Carolyn Bogott
American Association of University Women

City Council member-at-large Janet Anderson is a community leader who knows how to bring a project from vision to reality.

She is able to enlist the support of many others because of her own patience, tenacity, and hard work.  For example, Austin can thank Janet for her leadership on two of our outstanding community treasures: Matchbox Theater and the Historic Paramount Theater.

Janet moved to Austin, her mother and her husband, Scott’s hometown, in 1974.  She says that right away she began looking for her niche in our community.

Starting with childhood backyard plays she has always been interested in theater and so Summerset Theater was a natural place to start. Experiences such as ushering at Minneapolis Children’s Theater during high school, touring with a kids’ show each year in college, plus her experience in the Dudley Riggs Etc. performing troupe had given her a rich background. She had learned to see theater as a ”cooperative art form.”  Working with Summerset was great, but she also had a vision of sharing this art form with children.

So, along with Bill Libby she became a Co-Founder of our Matchbox Theater.  Their first play, sponsored by Austin Park and Recreation, was “Sleeping Beauty” in 1975, and their theater space was at Queen of Angels. However, soon after that,  “Park and Rec” underwent budget cuts and Matchbox was no longer funded.  Enough interest had been generated by that first play that Janet and Bill were able to organize a non-profit theater group. They worked with the encouragement and support of Frank Bridges at Riverland college which provided rehearsal and performance space.

As the years went by, Janet dreamed of a new home for Matchbox and about the same time, the Paramount Theater went up for sale. Since she also felt strongly about historic preservation, Janet saw how she might satisfy two of her interests at the same time.

Through a lot of hard work with many other people and agencies, the Austin Area Commission for the Arts was born. Janet and her husband then became prime movers in the crusade to renovate the Paramount. Those who can remember how the Paramount looked at that time, and see the way it looks now, marvel at the amount of work that has been done.

It was a very slow process, as no large donors came forward. The work proceeded as funds were patched together from various sources.  Janet credits her husband, Scott, as well as Penny Kinney, Jim and Milly Burroughs, Harry and Joann Stevens, Dan Swanson, Jerry Rae King, plus the “Mike Veldman and Friends” performances for making the accomplishments of those early years possible.

Recognizing Janet’s leadership ability, Bonnie Rietz and Ruth Rasmussen encouraged her to work in city government.  First she served 13 years on the planning commission. Then her supporters told her it was time for her to run for elected office.  Her first election was lost by only 17 votes, proving again how much each vote counts.  Her second run was successful and she is now in her ninth year as Council Member-at –Large.

Some other areas of Janet’s leadership are Rotary, Austin Area Foundation Board, Siebel Center Advisory Consortium, Gerard Academy Advisory Committee, and Vision 2020. And how many others have hosted seven Rotary exchange students?!

Janet feels strongly that people should give back to their community in whatever way they can. Her patient, no-nonsense, but vision-led approach continues to serve the citizens of Austin well.  If it is worth doing, Janet is willing to put in the time and hard work to get it accomplished.

Thank you, Janet Anderson, for your leadership!