Kevin F. O’Hara
11 Reed Parkway Marcellus
Background Worked in City of Syracuse Purchasing Department, Department of Community Development and Parks and Recreation Departments from 1985 to 1991
Occupation Syracuse City School District, Salem Hyde Elementary, teacher, grades 3 and 4
Endorsed by Democrats, Conservatives
Given the current economy and budget crises at the state and county levels, which areas of the budget do you feel the town could cut back to alleviate the pressure on taxpayers?
I am examining the department budgets for the last three years to benchmark what departments have seen the largest increases. Then I will evaluate what benefits the taxpayers have received as a result of the increases. Sometimes we fall into the habit of annually incrementally increasing the budget and not specifying and evaluating what the additional money achieves for our community. Furthermore, due to the state of the economy, I feel that Town Councilors should not take a pay raise.
In what ways do you think the town could consolidate services with villages, neighboring towns or the county to increase efficiency and keep costs down?
I would like to form a Blue Ribbon Commission with representatives from Marcellus and neighboring towns and villages to identify common interests and then try to achieve economies of scale without diminishing the qualities of services. There are many examples nationally of communities coming together to share services without rancor and with quality service delivery maintained.
What recent projects do you feel you would have approached differently than the incumbent and why?
I would have handled the issue of the Town Hall differently. A Committee was appointed to give some advice to the Town Board on what to do with the Town Hall. Some of that advice may have been beneficial to review in more detail. Again, due to the state of the economy, I would have scaled back the project. Now, perhaps the old Library could be used as a Justice Court and/or for use by the Parks & Recreation Department in various programs.
What recent projects do you feel you would have approached differently than the incumbent and why?
There should be more contact between Town Councilors and residents of the Town and Village. Ways to do this would include:
1) More use of the Town Website-Councilors could solicit comments from residents on the website
2) Informal meetings between Councilors and residents including,
a) visits by Councilors to Senior Citizens Homes and school classrooms
b) Councilors attending Historical Society Meetings, Fire Department Meetings, and other Service Organizations Meetings
