Omaha Mayor-Elect John Ewing Jr. announced his transition plans as he prepares to lead the state’s biggest city. He introduced his incoming mayoral cabinet and his vision for Omaha’s economic development at a press conference Wednesday.
“Economic development to me, looks like inclusion. It looks like expanding the urban core plan to North and South Omaha. It looks like creating job opportunities like we'll be able to do with the new business park,” said Ewing, who starts his term Monday. “It looks like having opportunities for people to be able to live, work and play in their neighborhoods.”
He added that as far as economic development before his election, he felt it was often siloed with unclear goals.
Ewing said he has led transitions before as Douglas County Treasurer and he is confident in his ability to do so from the mayor’s office. He added he has had conversations with national businesses in an effort to attract them to the city for more job opportunities.
“I'm not going to be shy about telling people how great Omaha, Nebraska, is. I think we've been way too modest, and we have not tooted our own horn, so to speak,” he said.
The mayor-elect intends to keep much of the staff hired under former Mayor Jean Stothert, with the exception of one person retiring, although he plans to add positions of his own.
“As I begin this transition, I anticipated more turnover. However, after personally meeting with each leader, I became convinced that the team currently in place is well equipped to help us realize the goals I outlined during the campaign,” Ewing said.
One of his goals, he said, is to reduce fear in the community. In reference to a situation in Omaha earlier this week in which a restaurant employee was openly detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers, Ewing said he understands how that can create fear and uncertainty.
“We are going to be reaching out to ICE to see if there can be at least some coordination in making us aware of these things, rather than the video and things that people have been circulating on social media,” he said. “That's not the way we want to do law enforcement in Omaha."
OPD Chief Todd Schmaderer, also present at the press conference, said ICE usually alerts his team for large-scale activity, but not individual arrests.
“We are in the mix, but as a normal course of duty, we're not immigration enforcement officers and nor are we informed of individual arrests,” Schmaderer said.
“We certainly would like them to do things in a way that doesn't have the people of our community feel as if they are in jeopardy,” Ewing added.
Part of Ewing’s 100-day plan includes communication about the Omaha streetcar. The issue was seen as contentious during the campaign, but now Ewing said it is his job to make it as successful as possible and try to communicate as much as possible about the project.
He said he also has retention plans for the Omaha Police Department, improving streets and is excited to host the College World Series later this month.