Finance, Housing, & Safety Her Focus In O’Brien’s Council Run

Shannon O’Brien said she is seeking a position on the Fontana City Council “to promote fiscal transparency and accountability, to strengthen our local economy and address public safety and housing concerns.”
She is qualified to serve on the council, O’Brien said, in that “I have the experience and training that are necessary to be an effective representative. I previously served on the Fontana School Board. I am the co-founder and CEO of a nonprofit organization that I have run for over twenty-two years, and I have a master’s degree in public policy and administration.”
She is distinguished from her opponents, she said by “my many years of related community involvement, leadership experience and business development, which exceed that of my opponents. I have been on the forefront of issues related to education for local youth, and collaborated with various organizations, including the Fontana City Parks and Recreation Department, to combat bullying in schools. I was a founding board member of the Inland Empire Association of Black School Educators, and have been recognized by many of our local representatives for these contributions.”
In sizing up the challenges Fontana is facing, O’Brien said, “We are building homes without providing local jobs that pay enough to cover mortgages. We are building warehouses, while ignoring the negative environmental impact on the community. We have nonviolent offenders who have been released back into the community with no aggressive rehabilitation efforts to combat the unemployment and substance abuse issues that pose problems for many of them.”
She said those issues should be redressed through straightforward efforts by a fully engaged city council working in conjunction with interested and capable members of the community.
“I believe that we can resolve these problems by bringing more people in our community to the table,” she said. “We have many experienced experts and advocates working and living in Fontana; yet, we do not call upon them when it is time to brainstorm solutions. By being more collaborative and inclusive, and eliminating the ‘politics’ from our strategizing, we can get to the root of the problems.”
The city needs to spend what money it has judiciously and be both attentive and creative in seeking out other revenue sources.
“There is funding available at the state level to address many of these problems,” she said. “There are also local organizations and agencies that are equipped and funded to specifically address these issues. Our communication and relationships with these agencies needs to be strengthened. We also need to manage the city’s finances with these priorities in mind, so that the budget supports the plan of action.”
A resident in Fontana for 15 years, O’Brien attended high school in Wilmington and then enrolled at Howard University, where she obtained a bachelor’s degree in political science. She attended the University of District of Columbia School of Law for a year, after which she opted not to pursue a career as an attorney, instead returning to California to earn a master of public administration degree from California State University, Long Beach.
She is now employed as an educational consultant and facilitator with Children’s Resources, Inc. “I provide educational programs for students and parents that pertain to academic achievement and social and emotional learning.” she said.
Her husband is Jason O’Brien, Sr. a member of the Fontana School Board. “I have been married for 26½ years to my college sweetheart, Jason O’Brien, Sr., a police detective. We have a son, Jason, Jr. who is a plumber’s apprentice. He is working on completing his hours to become a master plumber.”
O’Brien said, “I encourage voters in Fontana to visit my website and take the time to complete the short survey that is provided. I also encourage them to visit my Facebook page to keep up with my community appearances and events. My website is www.Shannonobrienfordistrict1.com.”
M.G.

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