Freedom – August 26, 2010 – Ossipee resident Jean Hansen has been named to Ossipee Lake Alliance’s Board of Directors. The announcement was made today by Alliance Executive Director David Smith.

Hansen, an RN by profession, is a decorative arts designer, teacher and retailer whose business, Jean Hansen Publications, has national reach through her website, www.jeanhansen.com. After spending a number of years vacationing on the big lake and Broad Bay, she became a member of the Ossipee Lake community in 1983 and a year-round resident in 1996.

In 2005 she helped revive the inactive property owners group Long Sands Association (LSA). As secretary of the group, she led LSA’s support of DRED’s innovative management plan for balancing preservation and recreation at state-owned Ossipee Lake Natural Area (OLNA), which abuts the Long Sands community. She is a member of the state’s OLNA Working Group.

In 2006 she helped lead LSA’s challenge of Ossipee’s tax assessments of Long Sands properties and won the support of the town’s property appraiser for across the board abatements. Ossipee’s Select Board subsequently voted to approve close to $2 million in abatements and granted thousands of dollars in tax refunds.

Hansen represents the Long Sands community in Ossipee Lake Alliance’s biennial Lake Representatives Forum, and volunteers annually to collect water samples for water quality monitoring. She is an active member of the Ossipee Conservation Commission and served on the Board of Ossipee’s Main Street program.

“Jean Hansen is one a kind,” Alliance Director Smith said in making today’s announcement. “For years she has made contributions to her town, to her neighborhood and to the lake community in ways large and small, publicly and privately.”

“We are privileged to know her and even more privileged to welcome her to our Board of Directors at a time when we are working closely with state and local officials to address significant issues that will affect the lake for years to come.”

Other members of Ossipee Lake Alliance’s Board of Directors include Bob Reynolds and Perry Fine of Ossipee, and Howard Bouve and Barre Hellquist of Freedom. Alliance Director David Smith and Co-Director Susan Marks, both of Freedom, also serve on the Board.