Chrystal O'Hanlon

Infrastructure / Transportation No paid parking on Water Street between Third and Lake. Keep our historic districts clear of unsightly parking equipment and signs. Infrastructure / Transportation I believe in Progress WITH Preservation. My time on the Heritage Preservation Commission has given me an understanding of how history and new development can complement one another. I believe development is good for our city, but smart development is critical. New developments should bring good jobs for residents, new business, and a variety of housing. Excelsior needs right-sized projects that can bring us into the future without forgetting the past. Infrastructure / Transportation Ensure a variety of parking options--including accessible parking--and trust that visitors can make their own choices based on their preferences. Wages / Job Benefits City staffing is a hidden but fundamental issue affecting Excelsior. Working on HPC and the Ballpark PAC, and as a former Election Judge, I have a lot of experience working with Excelsior’s great City Hall staff. Currently, many essential positions are open and going unfilled. As a result, our remaining staff are overburdened and doing the work of multiple positions. This means phone calls fall through the cracks, City Council decisions go unrealized, and resident needs can be delayed. City Council needs to create a competitive pay schedule to attract top tier staff to fill these critical jobs. Government Reform Current proposals for City Hall, specifically the school building and the Public Works sites, have significant pros and cons, and are very costly. I do not see a need to rush the decision and force an outcome that might not be ideal. Sometimes simply waiting can bring about new opportunities. City Hall's current location is a stable one, and I would advocate staying there while we explore the options further.