Elections: Shani Warner

Hyattsville Patch is seeking to run short profiles on We will ask each candidate the same questions but candidates may respond to them as they see fit.

Profiles will run in the order in which the candidates respond. Each candidate will be asked at least twice for their participation.

Name: Shani Warner, Hyattsville resident since 2008

Age: 38

Occupation: Attorney, Williams & Connolly LLP

Family: Married. Expecting a daughter in August

Hometown: Harrisburg, PA.

Qualifications:

“I’m smart and hardworking and have certain skills that aren’t represented well on the council. This has to do with the fact that I’m an attorney, and I’m used to reading things carefully and asking questions and following up on answers. But most specifically, I’ve been very been involved in a lot of Hyattsville organizations. One of the things I think is missing on the council is people who serve as a bridge between the government and people.”

Warner has participated in these Hyattsville organizations: Neighborhood Watch, Co-Chair, Horticulture Society, Nurturing Moms Group, Civic Association, Friends of the Library, Historic Preservation Society.

•  Georgetown University, Washington, D.C., Classical Humanities and Philosophy

• St. John’s College, Santa Fe, NM, Master’s

• University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, Law

Three most important city issues and how they should be addressed:

 1) Public Safety

“Wanting our residents to feel secure in their homes and comfortable walking down the streets. I’ve been very involved in that through the Neighborhood Watch program, which covers the 3900 blocks of Madison Street and Livingston Street and the two connecting blocks on 39th  Avenue and 40th Avenue. We have monthly meetings, but we also have close relationships with officers who come to these meetings. It’s a tremendous resource, and I’d love to see other blocks take on similar projects.”

2) Public School System

“This is a hard time for schools in Prince George’s County. There’s a lot of unease, and there are parents who want to send their kids to public school but are really worried about all the programs, all the teachers that are being eliminated by all the budget cuts. There’s a lot that the city can do, but ultimately it’s thought of as a county issue. There’s criticism that the city has had a hands-off policy for years. There are things that can be done. There are afterschool programs, a city-funded summer program, a police liaison in the high schools. Fortunately, we have groups like the Hyattsville Civic Association, which is specifically addressing this issue.”

3) Hyattsville’s Financial Situation

“Getting our fiscal house in order. I think we have a lot of projects in the works, and we don’t have the money to cover them. There’s the Mustard Building. There’s the BB&T building. There are enormous delayed infrastructure projects. The municipal building in Magruder Park is in terrible condition. We’re now at a point where some of these things are becoming critical, and we don’t have the money to cover it. This is the heart of what city councilmembers will be dealing with. The most important thing that the council does is set the priorities and allocate money through the budget process.”

Contact Information:

Email: shaniwarner@gmail.com

Cell: 202-431-5124

Facebook: Shani Warner for Hyattsville Ward 2 City Council