Lincoln City Council Regular Meeting - July 28, 2025

The Lincoln City Council met on Monday, July 28, 2025 at 5:30 PM. All council members were present except Carlson. The meeting covered administrative appointments, public hearings on liquor licenses, resolutions, and ordinances, and multiple votes on board appointments, grants, pay schedule adjustments, and a central library project. A number of items received first readings for future action.

Consent Calendar

• 25R-300 appointing Marilyn Moore to the Lincoln City Library Board for a term expiring August 31, 2032. (Adopted 6-0)
• 25R-301 appointing Lauren Obermier to the StarTran Advisory Board for a term expiring October 20, 2027. (Adopted 6-0)
• 25R-303 appointing Brian Murray to the Telecommunication/Cable Television Advisory Board for a term expiring July 1, 2028. (Adopted 6-0)
• 25R-304 reappointing Bennie Shobe to the Telecommunication/Cable Television Advisory Board for a term expiring July 1, 2027. (Adopted 6-0)
• 25R-306 approving the On-Call Construction Engineering Services Task Order Agreement with Alfred Benesch & Company for the 9th and 10th Streets at A and D Streets signal project. (Adopted 6-0)
• Lincoln Electric Financial and Operating Statement for June 2025 placed on file.

Public Comments & Testimony

• An open microphone session was held for comments on matters not on the agenda. No specific public comments were documented in the agenda or minutes.

Discussion Items

• 25R-311 and 25R-312 – Applications of Escape Lincoln, LLC for a Class C liquor license and manager approval at 815 O Street, Suites 100-200. Adopted for approval 6-0 each.
• 25R-305 – Authorizing a grant application to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission for Land and Water Conservation Fund Grant to renovate and upgrade two ballfields at Jensen Park. Adopted 6-0.
• 25R-307 – Accepting and approving the report of new and pending claims against the City for July 1–15, 2025. Adopted 6-0.
• 25R-308 – Approving an agreement between the City and the Nebraska Association of Local Health Directors for a $199,000 sub-grant for health equity and social determinants of health through Community Health Workers, July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2027. Adopted 6-0.
• 25R-309 – Comprehensive Plan Conformance 25003 for adding the “Police Property Storage Remodel” to the Capital Improvement Program at 635 J Street. Adopted 6-0.
• 25R-310 – Reasonable Accommodation request by Oxford House, Inc. and Oxford House Hanna Pointe to allow up to 8 persons in a Collaborative Living Facility at 6010 S. 81st Street. Adopted 5-1.
• 25-71 (Change of Zone 07018B) – First reading? (Actually second reading) of application by Hampton Enterprises, Inc. to amend the Glynoaks Plaza PUD to increase commercial floor area by 378,977 square feet (for a total of 258,000 square feet) and add 100 dwelling units at South 84th Street and Glynoaks Drive. Public hearing held; no vote recorded in agenda (likely continued).
• 25-59 through 25-68 – Amending pay schedules for employee groups prefixed by N (2 ordinances), X, E, W, DSS, B, A, C, and F. All passed 6-0.
• 25-69 – Authorizing issuance of up to $25,000,000 in municipal improvement bonds for a new central library at 1111 O Street. Passed 6-0.
• 25-70 – Approving the Real Estate Purchase and Sale Agreement with Southeast Community College Area for the library property. Passed 6-0.
• 25R-294 – Amending the Capital Improvement Program for the Downtown Central Library project to decrease funding and amend the funding source. Adopted 6-0.
• 25R-313 through 25R-318 (first reading items) – Reappointments to Planning Commission (Ryman Yost, Ball Jr., Joy), Electrical Advisory Board (Schroeder), professional service agreements for Waterford Trail and Rock Island Trail trails, Air Quality Program Section 103 Workplan, and a Community Health Endowment grant of $15,000 for pregnancy tests. All set for future action (Action dates vary; most on 8/11/25 or later).
• 25-72 and 25-73 (first reading) – Amending pay schedules for Public Health Nurse classifications (Class 3662 from A11 to A13) and deleting Public Health Nurse I. Action date not specified; likely 8/11/25.
• 25R-319, 25-74, 25R-320 (first reading) – Related to the Greater Downtown Principal Corridors Revitalization Project: extending TIF period from 15 to 20 years, increasing TIF amount, authorizing up to $31.2 million in Tax Allocation Bonds, and amending the CIP with an additional $29 million in TIF funds. Action date: 8/11/25.
• 24-130, 24R-526, 24R-527 – Pending items (continued from previous meetings) for a zone change and special permit for Sesostris Temple Holding Corp. at 95th and O Street. No action taken; remain on pending list.

Key Outcomes

• All consent agenda items (25R-300, 301, 303, 304, 306) adopted 6-0. Lincoln Electric Statement placed on file.
• Liquor license and manager approval for Escape Lincoln (25R-311, 312) adopted 6-0 each.
• Grant application for Jensen Park ballfields (25R-305) adopted 6-0.
• Claims report (25R-307) adopted 6-0.
• Health Department sub-grant (25R-308) adopted 6-0.
• Comprehensive Plan conformance for police property storage (25R-309) adopted 6-0.
• Reasonable Accommodation for Oxford House (25R-310) adopted 5-1.
• Pay schedule ordinances (25-59 through 25-68) all passed 6-0.
• Central library bond ordinance (25-69) passed 6-0.
• Real estate purchase agreement for library (25-70) passed 6-0.
• CIP amendment for library (25R-294) adopted 6-0.
• All first reading items (25R-313 through 25R-318, 25-72, 25-73, 25R-319, 25-74, 25R-320) were introduced with action scheduled for future meetings (primarily August 11, 2025). No votes taken at this meeting.
• Pending items (24-130, 24R-526, 24R-527) remained on the pending list with no new action.