Bipartisan Leadership, Transparent Approach
Oxford County government is divided into three districts. I am running for the seat currently occupied by Tim Turner of Buckfield. This is District 3, which encompasses the communities of Oxford, Otisfield, Hebron, Buckfield, Hartford, Sumner, Woodstock, West Paris and Paris.
As a commissioner, I will be one of a three-member board which oversees the responsibilities and finances of our county government. Once elected, I will represent the interests of all Oxford County residents in a completely bipartisan manner.
Being honest, no matter how difficult, is the only way to operate. As a county commissioner, no one will ever have to guess what I am thinking. I am committed to providing clarity and transparent communication about my decisions.
Serving with Integrity and Dedication
As a 40-year resident of Oxford County, I have a long history of public service, starting with my time on the PTO (parent-teacher org), while my son was in second grade at the Fox School here in Paris.
Due to a resignation on the board of selectmen, I made my first foray into elected office. This was where I began to hone my skills as a negotiator. I was one woman working with four men, all longtime members of this town. Our meetings were not always fun or pleasant, but I never quit.
During this time period, I voted to turn over the former Wilner Wood Products property on Alpine Street to SAD17. This was a tax-acquired property, and had been classified by the DEP as a brownfield. It required extensive clean up before it could be used for any other purpose. The property was cleaned up, and we now know those fields as the Gouin Athletic Complex.
After four and a half years as a selectman, my life took a different direction and I needed to devote my time to earning a living as a single mom. I never lost my desire to be involved in my community and began to serve in volunteer capacities.
Who is Janet Jamison?
I grew up in Falmouth (Maine) with two younger siblings, a stay-at-home mom and a dad who was always working long hours to grow his business as a welder and boilermaker.
By the time I was twenty, both my parents were gone; my father had died in an accident, and my mother passed away from a brain tumor. I wanted to leave the Portland area, and serendipitously wound up driving down Main Street in Norway. I decided immediately that I wanted to live here.
The rest is history.
I’ve worked at numerous local institutions, including Biz Realty, Paris Farmer’s Union, and Bolster’s Decorating, and retired from the US Postal Service in 2022 after 20 years. The Oxford Hills have been my home for 40 years, and I am committed to the citizens of Oxford County and their well-being.
A Record of Public Service
Beyond serving as a selectman, I have served my community in multiple capacities over the years. I've been on our local solid waste board, Norway Paris Solid Waste, several times over the years, and was recently appointed for a third time. I was elected to the Paris Utility District for three years, during a time in which the district improved both its waste treatment facilities and capacity. Moving the business office into the expanded facility created an opportunity for the town to lease the PUD property (located at the base of Paris Hill Road) for a term of 99 years. This area is now known as Paris River Park. It provides community park space and access to the river.
As a Paris budget committee member this past budget season, I was instrumental in carving $200,000.00 from the budget requested by the NPSW board.
Last year, I was among several citizens at town meeting who slashed one million dollars from Paris' 25 -26 town budget with no noticeable decrease in services.
What goes on in our community matters to me.
I will bring that same commitment to Oxford County government.