There's a few things that bother me about local government.
One of them is that thoughtful citizens are often shut out of the process because they are made to feel, intentionally or no, that they aren't Experts.
So let's read the City Council agenda.

First things first, here is the Omaha City Council website. They have a 1.5 star rating on Google.
https://citycouncil.cityofomaha.org/ 

Here you can:
- find your Councilmember and their contact under "Councilmembers"
- Agendas under "Agendas"
- watch City Council livestream on Tuesdays at 2 pm (but check the "Council Calendar to see when they meet)
- watch past City Council meetings

So here we are at the Agendas.
You can email the City Clerk at [email protected] to ask that you be emailed each week's agenda or you can check here every Friday which is what I do because it's Friday and I know how to have fun.

Let's use 8/18 as an example since it's fresh in our minds.
(I have gone through 5 yrs of Council agendas for a tinfoil TIF theory so if you have a fun research project like that, this site really is an amazing resource).

I skipped the budget resolutions - though Big Important Public things will usually be at the top of the agenda. Budget. Masks.
Most agendas start with Planning - subdivisions, zoning changes, etc.
Planning Board basically always recommends approval. (Those mtgs are public btw).

Then there's usually the liquor licenses.
The City is I think required to notify adjacent property owners and businesses and neighborhood assns of liquor licenses w/in a certain radius.
This is a fun section when you see things like "Messages received in opposition"

This is also a good section to talk about your neighborhood, for better or worse.
An example of "or worse" was the contentious liquor license for Reign Lounge in Florence.

At first glance, the agenda can seem overwhelming. But they actually do a pretty good job of letting you know when you can participate and how - for instance, the Consent Agenda.
Green section - we learn a few things:
- when was the public hearing
- how to participate still

So you missed the public hearing but you have thoughts - what to do.
Contact your City Councilmember and ask if they will pull that item off the agenda. You can't talk on it, but maybe your City Councilmember will share your concerns. Maybe not. Worth a shot.

Next is Consent Agenda - Resolutions. This is a bit confusing bc it seems like these items should be the same as Consent Agenda but they're not. They will be voted on in a block, but you have the opportunity to speak on any of them.
Directions on how to do so highlighted here

Also helpful - the agenda will tell you, in Big Bold Letters, when are the public hearings for each.
Most ordinances go through 3 readings & the public hearing is usually on the 2nd reading.
1st reading lets you know what's coming.
2nd reading is public hearing
3rd reading- vote

(that order and process can change in some circumstances but the agenda will still indicate when is the public hearing. It might just say Public Hearing and Vote Today).

The agenda will just have the ordinance or the resolution. These are pretty detailed already but additional information (applications, etc) is included in the agenda under "see attached"
Let's find more info for item 41 - the TIF agreement for the Furniture Row development

(now usually this should include the project plan where, for a TIF project you would find the "but for" clause, project budget, justifications, etc.
You should find it here, but it's not here).

ANYWAY.

How about for item 43, awarding a contract to Midwest Security to work at the public libraries that we apparently can't afford to keep open at a cost of $70k?

Then the Non-Action Items which do not require a public hearing on that day but DO tell you what's going to be on a future agenda and when.
This is good info if you want to start organizing testimony.
Not all upcoming items will be on this section so check agendas regularly.

Let me wrap this up by saying that I learned everything I know from watching City Council and asking questions of Councilmembers.
You can watch current and past meetings on the Council home page.
And if you have questions, contact your Councilmember and ask.

And if they don't explain it to you, ask again and again and again.
If they pass you off to someone else, ask again and again and again.

And if they still don't explain it to you, then they probably don't deserve to be a public servant.