Jané to run for Board of Selectmen
By Ken Powers Community Reporter

Westborough - Rod Jané has decided not to run for re-election to the School Committee, but will run for selectman instead. One Board of Selectmen seat opened up recently when Sue Abladian announced she would not run for re-election.

"This was a tough decision for me," Jané said. "I enjoy the work we do on the School Committee. The six years I've been fortunate enough to be a member of the School Committee have been tremendously rewarding. I'm hoping I can now further serve the town as one of its five selectmen. I feel like I've got a lot to off er to the position. Hopefully the voters in town will agree."

Jané, who has served the School Committee as chair in three of his six years on the committee, pulled nomination papers to run for selectman March 6. Abladian, who is serving as Board of Selectmen chair this year, announced last month that she would not seek a second term, citing a desire to spend more time with her family.

Jané believes the town is at critical crossroad, with many issues currently challenging it.

"As a town, we're going through a time where we are being challenged by traffic, open space and affordable housing issues," Jané said. "We're trying to find workable solutions for all of those issues while at the same time juggling the financial constraints and a seemingly endless string of rising costs that come with being in a recession."

Jané said he believes his diverse business background, which has included time at Honeywell International and General Mills, and as director of the Massachusetts Office of Business Development, will serve him well if he is elected to the Board of Selectmen.

Currently, Jané is working as a business development consultant, having left his post at the Office of Business

" Development 11 months ago. He was appointed to that position in 2005 when Mitt Romney was governor. The Office of Business Development is within the state umbrella, directly under the Office of Economic Development.

Jané said reaction around town to his decision to run for selectman has been very positive.

"I think people like to see competitive races," Jané said. "So I think I'm doing my part, giving people a competitive race to get involved in. Hopefully that will increase voter turnout on Election Day."

Jané is the second person to indicate that they plan to run for Abladian's seat. Denzil Drewry, who served as selectman from 1989 to 1995 and 2000 to 2006, has also taken out nomination papers, although he hasn't returned them yet, according to Town Clerk Nancy Yendriga.

Drewry, who serves on Westborough's Advisory Finance Committee, lost his 2006 bid for re-election to current Selectman George Thompson and lost out last year to Selectmen Leigh Emery and Tim Dodd.

Jané's decision leaves two seats open on Westborough's School Committee. Also up for re-election is Craig Harris, who announced last month that he plans to run for a third term.

Yendriga said anyone who took out nomination papers by the deadline, March 10, has until Tuesday March 18 to return them.

Westborough will hold its annual election Tuesday May 6.