The following submission is from Evesham Mayor Jaclyn Veasy:
Being the Mayor of Evesham is an incredible honor. I am grateful for the opportunity to give back to the community that I have called home my entire life. April 12 marked the 100th day as mayor and I couldn’t be prouder of our collective accomplishments in just a short time.
First and foremost, we created a welcoming environment at our town council meetings that encourages public participation and debate. I am grateful for the thoughtful questions and comments that have led to the robust discussions on best practices, programming and services for Evesham families. Everyone deserves to be heard and respected.
I feel particularly excited about the update made to Evesham’s Division of Community and Senior Affairs to include and expand resources and services to people with disabilities and to our veterans. This also enables our town to be eligible for more grant and funding opportunities. Our bravest heroes deserve only the best and it is our duty to see they have access to the resources they need. For our children and adults with disabilities who need support, we will do our best to meet your needs and provide a welcoming, inclusive community.
In order to work to find taxpayer savings we passed the Direct Hire ordinance. Using buildings and trades organizations enables us to utilize economic resources that maximize the full value of services and facilities available to the public. This will not only save money, it makes sure we are accessing a skilled labor workforce, ensures quality services that would otherwise require expensive contractors, and allows us to employ local neighbors and residents.
We have made it a priority to invest in our roads. This is an important priority for the safety of our families. We will be updating and remodeling the Gibson House so more residents and organizations can host events, meetings and general community gatherings at our local community center. We created a committee that is organizing and planning a local farmers market for the summer months. This is not only a way for residents to access fresh fruits and vegetables, but it supports our farmers and creates a fun place to gather with your friends and neighbors.
As we promised we are committed to transparency. We are moving forward with using a grant we received to purchase equipment that will enable council meetings to be videoed and streamed so everyone has a chance to listen and engage. Our website will also be getting modernized and redone so that you can easily access your township needs on our site.
In addition, we noticed that although our town is offering great programming, it has been difficult for our residents to access this information. We passed a restructuring ordinance that will allow for a Division of Municipal Operation- Public Information. This office will be dedicated to ensuring a consistent flow of information between the township and residents.
It has been our honor to attend ribbon cuttings, events and honor some amazing community leaders at our council meetings. We have also attended community meetings in order to hear individual needs and concerns of different neighborhoods.
All of this has been done with bipartisan support. We understand that our decisions are not a red or a blue issue, that they impact you and the quality of life in our great town. I take this awesome responsibly very seriously and I will continue to be your mayor, your public servant, today and every day.
Thank you for allowing me to serve you.
Jaclyn Veasy
Township Of Evesham Mayor
