Crystal City has hired a former resident, Mandy La Brier, to become the director of building and planning.
The position was left open by the departure of Robert Sullivan, who left earlier this year to become the assistant city administrator for Ste. Genevieve. Sullivan had been in the position since late 2022 and was paid $72,000 annually at the time of his departure.
La Brier, 49, of St. Louis County, is a graduate of Jefferson College and University of Missouri – St. Louis, where she earned a bachelor of science degree and a master’s degree in public policy administration.
La Brier said she has nearly 20 years of experience in the public sector, serving both large urban cities and small rural communities, which gives her a complete picture of government operations and policy.
“My research at UMSL was on environmental and natural resource policy development and management – specifically energy policy,” La Brier said.
She said that work led to her service as chief energy officer for the city of Chicago where she supervised staff; managed energy use for more than 500 municipal buildings and 12,000 fleet vehicles; and oversaw energy procurement and management for a $150 million annual portfolio of electric, natural gas and transportation fuels.
La Brier said she also launched STLCO 2050, St. Louis County’s first comprehensive plan since 1984. Most recently, La Brier served more than 50 communities across Missouri, Kansas, Iowa and Nebraska, as a part of the federal Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Center Program. She said as part of the program, she helped the city of De Soto with the removal of the old shoe factory foundation where her own grandmother worked in the early to mid-1950s.
La Brier said she was interested in the position in Crystal City due to her personal connection to the area and having the chance to get closer to her family roots and history.
“My father is a graduate of Crystal City High School and my mom a graduate of Festus. They were married at Grace Presbyterian Church where my Grandmother Betty La Brier was a member. My dad was a PPG glasscutter, and he and my mom moved to North Texas when PPG opened a plant in Wichita Falls, where I was born and raised. Growing up, I spent holidays and summers with my paternal grandparents in Crystal City, and my maternal grandparents in De Soto.”
La Brier said she lived with her La Brier grandparents in Crystal City when she was in college. Her grandfather, who most people knew by his nickname “Specks,” served as Crystal City police chief in the early 1960s.
“For me, community service is inherent,” La Brier said.
La Brier said her great-grandparents, W.A. and Effie La Brier, built one of the first Sears catalog kit homes in Crystal City on Eighth Street in 1928.
“W.A. La Brier served as board vice president of Jefferson Memorial Hospital, alongside his friend and president of the board Amos A. Govero. He played an instrumental role in the fundraising, development and construction of the first community hospital,” La Brier said.
La Brier said she’s excited to come back to her roots and bring her experience to the town.
La Brier said her duties as director will include serving as the municipal building commissioner, overseeing economic and community-planned development, and overseeing building and construction within city limits.
“This includes plan review, code compliance, permitting and commissioning acceptable use for land and buildings in Crystal City,” she said. “I must consider every aspect – flood plains, natural resource use, infrastructure, health, safety, and many other public issues and uses – when evaluating development proposals, renovations and construction.”
She will also oversee a three-member staff that carries out residential and commercial inspections, occupancy approval, code enforcement and animal control.
“Having a great team I can rely on is really what keeps things running smoothly,” she said.
La Brier said she plans on modernizing the department and will soon allow online and mobile applications for plan review, permitting, inspections and occupancy to streamline access for residents and businesses. She said the city will also be updating building codes to better meet current standards.
Crystal City Administrator Jason Eisenbeis said the building and planning director position is essential to supporting safe development, reducing risk and protecting the long-term quality of the community. He said the role is a highly technical and multi-faceted position responsible for ensuring public safety, enforcing building and zoning codes and maintaining consistent community standards. He said due to specific needs of the position, the candidate pools are often small, with La Brier being one of just two candidates that applied.
“The role requires expertise in construction practices, plan review, inspections and regulatory interpretation, along with strong communication and problem-solving skills. It is often difficult to recruit and retain qualified candidates due to the combination of technical knowledge and administrative responsibility,” Eisenbeis said.
Eisenbeis said candidates were interviewed by himself, the public works director and the city clerk and together they determined who they believed to be the best fit for the city.
Eisenbeis said La Brier brought many good qualities to the table.
“Mandy brings a wealth of knowledge working on large-scale projects. She has a master of public policy and administration degree. Having someone on staff with Mandy’s background strengthens Crystal City’s ability to make informed, data-driven decisions while improving day-to-day operations. Her background brings expertise in policy analysis and strategic planning, helping ensure that resources are used efficiently and that initiatives align with long-term community goals,” he said.
Eisenbeis said La Brier will be paid $75,000 annually.
To speak with La Brier, contact the Building and Planning Department at 636-931-2905 or email her at m.labrier@crystalcitymo.gov.