A Monday meeting in South Omaha kicked off a weeklong series of public hearings on how to spend millions to rejuvenate South and North Omaha and other low-income communities disproportionately affected by COVID-19. (Cindy Gonzalez/Nebraska Examiner)
OMAHA — Ideas to bring long-term economic vitality to South and North Omaha streamed in Monday as a series of public meetings kicked off on how to spend millions in federal recovery funds.
Proposals ranged from funding a professional baseball team to replacing leaded water pipes in poor households to a multimillion-dollar revamp around the Q Street business corridor.
An estimated 75 people attended the hearing before a special legislative committee at the Metropolitan Community College’s south campus. About a dozen people spoke, each for an allotted three minutes.
‘Transformational’ wanted
While lawmakers presiding over the hearing said they wanted “transformational” initiatives, they also welcomed smaller thoughts that could wind up combined with others.
Their overall objective: to identify a slate of projects that best creates good-paying jobs and lasting economic growth in the targeted areas.
Certain guidelines accompany the $335 million that comes largely from the state’s allocation of the federal American Rescue Plan Act, including that they be spent by 2026.
“We’re looking for big ideas, things that can fundamentally change east Omaha,” said State Sen. Justin Wayne.
Wayne, State Sen. Terrell McKinney and State Sen. Tony Vargas are key architects of the Economic Recovery Act, which passed earlier this year as Legislative Bill 1024 and provides the $335 million to rejuvenate South and North Omaha and other low-income communities disproportionately hurt by COVID-19.
Teen entrepreneur speaks
A portion of the funds already has been earmarked for certain projects, such as a $60 million North Omaha business park by the airport, but the majority is to be determined by the seven-lawmaker committee. Other members are Sen. Mike McDonnell of Omaha and Sens. Mike Hilgers, Anna Wishart and Brett Lindstrom of Lincoln.
Among proposals heard Monday:
Website offers more info
Monday’s public hearing, which followed earlier meetings with business and agency leaders, was the first of four to be held this week. Financial and other experts were on hand also to offer applicants technical assistance.
While community members were invited to present ideas, they were told that proposals must be formally received before Oct. 10 via a special online portal.
A website also has been established detailing the process. The legislative committee, assisted by the Omaha-based Olsson consulting team, aims to select its recommended projects by December.
A final coordination plan is to be reviewed by the Legislature in 2023.
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by Cindy Gonzalez, Nebraska Examiner
September 19, 2022
by Cindy Gonzalez, Nebraska Examiner
September 19, 2022
OMAHA — Ideas to bring long-term economic vitality to South and North Omaha streamed in Monday as a series of public meetings kicked off on how to spend millions in federal recovery funds.
Proposals ranged from funding a professional baseball team to replacing leaded water pipes in poor households to a multimillion-dollar revamp around the Q Street business corridor.
An estimated 75 people attended the hearing before a special legislative committee at the Metropolitan Community College’s south campus. About a dozen people spoke, each for an allotted three minutes.
‘Transformational’ wanted
While lawmakers presiding over the hearing said they wanted “transformational” initiatives, they also welcomed smaller thoughts that could wind up combined with others.
Their overall objective: to identify a slate of projects that best creates good-paying jobs and lasting economic growth in the targeted areas.
Certain guidelines accompany the $335 million that comes largely from the state’s allocation of the federal American Rescue Plan Act, including that they be spent by 2026.
“We’re looking for big ideas, things that can fundamentally change east Omaha,” said State Sen. Justin Wayne.
Wayne, State Sen. Terrell McKinney and State Sen. Tony Vargas are key architects of the Economic Recovery Act, which passed earlier this year as Legislative Bill 1024 and provides the $335 million to rejuvenate South and North Omaha and other low-income communities disproportionately hurt by COVID-19.
Teen entrepreneur speaks
A portion of the funds already has been earmarked for certain projects, such as a $60 million North Omaha business park by the airport, but the majority is to be determined by the seven-lawmaker committee. Other members are Sen. Mike McDonnell of Omaha and Sens. Mike Hilgers, Anna Wishart and Brett Lindstrom of Lincoln.
Among proposals heard Monday:
Website offers more info
Monday’s public hearing, which followed earlier meetings with business and agency leaders, was the first of four to be held this week. Financial and other experts were on hand also to offer applicants technical assistance.
While community members were invited to present ideas, they were told that proposals must be formally received before Oct. 10 via a special online portal.
A website also has been established detailing the process. The legislative committee, assisted by the Omaha-based Olsson consulting team, aims to select its recommended projects by December.
A final coordination plan is to be reviewed by the Legislature in 2023.
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Nebraska Examiner is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Nebraska Examiner maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Cate Folsom for questions: info@nebraskaexaminer.com. Follow Nebraska Examiner on Facebook and Twitter.
Our stories may be republished online or in print under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. We ask that you edit only for style or to shorten, provide proper attribution and link to our web site.
Senior Reporter Cindy Gonzalez, an Omaha native, has more than 35 years of experience, largely at the Omaha World-Herald. Her coverage areas have included business and real estate development; regional reporting; immigration, demographics and diverse communities; and City Hall and local politics. She has won awards from organizations including Great Plains Journalism, the Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing (SABEW) and the Associated Press. Cindy has been recognized by various nonprofits for community contributions and diversity efforts. She chairs the board that oversees the local university’s student newspaper.
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Nebraskans want accountability from their elected officials and government. They want to know whether their tax dollars are being well-spent, whether state agencies and local governments are responsive to the people and whether officials, programs and policies are working for the common good. The Nebraska Examiner is a nonprofit, independent news source committed to providing news, scoops and reports important to our state.
Our stories may be republished online or in print under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. We ask that you edit only for style or to shorten, provide proper attribution and link to our web site.
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