Lincoln City Council Meeting - August 18, 2025

The Lincoln City Council met on Monday, August 18, 2025, at 3:00 PM. All seven council members were present. The meeting covered a consent calendar, public hearings, budget amendments, and various zoning and licensing matters. The regular meeting adjourned at 3:17 PM, followed immediately by a public hearing on the proposed mid-biennium budget adjustments, which concluded at 4:12 PM.

Consent Calendar

• 25R-337: Reappointed Jose Soto to the Charter Revision Commission for a term expiring July 14, 2029. (Adopted 7-0)
• 25R-338: Approved an On-Call Construction Engineering Services Task Order Agreement with Alfred Benesch & Company for pavement repairs on Adams Street from 36th to 49th Street. (Adopted 7-0)
• 25R-343: Approved distribution of interest earnings on short-term investments of idle funds for June 2025. (Adopted 7-0)
• 25R-344: Accepted the Investment Activity Report for the quarter ending May 31, 2025. (Adopted 7-0)
• 25R-345: Set a public hearing date of September 8, 2025, for a Class C liquor license application by SJ's Liquor & Vape at 2645 O Street. (Adopted 7-0)
• 25R-346: Set a public hearing date of September 8, 2025, for Zipline Brewing Co. to add an outdoor area at 2100 Magnum Circle. (Adopted 7-0)
• 25R-347: Set a public hearing date of September 8, 2025, for a manager application by Connor Bohlin for Craft Axe Throwing at 1821 N Street. (Adopted 7-0)
• Item 1.e: Report of city cash on hand as of June 30, 2025, placed on file.
• Item 1.f and 1.g: Clerk's letters and Mayor's approval of resolutions and ordinances from July 28 and August 4, 2025, placed on file.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No public comments were made during the regular meeting. The open microphone session was scheduled for August 11 and 25, 2025, and thus did not occur at this meeting.
• A public hearing on the budget was held immediately after the regular meeting. Any member of the public could speak for up to five minutes on the proposed budget statement. The hearing was published in the Lincoln Journal Star on August 12, 2025.

Discussion Items

• 4.a (25-78): Amendment No. 2 to the agreement with Verizon Wireless for a PCS tower and appurtenances, extending the term. Had second reading; no further action noted.
• 5.a (25-75): Change of Zone 25015 for U.S. Property to rezone 2.7 acres from Agricultural Residential to O-3 Office Park District at Nebraska Parkway and Pine Lake Road. Passed 7-0.
• 5.b (25-76): Change of Zone 25012 for Phillip Romberg and Rochelle Mallett to rezone property at 1821 S Pershing Road from R-2 Residential to R-2 Landmark with historic overlay. Passed 7-0.
• 5.c (25R-333): Special Permit 25027 for a historic preservation garage in the front yard at 1821 S Pershing Road. Adopted 7-0.
• 6.a (25R-348): Accepted report of new and pending claims against the City for August 1–14, 2025. (First reading)
• 6.b (25R-349): Approved a contract with U-SELECT-IT HOLDINGS, INC. for harm reduction dispensing machines for the Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department. (First reading)
• 6.c (25R-350): Approved a first amendment to the keno lottery contract with EHPV Lottery Services, LLC to allow digital-on-premises keno tickets. (First reading)
• 6.d (25R-351): Appeal by Stacy Asher of the Capital Environs Commission Certificate of Appropriateness for tree removal and replacement along Goodhue Boulevard. (First reading)
• 7.a-7.c (24-130, 24R-526, 24R-527): Items related to Sesostris Temple Holding Corp. zoning change at north of O Street and Anthony Lane, continued on the pending list with no date certain.
• 8.a (25R-341) and 8.b (25-77): Budget ordinances for mid-biennium adjustments to the 2024-2026 budget and capital improvement program, including authorization of the Municipal Annual Certification for the One and Six Year Street and Highway Program. A request to delay action to August 25, 2025, was made. Public hearing held.

Key Outcomes

• All consent calendar items were adopted unanimously (7-0).
• Zoning changes 25-75 and 25-76 passed unanimously (7-0).
• Special Permit 25R-333 was adopted unanimously (7-0).
• The budget public hearing was held; action on the budget ordinances was delayed to the August 25, 2025 meeting.
• The mayor presented the Award of Excellence for Fiscal Stewardship to Dianne Campbell, Tom Stumbo, Courtney Fisher, Jessamy Gray, and Jeremiah Johnson from the Lincoln Police Department.

Mayor's Award of Excellence

• The Mayor's Award of Excellence for March 2025 was presented to five employees from the Lincoln Police Department for Fiscal Stewardship.