The Stothert Administration

[HskrFanMike]

http://www.omaha.com/news/metro/in-wake ... 8dcf0.html

Depending on how the storm hits and when it arrives, Stothert said she would be ready to direct all big plows to major streets, especially during rush hour periods. Smaller city pickup trucks would plow secondary streets, rather than residential areas. Those smaller trucks also might supplement plowing on the most-used streets.

Or... how her predecessors used to handle snow storms.

[GRANDPASMUCKER]

Man they got poor Mayor Stothert strung out pretty good this week. I mean yesterday she had to attend a dogs funeral. Even had to say a few kind words about old Kofus in front of the church packed with a thousand people. Poor old K-9 officer Kofus took one for the city earlier this week from a holed up crazy bald man in Keystone. I think our mayor has lots more important things to handle then a dogs funeral.

[PotatoeEatsFish]

Man they got poor Mayor Stothert strung out pretty good this week. I mean yesterday she had to attend a dogs funeral. Even had to say a few kind words about old Kofus in front of the church packed with a thousand people. Poor old K-9 officer Kofus took one for the city earlier this week from a holed up crazy bald man in Keystone. I think our mayor has lots more important things to handle then a dogs funeral.

The police officers who worked with this dog had strong ties to it. The dog served the city of Omaha to protect the citizens of this city. The mayor should say something about it. Oh I'm sorry maybe she would do more good sitting in an office? That worked out so well during the snowstorm.

[HskrFanMike]

I can't remember any Omaha school district cancelling school 18 hours before class began, and at least ten hours before a single flake fell. I can't help but think that Stothert's inability to clear the streets this year affected each superintendent's decision.

[Greg S]

I don't think it had anything to do with Stothert. More and more they seem to try and cancel the night before. I just think they looked at all the models and forecasts and said with near certainty, we're getting quite a bit of snow why wait until the evening.

I guess they could have done it at 9 or 10 pm, but why wait?

Greg

[Coyote]

They could have had late starts. It seemed like around 10:00 everything was under control.

[EastCB]

I can't remember any Omaha school district cancelling school 18 hours before class began, and at least ten hours before a single flake fell. I can't help but think that Stothert's inability to clear the streets this year affected each superintendent's decision.

Ya, her inability affected the decision. Even in Iowa.

[Brad]

I was out on the roads by 7:20 this morning. Lots of snow but not too bad, assuming it was mostly because there was almost zero traffic out there. There was some snow, but nothing slick. I think there roads really took a turn for the worse at 4 when that quick round of sleet moved through.

As far as the residential we had someone, not sure if it was a neighbor or private contractor that made a pass down our streets by 6:30 am and then by 9 or 10, the roads were really cleared good by the private contractors.

[skinzfan23]

http://www.omaha.com/news/metro/omaha-e ... af60b.html

Omaha ended 2015 with $10.8 million surplus

Here are her years in office:

2013: $11.8 Million surplus
2014: $13.8 Million surplus
2015: $10.8 Million surplus

Also for 2015 the restaurant tax generated $29.5 million, a little more than expected.

[Greg S]

Can you imagine what the city's budget would be like without the restaurant tax?

Greg

[Coyote]

Can you imagine what the city's budget would be like without the restaurant tax?

Wasn't she on record as getting rid of this tax

[bigredmed]

Can you imagine what the city's budget would be like without the restaurant tax?

Wasn't she on record as getting rid of this tax

Yes, but then she met with the bond raters. Suddenly, it was better to tax restaurants than to see the city drop deeper in bond rating.

[choke]

Can you imagine what the city's budget would be like without the restaurant tax?

Wasn't she on record as getting rid of this tax

Yes, but then she met with the bond raters. Suddenly, it was better to tax restaurants than to see the city drop deeper in bond rating.

Besides the restaurant tax and ConAgra, I think Stothert has been a good mayor. Sounds like she pulled out all the stops for HDR and parking. But ConAgra, I think she could of stood up to the CEO a little bit better. She should of pressed the HQ move issue more than she did. The CEO kind of walked all over her on that issue. Told her not to believe what you read and then the following week said the Chicago news article was right and ConAgra was moving.

