VOTE411 Voter Guide

I really like what we do in the state legislature that allows for public comments on agenda items, and would like to see something similar at the utility board level. Many people cannot take off work to attend a board meeting at 1pm on a Wednesday. Perhaps it is time to look at a different arrangement. I also do not like the check in process at MUD Board meetings. Board meetings are "Open Meetings" by law and should not require anyone to submit identification to attend. If this is MUD policy for all body corporate properties perhaps Board Meetings should be moved to the legislative chambers of the Civic Center.

I am very concerned that lead service lines are as prevalent as they are in the Omaha Metro in the 21st Century. While I believe these lines remain safe today I also understand that distribution systems have a service life and could eventually fail. MUD priority should be identifying and replacing the highest-risk assets first—such as aging water mains, lead service lines, and critical natural gas infrastructure—to protect safety and reliability. We have had far too many water main breaks across the Omaha Metro in the last few years, and it is time to be proactive on their replacement/maintenance. MUD should also pursue available state and federal funding when possible to lessen the burden on ratepayers.

MUD has an obligation to recover costs. There are programs already established for payment assistance or flexible payment options that reduce the burden of a gas bill spike when winter rolls in. Ultimately, the best thing I believe MUD can do is to continue to promote efficiency programs that help customers lower their overall water and gas use particularly during the extreme weather months of the year.

Transparency is a primary concern for government, and we endeavor to provide our ratepayers with access to information. For example, we post videos of our board of directors meetings on YouTube. When I was a state senator, and now as a board member at MUD, any conflicts of interest involving my colleagues or me would require the official to declare a conflict and abstain from voting. We welcome public comment at our board meetings, and MUD has gas and water information posted online, with phone access to our customer service staff. We promote sustainable practices that will continue to provide clean water and reliable natural gas at affordable rates for our customers.

I am a strong supporter of our robust efforts to replace aging lead water pipes, primarily in our older neighborhoods. We have a particular priority addressing these projects near schools and day care centers. The MUD website offers an interactive map for the public to track our projects.

First, as a state senator and now as a board member, I remain committed to the public nature of our utility services, which consistently offer quality service at highly competitive rates. To ensure continued progress on our lead replacement infrastructure projects, MUD adopted a modest 2.9 percent rate increase for 2026, about $33 annually for the average MUD customer. While we still offer lower rates than our peers, we remain concerned about low-income residents. There is an assistance program for eligible persons in need, and we also work with these customers on a budget plan. We also promote sustainable practices that can help all customers reduce their water and natural gas consumption and costs.