Omaha CSO

Public Meetings & Outreach

Seeking input from the public is an important element in the development of the City's plan to reduce overflows and improve area rivers and streams. During the initial development of the Long Term Control Plan, advisory groups representing stakeholders were established, comprised of over 125 volunteers including residents, community leaders and 10 Basin Advisory panels. Once the CSO Program began implementing projects, the focus transitioned to specific project public outreach. The City and Program Management Team continue to meet with impacted residents, attend neighborhood and local business meetings and provide public input opportunities designed to inform, exchange ideas and receive feedback at key project milestones. Each CSO project includes public outreach as part of preliminary design, final design and prior to the start of construction.

_{The 2020 COVID-19 pandemic presented new challenges for public outreach as people stayed home, children became remote learners, and face-to-face communications halted. To provide necessary project and Program information, the CSO Program adapted by utilizing videos, social media, the public website, reaching out by phone, and staying in contact with neighborhoods through virtual public meetings and email .}