[GrandpaaSmucker]

I guess this is as good a thread as any to thank the Mayor once again for using her lie about "ending the restaurant tax someday" to trick us into electing her! What a bunch of easy marks we are. It was in the paper today she just pushed a Billion dollar budget across the table and she has no plans whatsoever to end the restaurant tax and if I dont like it I guess I can just shut my big fat mouth and go on a diet or move to Detroit or something

[bbinks]

But not for the restaurant tax, how else other than some other tax will the pension problems created by Suttle and Fahey be resolved?

[cdub]

But not for the restaurant tax, how else other than some other tax will the pension problems created by Suttle and Fahey be resolved?

Oh lord, those problems started far before those two. In fact, I'd give Suttle credit for being the first to have to start corrections.

[bigredmed1]

But not for the restaurant tax, how else other than some other tax will the pension problems created by Suttle and Fahey be resolved?

Oh lord, those problems started far before those two. In fact, I'd give Suttle credit for being the first to have to start corrections.

Suttle screwed over Millard and basically gave that area of the city to Stothert for the foreseeable future. He corrected the bloated police and fire pensions by raising taxes rather than deal with the basic reality that quitting when you are 55 after pumping your salary with schemes to bloat your pension is not an affordable process for our city and then deal with that problem by not letting people retire, but rather reassigning them to other jobs in the city's EMS system that don't require a young person, but still need done (like fire inspections and school security.) Obviously Stothert hasn't done that either. But before we start lauding Suttle, lets recall that the last Mayoral election wasn't even close thanks to that big red block that starts on 120th and L and ends at the city's western border.

[Greg S]

Wasn't Fahey the one that negotiated the deal with the unions that led to the spiking? I remember the fireman under his watch went crazy with it.

No way Stothert could have saved Con Agra. Once they brought in the new CEO it was a done deal. He was moving them back to Chicago no matter what. That was pretty obvious.

Greg

[Omaha Cowboy]

Wasn't Fahey the one that negotiated the deal with the unions that led to the spiking? I remember the fireman under his watch went crazy with it.

No way Stothert could have saved Con Agra. Once they brought in the new CEO it was a done deal. He was moving them back to Chicago no matter what. That was pretty obvious.

Greg

Yes, it was Fahey..

And you’re also correct.. once current CEO Sean Connolly got his meat hooks into ConAgra, he was going to uproot the HQ’s to Chicago and nothing was going to stop that...

Ciao..LiO...Peace

[RockHarbor]

Wasn't Fahey the one that negotiated the deal with the unions that led to the spiking? I remember the fireman under his watch went crazy with it.

No way Stothert could have saved Con Agra. Once they brought in the new CEO it was a done deal. He was moving them back to Chicago no matter what. That was pretty obvious.

Greg

Yes, it was Fahey..

And you’re also correct.. once current CEO Sean Connolly got his meat hooks into ConAgra, he was going to uproot the HQ’s to Chicago and nothing was going to stop that...

Ciao..LiO...Peace

I thought that was so kinda strange. It felt like a "college kid wanting to move off to the big city" and take everybody with him, if they wanted to go -- or something. Hope they are all happy. I do love Chicago, but there's something I dont like about it, too. I think its that vast flatness of the water tower-dotted metro, or something, and the odd feeling of a big busy "rat race" mixed with familiar Midwest greenery & scenery -- because that combo is not usual. (Most Midwest cities arent truly big enough to be a true full-fledged "rat race" -- like NYC and LA are. But, Chicago is.) Even though it's always kind of exciting entering into the edge of such a gigantic metro at Joliet, IL, I still always get this yucky & bleak feeling that far outside of Chicago. I think it feels like masses of people living in empty & sterile & aging "neither here, nor there" suburbs w/ a fat water tower to stake the actual town, nice shopping mixed with trashy strip malls with empty store slots that show no real ownership pride, and endless businesses -- IHOP, Denny's, Waffle House, ect -- lining the freeway, gigantic powerlines zig-zagging and disecting the flat suburban landscape, with pockets of new fill-in housing & strip malls here & there (which is nicer to look at). Omaha doesn't have that big & worn & tiring & blah aspect, plus it was built in a prettier rolling landscape. I have that yucky & bleak feeling all the way driving into the city, as it gets older & uglier & grimier, until I finally get to the exciting, striking, skyscraper-studded world class downtown on a big blue lake. Then, I feel much better. (That downtown is the ultimate reason to even move there, imo. But, even after a few days there, it starts to seem smaller & smaller & more & more limited, and I'm soon "over it." It's a spectacular downtown, though.) I wonder if they are all happy there? Or, do they feel like ditching Omaha was a mistake? Lol

