For many years, East Windsor Township Mayor Janice S. Mironov has been at the forefront in pushing for young people to become interested and involved in government.
In recognition of her efforts, Mironov has been named one of five Outstanding Women in Government Award recipients for 2018. The other winners are two municipal business administrators and two elected officials.
Mironov, along with the other recipients, picked up the award at the New Jersey State League of Municipalities convention last month. The award was presented by the league’s Women in Municipal Government Committee.
Mironov joins a list of honorees that includes former state Department of Community Affairs Commissioner Susan Bass Levin, former Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno, former Princeton Township Mayor Phyllis Marchand and Major Gen. Maria Falca-Dodson, the former commander of the New Jersey Air National Guard.
“I was certainly very touched and honored to receive this statewide recognition from my colleagues in New Jersey government for advancing women in government,” said Mironov, who is a former president of the New Jersey State League of Municipalities and who is still active in league matters.
“It meant a lot to me that other officials and leaders in our state found that I made such significant contributions and played an important role in advancing the goal of local government and encouraging the involvement of women,” she said.
Mironov, who was elected to Township Council in 1995, has served as mayor for 22 years. She is the first to admit she has long been interested in politics and government.
“It’s an area I have always been interested in, issues and ideas,” she said.
She grew up in Englewood, which she described as an “activist” town. She was active in student government in high school. As a young person, she handed out fliers during political campaigns.
Mironov earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Wellesley College. She considered pursuing a graduate degree in the field, but at her adviser’s urging, she attended law school because it would provide more credibility as a woman. She graduated from the National Law Center at George Washington University.
When she returned home to New Jersey, she worked in state government, including stints in the Attorney General’s Office and the Department of the Treasury. She also had a private law practice.
“The idea to run for office came about later,” Mironov said.
On women in government, Mironov said that as more women participate and hold elected office, they are themselves an encouragement to other women who may aspire to serve.
Mironov said women bring a different perspective and different qualities to the table, even by virtue of their different life experiences and challenges. They can bring people together and reach consensus so as to actually get things done, she said.
Mironov said she has spoken to groups and encouraged young girls to consider becoming involved in government as a means of contributing to their community.
“I let them know this is an area, as a female, they can consider,” she said, noting that serving in government is a “great way” to help other people and to put into place the ideas and programs they may feel strongly about.
More women seem to be heeding the call because there are more women serving on the municipal governing body. In addition, this year there are 76 women serving as mayors of their towns – whether directly elected by voters or chosen from among the members of the governing body.
“It is clear from the numbers there is still a lot of work to do, but on the positive side, I think that through education and social acceptance, women are being encouraged more and more to take an active role in government,” Mironov said.