As winter nears, city officials continue to ponder whether to nix the 4-inch threshold that has guided decisions to plow residential streets following snowstorms.
Earlier this year, a city task force recommended the city do away with the trigger point. That recommendation was part of a 59-page report on how to improve the city's work to keep streets navigable following ice invasions and snow onslaughts.Ìý
The threshold has been ridiculed by residents who have complained of dangerous conditions on the residential streets they need to access the city's prioritized snow routes.
While the 4-inch threshold may be an easy-to-understand measuring stick, it doesn't account for the variety of storms and conditions that can conspire to create skating rinks on city streets, said Tim Byrne, who oversees winter operations for Lincoln Transportation and Utilities.
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But the city lacks the resources to take on main thoroughfares, arterial streets and bus routes in its snowfighting operations and also addressÌýresidential street needs, he said.
So the city has begun analyzing bids from seven contractors for a residential plowing scheme that could make it more cost-effective to clear those streets sooner.Ìý
Often the city can't get to residential streets until 12 to 24 hours after the last flakes fall, and by that time, traffic may have packed down the snow, he said.Ìý
"Plows have a very limited effectiveness at that time," Byrne said.ÌýÌý
Yoakum's war chest
Christa Yoakum entered the final month of the campaign for Lancaster County Board with nearly four times as much cash on hand as her opponent, Eric Underwood.Ìý
Campaign finance filings for the two candidates vying to represent northwest Lincoln and Lancaster County show Yoakum has raised more than $65,000 compared with Underwood's $23,000 in donations.Ìý
Yoakum, a Democrat, began her campaign after being appointed to the seat in the summer of 2019.Ìý
Underwood, a first-time candidate, announced his campaign in late February.Ìý
Yoakum's largest donation came from Bold Alliance, a progressive environmental advocacy group led by Nebraska Democratic Party Chair Jane Kleeb.Ìý
The organization dropped $10,000 inÌýYoakum's coffers. Her largest individual donor, a Colorado resident, pledged $1,000.Ìý
By comparison, Underwood's largest donation in the latest reporting period came from Gov. Pete Ricketts, who gave $5,000 to support his fellow Republican.
Underwood's largest donation from an organization thus far came from the Lincoln Independent Business Association, which encouraged him to run and donated $2,500.Ìý
Surge in registrations
For the first time, Lancaster County has eclipsed 200,000 registered voters, according to Election Commissioner Dave Shively.Ìý
The deadline to register ahead of the Nov. 3 election is Friday, and residents must register in person at the Commissioner's Office at 601 N. 46th St. before 6 p.m.
Shively said there's been a steady, socially distanced line of 15 to 20 people to register or vote early this week.Ìý
An estimated 248,000 county residents are of age to vote, according to the latest U.S. Census estimates.
As of Tuesday afternoon, Shively's staff has received more than 50,000 returned ballots out of 83,000 early-voter requests.Ìý
Seeking recalls
Benjamin Madsen told Lincoln City Council members Monday he and his supporters are considering efforts to recall Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird and council members over their handling of the appointment of Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Director Pat Lopez.Ìý
The declared 2021 City Council candidate, who is general manager of Madsen's Bowling & Billiards, called out the council for its decision to rush a vote appointing Lopez as the health director over concerns he and others raised about her 14-month tenure as interim director.Ìý
"You need to know that you are on notice," said Madsen, who continues to fight the legality of the county's mask mandate.ÌýÌý
Shively said no one has come to his office and taken steps to circulate a recall petition.Ìý
Recalls of elected officials in Lancaster County are rare, in part because of the signature threshold and time crunch to trigger them, Shively said.Ìý
Petitioners would need to collect 21,652 signatures of eligible Lincoln voters within 30 days to trigger a recall election of Gaylor Baird, he said.Ìý
The three at-large council members, Roy Christensen, Bennie Shobe and Sändra Washington, cannot be recalled because it is too close to the 2021 city election.Ìý
Madsen has said he plans to run for one of those at-large seats. He didn't respond to a request for comment Tuesday.Ìý
Fast takes
* 4Ìý— Gaylor Baird is one of only four mayors leading Big Ten Conference university cities who didn't sign a letter calling on the conference to consider rates of community coronavirus spread before allowing football games. City spokeswoman Diane Gonzolas said the mayor had a conflict during the mayors' meeting about the letter Friday and didn't learn of the letter until Monday. By then, there wasn't enough time to consult with the Health Department, university and NU Athletics officials. "The Mayor appreciates her colleagues’ and the Big Ten’s shared commitment to keeping our communities safe," Gonzolas said in an email.
*Ìý20 mphÌý— The new speed limit in most school zones after the Lincoln City Council passed changes Monday to create more uniform rules around public and private schools.
*Ìý$349,353,597Ìý— Federal pandemic aid received by Lancaster County residents, businesses, farmers and governments. The vast majorityÌý— $249 millionÌý— was paid out to unemployed or furloughed workers, according to the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency's .