[bigredmed1]

Chicago always seems nice, but also really expensive and kind of a place where you have 1 or 2 options in a neighborhood where you get good food or other services, but if you don't like to eat Afghani barbeque every night, its a bit limited.

The price of housing is crazy high. Far more expensive than MW, or the Twin Cities, or Indianapolis. Never quite understood that factor.

[TitosBuritoBarn]

Chicago always seems nice, but also really expensive and kind of a place where you have 1 or 2 options in a neighborhood where you get good food or other services, but if you don't like to eat Afghani barbeque every night, its a bit limited.

Huh? There’s restaurants up the wazoo. What part of the city have you been to?

[Omaha Cowboy]

Wasn't Fahey the one that negotiated the deal with the unions that led to the spiking? I remember the fireman under his watch went crazy with it.

No way Stothert could have saved Con Agra. Once they brought in the new CEO it was a done deal. He was moving them back to Chicago no matter what. That was pretty obvious.

Greg

Yes, it was Fahey..

And you’re also correct.. once current CEO Sean Connolly got his meat hooks into ConAgra, he was going to uproot the HQ’s to Chicago and nothing was going to stop that...

Ciao..LiO...Peace

I thought that was so kinda strange. It felt like a "college kid wanting to move off to the big city" and take everybody with him, if they wanted to go -- or something.

It was very strange.. But at the same time tactical and predictable. As soon as it became feasibly possible, Connolly bailed and took ConAgra with him. I remember reading at the time his wife "yearned" to leave Omaha to live in Chicago too.. Whatever..

Oh well. What's done is done...

Ciao..LiO...Peace

[RockHarbor]

Wasn't Fahey the one that negotiated the deal with the unions that led to the spiking? I remember the fireman under his watch went crazy with it.

No way Stothert could have saved Con Agra. Once they brought in the new CEO it was a done deal. He was moving them back to Chicago no matter what. That was pretty obvious.

Greg

Yes, it was Fahey..

And you’re also correct.. once current CEO Sean Connolly got his meat hooks into ConAgra, he was going to uproot the HQ’s to Chicago and nothing was going to stop that...

Ciao..LiO...Peace

I thought that was so kinda strange. It felt like a "college kid wanting to move off to the big city" and take everybody with him, if they wanted to go -- or something.

It was very strange.. But at the same time tactical and predictable. As soon as it became feasibly possible, Connolly bailed and took ConAgra with him. I remember reading at the time his wife "yearned" to leave Omaha to live in Chicago too.. Whatever..

Oh well. What's done is done...

