown Elementary and Mt. Greylock schools and earned a BA degree in Sociology with a minor in Religion from Middlebury College. Johnson currently works as a Service Coordinator Supervisor in the Pittsfield/North Adams office at the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ Department of Developmental Services, where he has been a fixture for 14 years. Prior to that, Johnson served on the Board of Ecu-Health Care-Berkshire North.
Growing up locally, Johnson was known for his involvement in youth sports in Berkshire County, having participated in the GYBA Boys and Girls Travel Basketball and Lanesborough Tiger’s Youth Football teams. Johnson’s extended family also resides in town, with some having held positions at the Williamstown Police Department and at Williams College.
For campaign updates, visit the campaign Facebook page, JeffJohnson4SelectBoard.
Contact jeffjohnson4selectboard@gmail.com or (413) 884-3600