Omaha council approves multiple liquor licenses, plats, a $112,500 settlement and moves to executive session on labor negotiations

The Omaha City Council on Jan. 2026 advanced a series of routine items in a meeting that featured unanimous motions on several licenses, plats, budget and settlement matters and concluded with a vote to enter executive session to discuss labor negotiations.

Votes at a glance - Item 6: Class A liquor license for Staybridge Suites (7825 Davenport Street) — approved, motion passed 6–0. - Item 7: Class I liquor license for Benson Theatre (to be operated by Abraham Catering) — approved, motion passed 6–0. - Item 8: Class I liquor license for Courtyard Omaha downtown (101 S. 10th Street) — approved, motion passed 6–0. - Item 9: Preliminary plat for 2 Key Heights, Replat 1 (with a lot depth waiver) — approved, motion passed 6–0. - Items 10–12: Avenue 1 Replat 7 (preliminary and final plats and subdivision agreement) — considered together and approved, motion passed 6–0. - Consent agenda (items including 13–17) — approved, motion passed 6–0. - Items 18–43 (public hearings held and votes) — approved, motion passed 6–0. - Item 44: Resolution approving settlement in Cary Salon v. City of Omaha and William Kressevich — settlement amount $112,500, approved, motion passed 6–0. - Item 46: Ordinance accepting Choppers Lawn Service bid for Ramble Ridge maintenance — bid amount $55,550 (public hearing closed). - Item 54: Ordinance to approve a budget transfer of $2,924,667 from the wage adjustment account — public hearing closed and item considered as part of votes recorded. - Item 55: Public hearing on additional fuel storage at 5018 Ames Avenue — public hearing closed; no opponents recorded in the transcript.

Applicants and proponents who spoke included Jessica Thomas Stewart (Staybridge license, provided address for the record), Christina Kamler and Chad Morford (representing Abraham Catering), Lacey Bailey (Courtyard applicant), Joe Flax Beard and Matthew Kavanaugh (Holy Name Housing on item 9) and Jim Buzier (Avenue 1 replat). Public commenters included Donnie R. Johnson (Johnson Equestrian Foundation and North Memorial Concerned Citizen Foundation) who posed multiple questions during the hearings and asked, among other items, that an additional van be added to a program: "we need another van added to that because they're gonna be going from the correction center to the Peace Corps at Fort Omaha," and Larry Storer who supported item 40 and Timothy Reeder’s appointment.

A notable legal item, item 44, approved a settlement payment of $112,500 to resolve Cary Salon v. City of Omaha and William Kressevich. The council also approved routine procurement and planning items, such as the $55,550 Choppers Lawn Service bid for turf maintenance in Ramble Ridge Subdivision. Late in the meeting a motion to move into executive session to discuss labor negotiations was made, seconded and approved 6–0; the president stated that the executive session would be limited to labor negotiations and would include the city attorney, city council, city clerk, the council chief of staff and the human resources director.

The meeting recorded multiple unanimous roll-call votes (6–0) on the listed items and adjourned after the executive-session motion was confirmed.