Ciao..LiO...Peace

Interesting. When I go to Chicago, of course, I'm gawking at all the buildings, and loving the urban textures & cityscape -- and culture & diversity. But, any family/relatives (from the Omaha area) that go to Chicago don't think its that big of a deal. (In fact, I laugh, because driving into Chicago, the striking Sears/Willis Tower looks so dang tall, but somebody in the car with me expressed they thought it looked the same height of the Woodmen Tower -- which is less than 1/3rd of the height. They just couldnt see the true scale.) So, I'm wondering why Chicago was such a big deal to an Omaha couple? Were they originally from that area and wanted to move back? Or, did they want more big city culture & sports? Or, were they into buildings & architecture? Anyways, I guess it was meant to be... The "Con Agra chapter" for Omaha came to a close. Con Agra did do good things economically for Downtown Omaha, just not asthetically urban-wise. And, finally we have a chance to reclaim Downtown Omaha from their former much despised suburban style village that intrudes on Downtown, but city planners are obviously not taking that opportunity at all... Dont get it. (I remember I was in 7th grade when that was all announced, and I was so excited as it all got built. And, I am thankful for Con Agra's boost to Downtown Omaha. In my HS years, it was an overall cleaner downtown to hang w/ friends. The lake & fountain was a nice addition. But now, I cant stand that low & spacious suburban campus in the long evening shadows of Omaha's taller & tighter buildings, and want it all dismantled & removed, knowing what I know now about urban design. Omaha deserves a tight, compact, urban downtown like Chicago, Minneapolis, St Paul, Kansas City, St Louis, Milwaukee, even Des Moines has. Just feels partly "loosey goosey" and spread thin, like Brasilia or something, and I'm hating it. What are they thinking?)

[buildomaha]

Wasn't Fahey the one that negotiated the deal with the unions that led to the spiking? I remember the fireman under his watch went crazy with it.

No way Stothert could have saved Con Agra. Once they brought in the new CEO it was a done deal. He was moving them back to Chicago no matter what. That was pretty obvious.

Greg

Yes, it was Fahey..

And you’re also correct.. once current CEO Sean Connolly got his meat hooks into ConAgra, he was going to uproot the HQ’s to Chicago and nothing was going to stop that...

Ciao..LiO...Peace

I thought that was so kinda strange. It felt like a "college kid wanting to move off to the big city" and take everybody with him, if they wanted to go -- or something.

It was very strange.. But at the same time tactical and predictable. As soon as it became feasibly possible, Connolly bailed and took ConAgra with him. I remember reading at the time his wife "yearned" to leave Omaha to live in Chicago too.. Whatever..

Oh well. What's done is done...

Ciao..LiO...Peace

Interesting. When I go to Chicago, of course, I'm gawking at all the buildings, and loving the urban textures & cityscape -- and culture & diversity. But, any family/relatives (from the Omaha area) that go to Chicago don't think its that big of a deal. (In fact, I laugh, because driving into Chicago, the striking Sears/Willis Tower looks so dang tall, but somebody in the car with me expressed they thought it looked the same height of the Woodmen Tower -- which is less than 1/3rd of the height. They just couldnt see the true scale.) So, I'm wondering why Chicago was such a big deal to an Omaha couple? Were they originally from that area and wanted to move back? Or, did they want more big city culture & sports? Or, were they into buildings & architecture? Anyways, I guess it was meant to be... The "Con Agra chapter" for Omaha came to a close. Con Agra did do good things economically for Downtown Omaha, just not asthetically urban-wise. And, finally we have a chance to reclaim Downtown Omaha from their former much despised suburban style village that intrudes on Downtown, but city planners are obviously not taking that opportunity at all... Dont get it. (I remember I was in 7th grade when that was all announced, and I was so excited as it all got built. And, I am thankful for Con Agra's boost to Downtown Omaha. In my HS years, it was an overall cleaner downtown to hang w/ friends. The lake & fountain was a nice addition. But now, I cant stand that low & spacious suburban campus in the long evening shadows of Omaha's taller & tighter buildings, and want it all dismantled & removed, knowing what I know now about urban design. Omaha deserves a tight, compact, urban downtown like Chicago, Minneapolis, St Paul, Kansas City, St Louis, Milwaukee, even Des Moines has. Just feels partly "loosey goosey" and spread thin, like Brasilia or something, and I'm hating it. What are they thinking?)

