Hug Melton Roe Festerson Goodwin Harding Mr.

President.

Everybody be seated.

In light of the fact that we're all anxiously here today to listen to the twenty twenty-six budget.

I'm waiving my comments.

Thank you.

An affidavit of publication is on file for this meeting, and a current copy of the open meeting act is posted on the White Binder on the East Wall of Legislative Chambers.

Good afternoon.

Welcome to this meeting of the Omaha City Council.

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The city contributed 20 million for that project, but the rest illustrates Omaha's proud tradition of public private partnerships.

282 foundations, corporations, individuals are helping Omaha build this beautiful space.

The building needs staff, and in 2026, the city is funding 27 positions for Central Library, which employs 63 people.

The overall library count will be 146 people.

It is not a surprise to see this kind of investment in a public treasure spur private investment nearby.

In June, we broke ground on an $850 million family entertainment complex at the crossroads, which is projected to finish in early 2027.

Another big investment in human capital reflects the prior administration's decision to boost wages for Omaha police personnel mid-contract.

This decision promises to pay 5% more to our Omaha police officers than what any Nebraska law enforcement jurisdiction pays.

That new contracted pay scale goes into effect in January, and it's the reason for 10 million of the department's personnel cost increase.

Additionally, OPD will offer three recruit classes that will bring 113 new officers to the department, closing an ongoing staffing gap.

These efforts aim to get OPD near its full personnel strength of 96 officers.

It is important to recruit and retain police officers after years of diminished numbers among sworn personnel.

This means that the police general fund budget will go up 6.6% because the police department is the city's largest general fund expense.

This accounts for close to half of the city's overall general fund expenditure increase.

A solid, functioning police department with stable leadership and a focus on strengthening police community relations is vital, a vital investment for the city.

Omaha also will invest in tools, law enforcement needs to keep residents safe.

These include new body worn cameras, cruiser cameras, tasers, and virtual reality for training.

This comes at a cost of 22.9 million dollars in 2026, part of a 10-year contract for $27.6 million that began in 2024.

30 new police cruisers will be added at a cost of 2.7 million dollars.

The police budget also includes the continuation of grant-funded annual mental health checks for about one-fourth of the department.

The city will incur the full cost previously shared with the federal grant for an important youth prevention effort through the boys and girls' clubs of the Midlands.

The city values law enforcement and recognizes that an investment in a strong, effective police department is a reflection of the commitment made to public safety in general, and that investment is paying off in a continued reduction in the overall crime rate.

Our public safety also depends on a well-staffed, well-supported fire department.

In 2026, the Omaha Fire Department's general fund budget will increase 3.1%.

This increase is attributable to wage increases for the department's funded 695 positions.

It is also due to inflationary costs for emergency medical service and paramedic training through Creighton University and the new striker power cot stretchers.

The fire department is also working to support employees through cancer screenings, which will cost about $687,000, and this is needed to improve resources to make sure that our firefighters who are exposed to hazardous materials and other hazards during their job have the ability to be screened for cancer and given the opportunity to find out if in fact there is anything going on with their health in a timely manner.

We also are looking to have a contract with a company that will provide medical care for our firefighters in terms of coordinating that care so that they will be able to get back to work sooner, reducing the cost for overtime call-in pay, and also getting them back to work more quickly so that we can utilize their skills.

Planning, the Omaha Police Department, Omaha Planning Department is in the midst of a thoughtful project to create the city's 20-year comprehensive plan.

This plan will replace the last city master plan adopted in 1997.

It will be an integral part of decision making on land use zoning and codes.

I'm delighted that as this effort continues, I can promote planning department leaders to lead an affordable housing creation plan as part of my vision for intentional economic development.

I have also increased spending for the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce and their efforts at economic development, chiefly in business and industry growth, business attraction, marketing and recruiting homegrown talent back to our city.

Omaha is a unique and perhaps once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to transform not just an urban core, changing before our very eyes with the 44-story mutual of Omaha Tower and Streetcar, but also with North and South Omaha.

Efforts underway, such as the Omaha Inland Port Authority can catalyze industrial, commercial, and residential development on a scale not seen in the past.

I was also encouraged to learn how the streetcar project will fuel affordable housing development through TIFF revenue generated by development that we anticipate to sprout along the streetcar route.

Our planning efforts in conjunction with public works finance are vital to keeping this important project on time and on budget and being delivered without extra cost to taxpayers.

As a reminder, the streetcar will be funded by TIFF revenue, not tax dollars.

As I mentioned, pragmatism and Omaha's budget for 26 reflects that.

The budget does not call for a moonshot.

One gap is reflected in our parks department where the city has tried balancing improvements with sheer citywide day-to-day maintenance.

It is my hope that this time next year I can present a plan that would reflect another priority I have for Omaha, a public-private maintenance proposal that would beautify and improve those important public spaces valued in every corner of the city.

Our public works department will see a nearly 6% increase in general fund spending due largely to increased costs associated with the solid waste contract.

Additionally, the department is adding 16 full-time employees for an overall position count of 757.

Of the 16, 10 positions are sought for the street capital construction and maintenance division to accommodate additional lane miles of roadway maintenance assumed through recent annexations.