@oma_documenters Board of Equalization agenda approved

@oma_documenters Before getting to the regular agenda, Comm PJ Morgan mentioned the shooting in Nashville last week.
“When I was in school that was something unheard of,” he said. “I wish there’s something we could do.”

@oma_documenters Consent agenda approved

@oma_documenters The Board will recognize the retirement of Elizabeth Zorko from the Election Commission.

@oma_documenters Election Commissioner Brian Kruse said Zorko has managed all of the polling places in the county for the past 20 years. He said she helped keep polling places open during the pandemic

@oma_documenters Zorko said, “This is a vocation that chose me.”
She thanked the staff at the election commission and the county board for their leadership

@oma_documenters Chair Mary Ann Borgeson said Zorko was a “shining example” of county employees who kept the government going through the pandemic

Next the Board will recognize this week as National Public Health Week. Comm Chris Rodgers added that April is also Minority Public Health Month

Health Director Lindsay Huse thanked the Board for the recognition and she said the health department is grateful to serve the community

The Board recognized April as National County Government Month. Chair Borgeson said these resolutions emphasize their role in keeping the community safe

During citizen comment, Nicole Claire said “meetings up stairs,” referring to meetings about the Mental Health Facility, have become more important than Board meetings but they aren’t advertised

The Board will hold a meeting about the facility this afternoon

Claire said everyone deserves mental health treatment, but one shouldn’t need to be arrested to get those services.

She said not addressing mental health care is costing the county money.

A building is not a program, Claire said. She asked the county to do the work to improve mental health in the community

Jaquala Yarbro, also talking about the mental health facility, raised concerns that ethnic disparities will be reflected in the facility. She said she has family members diagnosed with schizophrenia, so this issue is important to her

She said her siblings, having grown up in North Omaha, were also diagnosed with lead poisoning. She said the county needs to consult with the public more to acknowledge racial disparities in mental health

Another woman said she’s experienced trauma after going through treatment for mental illness, which resulted in her becoming homeless

She said the professionals who treated her were uninformed and neglectful. After being accosted by another patient, she said nobody at the facility did anything to help her

Next are two items to amend Douglas County’s zoning regulations. Environmental Services Director Kent Holms said the first will clear up some language and add automotive sales as a special use for mixed use districts

The first item was approved. The next would change zoning regulations for landscape businesses

Comm Mike Friend said the changes will allow “more natural growth” in the county’s rural areas

Holms went through some of the specifics in the resolution. He said practical effect will be to mitigate some potential conflicts between different property uses

Friend said he appreciates all the work Holms has done. Approved 6-0

The Board went into executive session at 10:00 am