I've never been to Chicago, but I had a similar experience in New York. The height of all the buildings was cool of course, but I wasn't blown away like I was expecting to be. What really got me were things like: street life, Times Square, dollar pizza, a dance party in Bryant Park, the pace of life, Grand Central Station, culture, people singing in the subway, Chinatown, and all the things that actually impact YOU walking down the street. The skyline provides the BEST backdrop to all of this, and that is what makes New York the iconic city that it is. BUT, I will say that seeing One World Trade Center rising up out of the ashes of the 9/11 memorial is one of the most powerful symbols you could experience. Chicago is and always will be the second city, but it doesn't have the cultural draw and complete cultural dominance that a city like New York has.
And yes, Omaha has a very "loosey goosey" downtown, but I think that's changing with things like the Capitol district and other infill projects. IMO I think the real cultural center of Omaha is midtown. Of course downtown is the CBD of the region, but midtown is so dynamic and culturally active. With UNO, Dundee, beautiful architecture around Happy Hollow, UNMC and Blackstone exploring. The amazing parks and meandering boulevards make it the most beautiful area in Omaha, hands down. It seems like everything is just "happening" in midtown. And when the streetcar is eventually built, the two will become more linked, but I think it will provide even more of an incentive for midtown to continue to explode.

[Garrett]

Chicago always seems nice, but also really expensive and kind of a place where you have 1 or 2 options in a neighborhood where you get good food or other services, but if you don't like to eat Afghani barbeque every night, its a bit limited.

Huh? There’s restaurants up the wazoo. What part of the city have you been to?

I’m gonna second this. There are literally dozens of restaurants with all sorts of food within a 5 minute walk of me. I really would never need to leave a .25 mile radius in my daily life.

[RockHarbor]

Wasn't Fahey the one that negotiated the deal with the unions that led to the spiking? I remember the fireman under his watch went crazy with it.

No way Stothert could have saved Con Agra. Once they brought in the new CEO it was a done deal. He was moving them back to Chicago no matter what. That was pretty obvious.

Greg

Yes, it was Fahey..

And you’re also correct.. once current CEO Sean Connolly got his meat hooks into ConAgra, he was going to uproot the HQ’s to Chicago and nothing was going to stop that...

Ciao..LiO...Peace

I thought that was so kinda strange. It felt like a "college kid wanting to move off to the big city" and take everybody with him, if they wanted to go -- or something.

It was very strange.. But at the same time tactical and predictable. As soon as it became feasibly possible, Connolly bailed and took ConAgra with him. I remember reading at the time his wife "yearned" to leave Omaha to live in Chicago too.. Whatever..

Oh well. What's done is done...

Ciao..LiO...Peace

Interesting. When I go to Chicago, of course, I'm gawking at all the buildings, and loving the urban textures & cityscape -- and culture & diversity. But, any family/relatives (from the Omaha area) that go to Chicago don't think its that big of a deal. (In fact, I laugh, because driving into Chicago, the striking Sears/Willis Tower looks so dang tall, but somebody in the car with me expressed they thought it looked the same height of the Woodmen Tower -- which is less than 1/3rd of the height. They just couldnt see the true scale.) So, I'm wondering why Chicago was such a big deal to an Omaha couple? Were they originally from that area and wanted to move back? Or, did they want more big city culture & sports? Or, were they into buildings & architecture? Anyways, I guess it was meant to be... The "Con Agra chapter" for Omaha came to a close. Con Agra did do good things economically for Downtown Omaha, just not asthetically urban-wise. And, finally we have a chance to reclaim Downtown Omaha from their former much despised suburban style village that intrudes on Downtown, but city planners are obviously not taking that opportunity at all... Dont get it. (I remember I was in 7th grade when that was all announced, and I was so excited as it all got built. And, I am thankful for Con Agra's boost to Downtown Omaha. In my HS years, it was an overall cleaner downtown to hang w/ friends. The lake & fountain was a nice addition. But now, I cant stand that low & spacious suburban campus in the long evening shadows of Omaha's taller & tighter buildings, and want it all dismantled & removed, knowing what I know now about urban design. Omaha deserves a tight, compact, urban downtown like Chicago, Minneapolis, St Paul, Kansas City, St Louis, Milwaukee, even Des Moines has. Just feels partly "loosey goosey" and spread thin, like Brasilia or something, and I'm hating it. What are they thinking?)

