[{"_1":2,"_86":-5,"_87":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},"mediaId",6301913,"mediaKeyId","2483243-97981da6c7b90a0c0637c4a8c30cf36c","parentId",2483243,"title","Votes at a glance: Lincoln City Council approves contractor, appointments, permits and city agreements","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",3315000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2483243-97981da6c7b90a0c0637c4a8c30cf36c&start=3315&end=3315","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2483243-97981da6c7b90a0c0637c4a8c30cf36c/thumbnail_3315000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6301913/Lincoln/Lancaster-County/Nebraska/Votes-at-a-glance-Lincoln-City-Council-approves-contractor-appointments-permits-and-city-agreements","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6301913-203b8912b3e14f77aef242fa93ff9fae/orig.mp4?Expires=1775042665&Signature=cGJYk7OD8CUKbeH4xx0RinpZ06e5CjrBPE4FadYJPOkWEwCNjN3knYW1-ra8RfAPrFLnb0ffKz5AbB-zlKMeDwwC7KJrB2rAC7Qt0yttj7mPIUnF7qE0dj7gOmQ5IhFvSCjNtzlL9i~JwvBQO4xSHZoKghaLmk0j1RvsI4ChJbMGu24o2Bwe2Ga46GcT1aOPmRWyYmZFhDxKN8DPPdmLnT96ys0IS-uOzWQSOXSq1yS-7jvnWH1w21yQhIyfPUEUNqhApUw1c67SqD7s4zO49Z~9gbt-jSlPjiJ14gA48ccG~UyQbyP2CCNXNmse8LFfIQv3J5ubexwafVsxjy00WA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Lincoln, NE","date","2025-03-04T10:38:02Z","article","The Lincoln City Council approved a slate of consent and noncontroversial items on March 3, 2025, including appointments to advisory bodies, a federal-aid street rehab contractor, liquor licenses, a multi-year air quality work plan, a payroll/ERP services renewal and land-use items tied to neighborhood gardens and a growing corporate campus.

Why it matters: These votes authorize projects, contracts and appointments that affect capital construction, public events and city operations — from a federal-aid Adams Street rehabilitation to a renewed software support contract for city systems.

Key approved items (votes and short details):

- Adams Street rehab contractor (Consent item 1E): Council approved awarding the contract for the Adams Street rehabilitation (Adams Street from 30 Sixth Street to 40 Ninth Street) to CL Construction LLC following bid opening; motion introduced by Councilor Weber, seconded by Carlson. Vote: motion carried 6-0 (consent agenda). The agenda item authorizes execution of a construction contract with NDOT for use of federal transportation program funds.

- Advisory appointments (Consent items 1A–1D): Reappointments to boards and a professional services agreement were approved on consent:
• Urban Design Committee: reappointed Emily Deacker and Michael Harpster (terms to expire 02/01/2028). Vote: 6-0.
• Nebraska Capitol Environs Commission: reappointed Andrea Gebhardt and David Quaid (terms to expire 01/09/2028). Vote: 6-0.
• Board of Zoning Appeals: reappointed David Johnson (term details in agenda). Vote: 6-0.
• Waterford Trail Project preliminary engineering supplement with Shemmer Associates, Inc.: approved. Vote: 6-0.

- Liquor licenses and special events (Items 4A–4C): Council approved a new Class C liquor license and manager application for Da Vinci’s (manager: Joe Armstrong) and a special designated license for Max Creek Winery & Brewery to operate an approximately 10-by-10-foot outdoor area at the Haymarket Farmers Market for selected dates. Vote: motion carried (roll calls show unanimous or consent approval).

- Claims report (Item 5A): Council accepted the report of new and pending claims against the city for Feb. 1–15, 2026; that action included the vote sustaining City Law’s denial of a specific resident claim (detailed in a separate article). Vote: main motion carried 6-1.

- Employee flexible benefits (Item 5B): Council approved an amended and restated employee cafeteria plan (Section 125 flexible spending account plans) allowing pre-tax flexible spending arrangements; resolution authorizes the mayor to sign plan documents and future administrative amendments to keep the plan compliant with IRS and statutory changes. Vote: 7-0.

- Air Quality Program work plan (Item 5C): Council accepted a four-year Section 105 work plan (federal EPA pass-through funds via the state) for the Lincoln Lancaster County Health Department’s Air Quality Program. Vote: 7-0.

- Contract renewal with Oracle America, Inc. (Item 5D): Council approved a two-year renewal for technical support/licensing of a core city line-of-business application (payroll/ERP). Vote: 7-0.

- Holly Hamlet conservation easement amendment (Item 5E): Council approved a proposed amendment to the Holly Hamlet property conservation easement to restore an eight-foot width to Outlot A (to return the plot layout to the 15 garden-plot configuration). Planning recommended and staff found the amendment in conformance with the comprehensive plan; planning commission placed it on consent. Vote: 7-0.

- Use permit amendment for Sandhills Global Campus (Item 5F / Use Permit 17007A): Council approved an amendment that establishes a preliminary site layout, drainage calculations and a height waiver (up to 60 feet) for campus expansion. Planning recommended approval; vote: 7-0.

What the council did not do: No votes were taken to delay or table the listed items; one item in section 7 (item 7D) was withdrawn at the applicant’s request and removed from the agenda.

