PRESS: Manchester Resident Jonathan West Announces Run for Selectboard
MANCHESTER – Manchester resident Jonathan West announced he will run for the town's Selectboard, seeking the two-year term currently held by board member Laurie Kunz.
“From a very early age, I’ve always been fond of politics,” West said. He noted that his father, William West, served on the board in the 1980s. “It’s been in my blood for a very long time.”
West is chief technology officer with a Texas software company (formerly based in Burlington, Vermont). He and his husband Thomas West have four children, ages 2 through 8. Jonathan West attended Manchester Elementary Middle School, Burr and Burton Academy, and graduated from the University of Vermont.
Jonathan and Thomas West created Daddy and Papa Media, publishing a book entitled “A Kid’s Book About Gay Parents.” Jonathan West said the reaction has been positive.
“We shared our family’s story very publicly because we believe that’s important for acceptance and visibility,” he said.
He said he moved out of Manchester when Thomas (who was recently appointed to the Manchester Planning Commission), joined the military. But, he added, “We made a commitment to move back here full time because we believe in this community.”
West said the town is facing some difficult issues, putting the lack of affordable housing at the top of the list.
“No one living in Manchester or wanting to move here or work here should be priced out of this community,” he said. “Housing is literally paramount to finding solutions and bringing people together from every aspect of our community to make a difference. Let’s bring everyone to the table, even the ones we don’t necessarily agree with, and have strong conversations about how we’re going to move forward.
“The more we push this down the road, the worse it’s going to get,” he said.
He said equity is another top issue, a commitment that should be reflected in the Town Plan of Development.
“I believe that it’s really important that we build a new, fully encompassing town plan that prioritizes the fundamental necessities of our residents first," he said. "We are a community of tourism … we rely heavily on tourism. But we need to ensure that the residents who are here are the priority.”
West said town government and meetings should be as accessible and transparent as possible. “Not everyone can attend in person, attend them on Zoom. We need to get everyone to participate in our form of government,” he said.
He said the discussions on social media are “troubling,” adding that the public needs to understand the fact-based issues and be involved in community conversations.
West said he wants to see “a better environment for everyone,” focusing on housing, equity and transparency, “making sure people feel accepted and their voices are heard.”
He said people talk about preserving the Manchester they love. But, he added, the concern is the town shifts in one direction – geared more toward second-home owners.
"There are changes that need to be made to get us to that point where we can preserve the Manchester we love," he said.
Kunz has filed her petition to seek re-election. In addition to the two-year term, Heidi Chamberlain is seeking re-election to her three-year term on the Selectboard.
West said he is excited to run for the Selectboard.
“I’m driven, and I want this role,” he said. “This is something that I’m passionate about.”
https://www.manchesterjournal.com/local-news/manchester-vermont-resident-jonathan-west-announces-run-for-selectboard/article_06896f3e-b0a4-11ee-b951-4bf91dc3ee09.html