I've never been to Chicago, but I had a similar experience in New York. The height of all the buildings was cool of course, but I wasn't blown away like I was expecting to be. What really got me were things like: street life, Times Square, dollar pizza, a dance party in Bryant Park, the pace of life, Grand Central Station, culture, people singing in the subway, Chinatown, and all the things that actually impact YOU walking down the street. The skyline provides the BEST backdrop to all of this, and that is what makes New York the iconic city that it is. BUT, I will say that seeing One World Trade Center rising up out of the ashes of the 9/11 memorial is one of the most powerful symbols you could experience. Chicago is and always will be the second city, but it doesn't have the cultural draw and complete cultural dominance that a city like New York has.
And yes, Omaha has a very "loosey goosey" downtown, but I think that's changing with things like the Capitol district and other infill projects. IMO I think the real cultural center of Omaha is midtown. Of course downtown is the CBD of the region, but midtown is so dynamic and culturally active. With UNO, Dundee, beautiful architecture around Happy Hollow, UNMC and Blackstone exploring. The amazing parks and meandering boulevards make it the most beautiful area in Omaha, hands down. It seems like everything is just "happening" in midtown. And when the streetcar is eventually built, the two will become more linked, but I think it will provide even more of an incentive for midtown to continue to explode.

I agree that Chicago just doesnt have quite what NYC has -- I think everybody would agree with that. Its the difference between being a city on the coast, verses a city on a lake in the interior. After experiencing the urban & coastal delights in NYC (it can almost feel zesty & refreshing like Seattle or San Fran can w/ the water), I think its hard to be fully content living in Chicago (although Chicago is great, and one of the world's best cities).

I like how you pointed out how the buildings serve as a great daily backdrop, but the true allure & delights of the city happens more at street level. Thats how I feel, too. The big count of skyscrapers, although wondrous & exciting in their own right, can "grow dim" quickly, as skyscrapers aren't what life's all about. (I had the chance to visit NYC in 1999 and several times in 2015, and as much as I like the new tall, sleek needled skyscraper at Ground Zero, I have to say, it doesnt look as mighty, big & powerful as those WTC buildings. I can remember being up near Central Park in 1999, and looking down a main NE-SW avenue on the west side, and those buildings were large & jumbo, and looming from a distance, standing in the Wall Street area. I also had the chance to visit them, and go up in them. Believe me; they were BIG. To me, if you go to NYC and expect to see BIG buildings, those twins totally satisfied.)

Omaha: Omaha does have a lot of urban beauty. I love Midtown. It may not be as sleek & sparkly as Minneapolis, nor as fanciful & ornate as Kansas City, but it still has a nice & basic & conventional look all its own. To me, the twin tower & Woodmen combo creates a unique, special, trademark civic image that helps set Omaha apart from cities like Tulsa. Two twin towers with thier angled arms reaching out toward you, standing above a library and a green park framed by other office buildings, with a famous insurance company's boxy tower standing beyond, and a beautiful new tall skyscraper standing just off to the right: That's Omaha's special-looking skyline.

For example, Tulsa's skyline has some nice buildings, and is even bigger than Omaha's, but it is still gives the impression of a batch of generic & basic boxes standing tightly together. Nothing is that memborable, or special about it (imo). It could be "Anywhere USA." Not that the Omaha skyline is famous and widely recognized, but still, is that what they want for Omaha? (I bet Des Moines would love to see Omaha lose that special statement. They just couldnt copy that back in the 1980s. It would have been "too obvious" if they did.) I cannot believe city planners & a mayor don't see the value in what we have here. "If something isnt broken, dont try to fix it." I understand skylines change, and "nothing lasts forever." I understand Gene Leahy Mall may need a freshening up, and the sunken lagoon isnt typical of great cities, and flat, long city parks (with design perks like curvy sidewalks) are "en vogue" right now. But, you don't carelessly & senselessly ruin that striking & memorable & signature & trademark civic statement that was puposefully designed and put together just around 35 years ago, a great visual that is unique to Omaha alone, standing at the end of a long open-air corridor (created by the void of the park cut into city), while acting like you're just simply updating the park with a new look & better function. Really? Who do they think they are fooling here?

