BERNE — Jen Wright is making her first run for public office — as town assessor — because, she says, she wants to give back to the townspeople who helped her family emotionally and financially when their home burned down three years ago.

Wright is an assistant project manager for Crisafulli Brothers Plumbing and Heating. She said she works on commercial projects, conducting tasks such as scheduling budgets and workers, ordering equipment, and reviewing contracts.

“I’m sure there’s got to be some kind of correlation between the two,” she said. She added that her fieldwork and budget work are likely tasks that would be similar to being an assessor.

Wright, 39, has lived in Berne for about 14 years, and previously lived in Knox for two years. She said, as a child, she traveled often because her parents were divorced. She fell in love with the area when she attended Berne-Knox-Westerlo High School for 10th and 11th grade. She said she enjoys the scenery as well as the tight-knit community.

“I will give back to my community,” she said. “They were there for us when we lost our house three years ago.

Her family’s home was destroyed in a fire in August of 2014. Wright said the community offered emotional and financial support with donations and fundraisers. She noted that even Supervisor Kevin Crosier, who is running for re-election on the opposing Democratic line, let her family park a modular home in the town park when they could not bring it uphill to their property.

Wright said that her role as a notary public and her long-time experience in the town both give her experience that would be helpful in her role as an assessor.

“I think that everybody deserves a fair assessment of their property … ,” she said. “Basically it’s just about being fair to everybody.

She said she would have to look into the issue of tax revaluation, and was not sure if the town needed one again.

Wright is running on the Republican and Independence lines. She said she is not enrolled in any party, even though the Albany County Board of Elections lists her as a Democrat.

Wright said that highway superintendent and Republican Party Chairman Randy Bashwinger had approached her about running for town assessor, and she agreed to run.

“It wasn’t a choice of the party itself, it’s more about the people … what their goal is,” she said.

Wright said she suspects her being listed as a Democrat is a clerical error, and would be updating her enrollment. An official from the board of elections said that any pending enrollment changes would not go through until next year’s general election.

“When I registered to vote, I don’t recall choosing any line … ,” she said. “I don’t affiliate with any party.”

Rachel Bledi, the Republican Elections Commissioner for the county, said that Wright’s application had been completed through the Department of Motor Vehicles and appeared to have spelling mistakes in Wright’s name and address; Bledi said it’s possible the party enrollment was a clerical error, as well.

Wright is involved with the BKW Parent-Teachers Association. In the past, she has been a Cub Scout leader, and has also coached Little League and Modified softball. She has three children, two of whom have graduated from BKW and one who is a freshman there.

She would like the residents of Berne to know that she is always available to meet or talk with them.

Corrected on Oct. 27, 2017: “Mobile” home was replaced with “modular” home. Two activities, leading Cub Scouts and coaching softball, were made past tense. And the description of Jen Wright’s youngest child was changed from “senior” to “freshman.”