To the editor: Why I am running for the GMUSD and Chester Select boards

I’m running to continue on the Green Mountain Unified School District Board and for a three-year term as Chester Select Board member because Chester is my home. My wife and I are both alumni of Green Mountain Union High School. We own a home and a business here, and now we’re raising our two young kids in the same school system that shaped us.

What happens in this town and in our schools isn’t political to me, it’s personal. I have a direct stake in seeing our town succeed for all of us. As I watch my kids grow alongside other families’ children in town, my priorities have shifted. I want to make sure we are doing everything we can to build a thriving community for everyone. I understand that this will not happen overnight, and that our community faces some very difficult challenges that will require common-sense solutions.

Chester has given my family a lot, steady ground, real friendships, and the chance to build something here. I don’t take that lightly. I feel like I owe it to this town, and to the people who make it what it is, to step up and do my part.

Sitting on both boards matters because our town and our schools are tied together. If one struggles, we all feel it. I don’t pick sides, and I’m not interested in drama. I believe in being upfront, being transparent and making sure people have a voice in the decisions that affect their lives.

Through running a business, managing property and working as a landlord, I deal every day with the real challenges people are facing with housing costs, availability, good jobs and making ends meet. Those aren’t just talking points to me. They’re real issues that need practical solutions.

People always say younger generations need to get involved, especially those who have a direct stake in the future. As a dad, a homeowner and a business owner here in Chester, I am that person. I’m not an expert in any of this, but I show up, I listen, I learn and I work hard. Anyone who knows me knows that when I commit to something, I give it everything I’ve got.

Our kids, our schools, and our town deserve that.

I’d be honored to continue serving our community and for your support.

Jerry Ucci
Chester