Omaha council holds extended hearing on ordinance to let city employees fundraise; supporters push to restore 'Fill the Boot'

The Omaha City Council held an extended public hearing May 19, 2026 on an ordinance that would allow city employees to conduct limited fundraising for nonprofit organizations during work hours under narrowly defined circumstances.

Supporters told the council the measure would restore the long-standing Fill the Boot tradition for firefighters and broaden opportunities for other nonprofits. Trevor Tally, president of Omaha Professional Firefighters, told the council that the program had deep local roots and direct benefits: "I'm hopeful that you'll see that generosity and help us reinstate this Fill the Boot program so we can continue to make a difference in the lives of families affected by MDA." Families and beneficiaries described personal impacts from services funded by the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA), and Heather Miller, senior director for firefighter partnerships at MDA, said on-street drives remain the most effective model: "In 2025 alone, 77% of all Fill the Boot campaigns were conducted at intersections. That represents over 800 events nationwide."

City law department counsel Mac Cozzi cautioned the council about legal limits and local discretion. Cozzi said the ordinance was drafted in light of a previous advisory opinion from the Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission (NADC) and stressed that "there is no guarantee that fire department employees will be able to participate in the Fill the Boot campaign" because department directors must evaluate operational impacts and mission fit before approving on-duty fundraising.

Council members pressed on implementation, oversight and potential costs. Council Member Goodwin raised a calculation used in debate about scope and transparency, telling colleagues that if every department used the maximum allowed events it could total thousands of staff hours: "If everybody participated and each department took five a year, that's 5,600 hours ... that equates to about $225,000 per year in expenses on city employees not working and doing this." Several council members suggested amendments to limit hours or require additional transparency and council notification before a department pursues on-duty fundraising.

Nonprofit representatives urged neutral, best-practice selection and oversight. Nick Coler of the Nonprofit Association of the Midlands recommended an outside screening and advisory approach, saying the association could help identify organizations that meet governance and transparency standards: "We recommend using NAM's Best Practice Partnership Program" as one tool to reduce bias in beneficiary selection.

Council discussion emphasized three recurring constraints: (1) legal limits tied to the use of public resources and the NADC advisory opinion; (2) director-level discretion to approve activity only when it will not impair operations; and (3) transparency to avoid perceptions of favoritism. Several directors and the law department said the ordinance was intentionally narrow and that directors could deny requests based on staffing, safety or operational needs.

The council did not adopt the ordinance at the May 19 meeting. Members debated amendments and the need for additional procedural safeguards and disclosure; multiple speakers said they expected further edits and a future vote. The meeting moved on after the public hearing closed.