Procedure note: Council also handled two procedural reconsiderations later in the meeting: councilers reconsidered earlier votes to allow a substitution and clarification to the Adams Street contractor identification in the consent resolution and then approved the amended item on roll call. That substitution clarified the contractor name as CL Construction and passed on a subsequent roll call (motion carried 7-0 after substitution).","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Lincoln City Council Meeting March 3, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","At its March 3, 2025 meeting the Lincoln City Council approved multiple consent items, liquor licenses, contracts and land-use actions; most routine items passed unanimously or near-unanimously after brief presentations or no public comment.","taxTitle","Lincoln, Lancaster County, Nebraska","taxId",2562,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_46":80,"_48":81,"_50":82,"_52":83,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":84,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":85,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6301918,"Lincoln council upholds denial of resident’s $repair claim after crash involving city fire engine",3411,1259000,4670000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2483243-97981da6c7b90a0c0637c4a8c30cf36c&start=1259&end=4670","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2483243-97981da6c7b90a0c0637c4a8c30cf36c/thumbnail_1259000.jpg","/articles/6301918/Lincoln/Lancaster-County/Nebraska/Lincoln-council-upholds-denial-of-residents-repair-claim-after-crash-involving-city-fire-engine","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6301918-52958f247f6f650f80ccafc064385e28/orig.mp4?Expires=1775042665&Signature=FDs8MwMlGLuh0G-lLXn9v1pc3GbNuqheF~dJ1lgPMg81PVZC~LeKB-qHpskjBhQ1KhyrHbbza4r4ExmiUrGZtY2IBVu8XYXi1RYmR~rua11F-VeZ-salgwDcjkTsr1PFavdfX~T6p3MxI9dZ4wGA3ZIpSmGyeEvVqHpwgxgDAijDaJojI0ntfQ9q5qBxaPVeTRgWjQkvl-sfk~hAZNGYhKGRwu1ESJzocbbpzbbSIYqLI8sxkERAZCe7w~Cm4CaOMMUvwz8~3Uw7KuJpYkZm07RoIf5~Nc1z19N6NnwwhBkipqayj1DDuOYqZnD8hlT41QFOSsrtUCV5FlLmiTIm~w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Lincoln City Council voted to leave a citizen claim denied after hearing testimony and lengthy council debate over a November 4 traffic incident in which a city fire engine moved into another lane, and resident Dean Forgy’s vehicle struck a curb and required repairs.

The council’s decision keeps in place a recommendation from City Law that the city is not liable because the evidence does not show negligence by the fire engine driver. A motion to remove Forgy’s claim from denial failed on a 2-5 roll call; the council then approved the claims report that retains the denial (main motion carried 6-1).

The issue mattered because councilors and the claimant disputed whether the city driver’s actions—described in the city’s accident report as sliding in wet conditions and moving into another lane—amounted to legal negligence under Nebraska law. Forgy told the council he was forced onto the curb to avoid colliding with the fire engine and presented edited crash diagrams and the repair receipt.

“I think I’ve demonstrated sufficient evidence that the city driver was negligent in this case and that the city is liable for the damage to my van,” Forgy said during public comment, describing the sequence when the fire engine entered his lane, his subsequent evasive action, and damage to the driver-side tire and rim.

Assistant City Attorney Lily Lee summarized the legal review for council, saying the city’s incident reports show the engine moved into another lane after braking and sliding on wet pavement but that the records do not establish negligence. “I do not think that that shows negligence on the part of the fire driver,” Lee said, adding that the fire engine’s report and the Lincoln Police Department crash report were completed on the day of the incident.

Council debate focused on whether the stopping of a vehicle ahead of the fire engine (referred to in the record as vehicle 2) or the fire engine’s inability to stop in wet conditions was the proximate cause. Councilman Bowers moved to remove the claim from denial, arguing Forgy had been placed in a “no-win situation” and that the city could pursue recovery from the other motorist if appropriate. Council members Duda and Powers voted to remove; the motion failed when the majority declined to overturn City Law’s recommendation.

City Attorney Christy noted the council’s role is not to find legal fault but to review the recommendation and apply consistent standards. Council members who opposed removing the denial emphasized the city’s obligation to apply the same negligence standard consistently and the lack of clear evidence in the record that the driver was negligent.

The claimant said the crash report and edited diagrams—prepared after the city attorney’s denial letter—show the fire engine moved partially into his lane without lights or signals and that his evasive action prevented a more serious collision. Councilors asked for and reviewed police and city accident reports during the hearing; city staff said the city vehicle report is not public record but the police crash report is.

Action taken: the council declined to move Forgy’s claim from denial (motion to remove denied on a 2-5 roll call). The subsequent main motion to accept the claims report (which kept the denial in place) passed 6-1.

The council did not direct staff to reopen investigation or seek third-party recovery; the record shows no formal direction or assignment for follow-up other than the public discussion and the votes recorded.

Forgy asked the council to approve his repair claim; the council left the claim denied per City Law’s recommendation.

The council’s decision rests on the local application of Nebraska’s negligence standard as reflected in the State Tort Claims Act and the city legal review; councilors who voted to sustain the denial said the evidence as presented did not meet the negligence threshold required for city liability.","After an extended public hearing and debate, the Lincoln City Council declined to overturn a city law recommendation and left a November 4 accident claim by resident Dean Forgy denied, concluding there was insufficient evidence of negligence by the city driver.","actionData","errors"]

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Votes at a glance: Lincoln City Council approves contractor, appointments, permits and city agreements

Lincoln council upholds denial of resident’s $repair claim after crash involving city fire engine