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Honorable Michael O'Brien
Ward 12
Mike O’Brien was first elected from the 12th Ward on Albany’s Common Council in 2001. He has
been a Democratic committee person for several years before being elected to the Council. He is a life long Albany resident having graduated from Blessed Sacrament Elementary School and Christian Brothers Academy. He is an attorney having graduated from Albany Law School in 1975. He is employed by the New York State Health Department in the Administrative Hearings Bureau. He is also a retired JAG (Lieutenant Colonel) having served many years with the New York Army National Guard.
Mike is active in neighborhood associations including West End NA, Beverwyck NA, Shaker Park/Bishops Gate NA, and Upper Washington Ave NA where he was a past officer. He has served on the advisory board of Westland Hills Little League and on the board of Camary Autistic Services. He serves on the board of the Central Business Improvement District as well as on the board of the Underground Railroad History Project of the Capital Region.
Mike resides on Danker Ave with his wife Diana. They have three daughters. Currently he is chair of the Council’s General Services Committee and is a member of the Law Committee and the Public Safety Committee
The 12th Ward covers a large area straddling Interstate 90. The ward is considered working class and the majority of the homes are owner occupied. In the Lincoln Ave corridor most of the homes were built in the first half of the 20th Century. Shaker Park was developed in the second half of the 20th Century. The Livingston Ave – Watervliet Ave section of the ward was developed in the 19th Century around the West Albany Railroad Shops. Most homes of that section are not owner occupied.
The challenges facing the ward are like many of those facing the rest of the city:
- Creating new residential property and maintaining the old;
- Educating and retaining our young people;
- Maintaining our old infrastructure to include streets, sidewalks, lighting, traffic controls, sewers;
- Growing our business environment including the commercial sections of Central Ave, Allen Street, Watervliet Ave, Everett Road and Commerce Ave.
- Maintaining safety in our neighborhoods
Looking beyond the 12th Ward, we face the challenge of cost control in our government. Albany needs the fair support of other levels of government for providing the additional level of services demanded as a capital city and as a host city to large hospitals, educational institutions, churches and other public service organizations. Albany has more tax exempt properties than surrounding communities and some compensation should be made for that. Albany also needs to plan well into the future as to how to dispose of trash created by the people who live and work in our city. The landfill is on its last extension and will close in less than seven years. We are working with the state government and with other municipalities in Albany County and other counties to create regional solutions to this challenge. Contact Information 33 Danker Avenue
Albany, NY 12206
Phone: (518) 482-1160
twelfward@aol.com
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