I’m Jana Barnett. I’m completing my first term as a Member of Wyomissing’s Borough Council, and am running for reelection.
Wyomissing has been a great place for my family to live. My husband and I moved to Wyomissing thirty-one years ago, days before our son began kindergarten. We were welcomed by organizers of a Labor Day block party enjoyed by the adjoining block – the best possible start! We appreciate our son’s education, opportunities and lasting friendships. We value the connections which we’ve made with our neighbors. We’re grateful for the friends we’ve made, the residents we encounter (whether 2 or 4 legged), the parklands, the variety of homes, the shade trees, and all of the services which make Wyomissing a clean and safe home. My goal is to enable all residents to appreciate Wyomissing as much as we do.
In order to be a well-informed Member of Council, I attend almost all committee meetings. I participate in meetings regardless of whether I am a voting member of the committee, by not only reading the packets distributed in advance of meetings, but also by speaking up during meetings and suggesting items to be included on agendas. I participated in the Citizens Police Academy in 2024 to better understand the range of situations which officers encounter, how they approach their jobs, and how neighboring departments support each other. I read the Police Blotter daily.
As Chair of the Refuse & Recycling Committee, I welcome community input and make sure that the committee considers issues raised by residents. For example, when deciding what options should be bid for the 2026 refuse and recycling committees, we were aware of residents’ beliefs that neighboring communities had better deals, and examined practices of neighboring communities as well as our own. We considered whether we could and should adopt practices of our neighbors. Council accepted the Committee’s recommendations regarding options to be bid. As a result of bidding, the contracts which will take effect in 2026 will preserve the level of services currently enjoyed, at prices lower than residents paid in 2023.
Residents recommended that the Refuse & Recycling Committee expand its responsibilities to become an Environmental Advisory Committee. Our committee considered the residents’ recommendations, formed a subcommittee to examine the recommendation, and adopted their recommendations. I am disappointed that a majority of Council rejected this grassroots recommendation and decided against making the committee responsible for considering environmental impacts. Two of those running for reelection voted against the EAC. I hope that a majority of the next Borough Council will adopt an EAC.
I believe that residents should be treated with respect and consistency. I have noted that residents have been treated inconsistently during Borough Council meetings and committee meetings.
I believe that the Borough should be as transparent as possible. I have advocated for making meeting packets as well as agenda available on the Borough website, expanding public comment periods so that residents can comment on both agenda and nonagenda items at committee meetings, and allowing those making public comments to reserve time for a response by Council. I also believe that residents should be given more information about what is discussed in Executive Sessions, and that residents should not have to request the information which they are entitled to receive.
Although contracts for professional services are not required to be bid, the Borough should issue requests for proposal and encourage competition. “Back room deals” and the appearance of “back room deals” are not in the best interests of residents and should be avoided.
I believe that Borough staff should be treated with respect and gratitude. They are skilled, hard-working men and women who are rightfully proud of their accomplishments and their service to our community. They are nice people. They deserve our support and thanks.
The Borough is blessed with many talented residents, and I believe that we should encourage participation in government by publicizing vacancies in commissions and committees, and encouraging those who are interested to apply and volunteer, rather than simply appointing someone known to a Member of Council.
The hard-working residents who serve on various committees and commissions also deserve our thanks and respect. We should do more to acknowledge their contributions.
Previously, I served as a member of the Board of School Directors for Wyomissing Area School District for eight (8) years. I have also served on the board of the Literacy Council of Reading-Berks.
I am attorney with offices in “Old Wyomissing” as well as Berkshire Heights. Most of my clients need assistance with family and employment challenges. We work together to identify and solve problems. I use these skills on Borough Council. I am a member of the Berks County Bar Association, the Pennsylvania Bar Association, and the Eastern District of Pennsylvania Chapter of the National Employment Lawyers Association.
I earned degrees from Syracuse University (A.B., magna cum laude), the University of Maryland at Baltimore (J.D.) and Johns Hopkins University (M.A.S.).