The Omaha City Council opened its Feb. 24 meeting with remarks from Council member Don Rowe encouraging residents to participate in a 12-minute online survey at wemake.omaha.gov to help shape a new comprehensive plan, noting it has been about 30 years since the city adopted its last master plan. Council members also issued proclamations recognizing three individuals: Olympic gold medalist and Omaha native Jake Guentzel; Taryn Smith, the first American woman to complete a solo journey in the World’s Toughest Row across the Atlantic Ocean who raised $37,000 for Girls on the Run Nebraska; and the late Mike Yanney, a longtime civic leader and supporter of Nebraska state parks and UNMC.
The council approved several liquor license applications and planning items. Consent agenda items and multiple resolutions were also approved.
On second reading, council members discussed amendments to financing for the city’s streetcar project, including a shift from revenue bonds to lease-purchase bonds, which city officials said would secure a lower interest rate. Officials stated that property taxes from new development, rather than existing taxpayers, would be used for debt service, and that bonds are being issued incrementally for costs already incurred. The council also considered an ordinance authorizing a lease-purchase agreement to help finance a parking garage at the Crossroads redevelopment site.
Meeting documented by Melanie McLeod
Read full meeting notes here
Omaha Documenters is a program that empowers citizens to actively participate in local governance by documenting public meetings. This initiative enhances transparency and accountability by making critical information accessible to the community, fostering informed public discourse, and promoting civic engagement. Through its network of dedicated Documenters, the program bridges the gap between government entities and the public, ensuring that decisions affecting the community are transparent and inclusive. For more information and to get involved, visit flatwaterfreepress.org/documenters.
Leah Wambui Keinama boasts a robust professional journey, commencing as a systems engineer and integrator within the software industry. In this capacity, she excelled in the conception, design, construction, and deployment of software systems, adeptly managing projects from inception to completion. Transitioning into the nonprofit realm, Leah directed her expertise towards enhancing food systems, with a particular emphasis on soil health, regenerative agriculture, and bolstering food accessibility while fostering resilient communities. Her repertoire includes comprehensive program design skills coupled with a profound commitment to community engagement. Leah’s fervor for cultivating networks and forging meaningful connections underscores her dedication to advancing organizational goals.
