I took this skyline image of eastern Omaha after canvassing  yesterday.   Going from left to right, you can see the St. Cecilia's Cathedral, downtown Omaha, midtown Omaha, and the UNMC campus.  The  date of the primaries (May 12th) is also on the horizon.  This race is very competitive.  I believe that I'm the most qualified candidate to serve on the OPPD board and I hope the voters see it that way as well. 

Canvassing is a lot of hard work.  But that's where the true payoff lies--in seeing revitalized neighborhoods teeming with life, where conversations spark meaningful connections and uncover what's truly on people's minds.  This is the Field Club Trail, which winds through the heart of South Omaha.  

I have encountered some pretty interesting architecture while canvassing the neighborhoods in OPPD District 2.  One of my favorite architectural  landmarks is Joslyn Castle, which is on the northern edge of the district. 

I'm really lucky to be canvassing in South Omaha.  South Omaha was once a city separate from Omaha, nicknamed the "Magic City," until  it was annexed in 1915.  It served as a meatpacking hub and drew immigrants who were Czech, Irish, Italian, Latino, Lithuanian, and Polish descent.  Meatpacking still is an important industry in South Omaha and it is still very diverse, with large Hispanic and Sudanese populations.  Every neighborhood has its own charm and surprises.  

Today, I officially entered the race for the OPPD board.  For many people who enter this race, it is more about building a resume to move on to a higher office.   I have no interest in that.  For me, it is about giving back to my community in a way that uses my technical background and senior executive experience.  I contemplated running for the board after the chaos associated with the December 18th board vote.  The narrative surrounding that vote was that the board was put in a difficult position because OPPD senior management and staff had not completed the necessary steps to move forward with converting North Omaha Units 4 and 5 from coal to natural gas by the end of 2026. However, this would never have happened if the board had asked probing questions and really held OPPD management accountable for meeting specific milestones.  Earlier, the board unanimously approved a pay raise for the OPPD executives, including raising the CEO's salary to $856,000.  If elected to the board, I will ensure that management compensation and retention are tied to meeting specific milestones.   I will also leverage my technical background to ask the probing questions that are needed to ensure commitments aren't broken again.   I was one of those kids who grew up in North Omaha and suffered from asthma, and I pledge to do everything I can to ensure that OPPD finally fulfills its promise.