[RockHarbor]

I'm tired of talking about this, and dont feel like I'll say anything more (or much more) about it. If they dont recognize Daly & Associates' (the respectable & honorable Omaha architect firm's) commissioned twin towers as a sort of special symbol "Arch" or "Space Needle" or "Reunion Tower" for Omaha, then it's not my problem. It's on their shoulders, not mine. As leaders trusted to do their jobs honorably, they are responsible for the civic decisions they make -- good or bad. I've more than enough made my case & point. Besides maybe writing a letter or email, I've done all I can. I try to remember this: "I'm not in full control, but neither are people around me either."

[GrandpaaSmucker]

Where is the benefit for Mayor Stothert to block new rules designed to protect the citizens from greedy crooked landlords? You talk about politicians turning out to be far from what you thought they were.

[ricko]

Campaign contributors? When something doesn't make sense, it's usually about the money.

[bigredmed1]

Was on Reddit yesterday and somebody was talking about raising funds to recall Mayor Stothert. Anyone have the backstory about why now a recall effort?

[Coyote]

Omaha Mayor Stothert could face recall effort

Heather Aliano, a spokeswoman for the group, said it is recruiting volunteers and getting support from people angry about potholes, city trash contract changes and Stothert’s interactions with critics.

[HskrFanMike]

I'm surprised it's taken this long, to be honest. Between the repeated snow removal fails (my favorite remains the "blame the police for 90th & Dodge" a few years back), her failure to get rid of the restaurant tax, etc., I'm surprised this hasn't happened sooner.

For perspective, I believe every elected Mayor (other than P.J. Morgan) in the last 35 years has faced some sort of recall attempt. (Boyle, Daub, Fahey, Suttle.) So this comes with the territory.

It's not going to go anywhere, of course. But it shouldn't surprise ANYBODY that this is happening.

[Brad]

It's not going to go anywhere, of course. But it shouldn't surprise ANYBODY that this is happening.

The other thing is, we are already half way through her current term... By the time you get through the process, why not just start working on a candidate and a camping plan for the May 2021 election. Put that effort and energy towards changing the future and not undoing the past.

[Padre]

They also said some of the organizers, like their treasurer, don’t even live in Omaha. They said this treasurer was mad at the Mayor’s response to a Facebook post! And we want these people to have any control over government officials?

[jessep28]

Most of these recall elections are likely organized by front groups for the opposing party, who are hoping that most people stay home, and they can get more of their people to the polls.

[GrandpaaSmucker]

How about the watered down new landlord rules she helped get passed yesterday. She was looking out for the landlords when she insisted the rules state that rental units only need to be inspected every 10 years. 10 years is a long time. What if someone moved into a place and the roof started leaking after 1 yr and the landlord strings them and lures them along for 9 more years without doing nothing? This 10 yr rule is as hollow as a chocolate Easter Bunny. Sorry.

[Erik]

The continuation of loosening regulations at the demise of the populace.

The new dark ages are around the corner.

[Dundeemaha]

Quite a bit of drama in Benson the other day with Todd Pfitzer contradicting Festerson on the news,

I have checked with my director, my traffic engineer, and the traffic shop maintenance and none of us spoke with a representative from city council.

re: the bike corral on Maple St.

Today Festerson tweeted:

Called him out on that last night. Now says he was interviewed before he was aware. My staff member worked it all day and was literally sitting in his traffic engineer’s office at the time. Not to mention my unreturned voicemail directly to him and an email to the director.

Is the City Engineer hired by the Mayor? It seems unlikely that Festerson would have lied that he was assured by public works that it would not be removed.

[Jins123]

Does Stothert want/go for a third term? A LOT has changed, obviously! Budget shortfalls, the right AND left not happy with her. I think her grooming of Melton the last 5-7 years goes live and Melton runs, with Stothert’s blessing, of course.