Pickerington Area Taxpayers Alliance

Commercial development key for area, Hammond says

Cristie Hammond

By DAVID S. OWEN

Pickerington resident Cristie Hammond, is seeking election to Pickerington City Council on the Nov. 8 general election ballot.

Hammond, 52, a native of Willard, moved to Pickerington in 1996 with her husband John when he began working at DSCC in Whitehall as a Supervisor in their Emergency Supply Operations.

''We wanted to live close to work and Pickerington seemed like not a bad place to live, and we found the people are friendly,'' she said.

They have three grown children.

Hammond has not held an elected office before, but was appointed to the Parks and Recreation Commission this past summer.

She is one of seven candidates seeking four seats on City Council.

The others include incumbents Mitch O'Brien, Michael Sabatino and William W. Wright and challengers Jeff Fix, Tory Kramer and Keith Smith.

Hammond said she thinks she has the enthusiasm and the time it would take for a councilman to do the research and work required to understand how to contribute solutions.

She wants to join the current effort to manage residential growth and to temper that growth with commercial development which she said would help relieve some of the tax burden on the residents.

Hammond said she has talked to the residents throughout Pickerington.

Some have lived here for 20 years or more, and she said they want to stay there, but they are concerned that the growth and the impact on the schools will raise their taxes and cost them money while they are living on limited incomes.

''Taxes go up, houses gets reappraised, and then your paycheck doesn't go up, and that's fine as long as you don't add a lot more on top of that,'' she said.

Hammond said if she is elected she hopes to add something to the mix that is needed by the city, and work with everyone, no matter who they are, helping solve some of the issues.

''I have the experience in life that if people come to me with a problem I can listen to it and hopefully see both sides of the situation and weigh the situation to help come up with the best solution,'' she said.

One of her main focuses she said is commercial development.

''I know commercialism is a difficult thing in this area, but I think it is an attractive town, a nice place to live, and we need to present that to new business and show them it's a great place to locate to,'' she said.

''It seems awfully inflated when you say you're going to solve all the problems, but I think you can work at it and eventually find a way to to come up with good results,'' she said.

''When I do anything I always do the best I can at it. Your best may not be what everybody else thinks is the best but if you do your best then you have nothing to be ashamed of.''

Cristie Continued SNP


She said different opinions within the council is important because you need that, but said ''change is always a good thing, and I think you can find yourself, if you're there too long, getting into a rut.

''You could find yourself thinking alike too much, so opposing opinions is always a good thing,'' she said.

''I'm at a point in my life that if I am going to run for city council, this is probably the best time. It is something that perhaps I thought I could do to contribute something to the effort.''

When asked if she could be anyone she wanted to be, who would it be?, Hammond said, ''I'd be me.''

Hammond inThis Week

Pickerington City Council
Seven seek election Nov. 8 to four open seats


Thursday, October 13, 2005

By MACKENZIE WHITE
ThisWeek Staff Writer


Cristie Hammond, 52, is retired. This is her first run for elective office. She is married and has three adult children. She is currently serving on the city's Parks and Recreation Board.


Six of the seven candidates responded to questionnaires from ThisWeek. Sabatino did not respond.

Looking ahead to 2006, what do you see as the city's biggest challenge? If elected, how do you plan to deal with this?


Hammond: The city's biggest challenge will more than likely be growth and issues that result from growth, such as increased traffic, more schools and the need for more police and fire personnel to provide for the safety of an increased population. I would work toward a better balance between residential and commercial/industrial growth in order to maintain a tax base where people can continue living in the community without being forced out by higher taxes, particularly our senior citizens.

The city and Violet Township have been working to cooperate more than in past years; examples are the resolution of several annexation lawsuits, a possible joint parks district and a possible Joint Economic Development District (JEDD) or a Cooperative Economic Development Agreement (CEDA). Do you think this is a positive move? Why or why not? In what other ways might the two communities work together?

Hammond: I believe that either form of joint economic development (JEDD or CEDA) would be a positive move. The city and township already share two very important aspects of community life -- the schools and the fire department. New economic growth would help to support the schools, thereby reducing (or at least not increasing) the tax burden on the citizens. Both groups are working together on the 208 plan, which should avoid duplication of sanitary sewer lines.


Residential design guidelines have been proposed. Some say they will benefit the city and will affect only those building new homes; others say people should be able to design their homes as they wish. What do you think? Do you think these guidelines might keep people from moving into the area? If so, would this be an appropriate way to manage growth?

Hammond: I think it will be possible for most people to have the home design they desire while still adhering to the residential standards. Builders will most likely incorporate these design standards into the home plans they already offer. It may or may not manage growth, depending on whether the price would be outside the average person's budget. However, people could still move into the existing homes available in Pickerington.



mfry@thisweeknews.com