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Council President Stepping Down Save Email Print
Future plans uncertain
Posted: 10:29 AM Aug 27, 2008
 Last Updated: 8:32 PM Aug 27, 2008
 Email Address: sixonline@wowt.com
44 comments
A | A | A

Omaha City Council President Dan Welch said Wednesday he will not seek re-election to the council.

"The decision I made is I'm not going to run for re-election to the 5th District of the City Council." When asked why, Welch replied, "Right now, I have a full-time law practice and I'm sort of a full-time city councilman. I've made a decision that I need to go one way or another exclusively."

Welch has represented District 5 in southwest Omaha for the past eight years. He was first elected in May of 2001. He has served as council president for the past four years.

"It made more sense to step back and let someone else in and I'll get out of the City Council and think about a run for the mayor's officer or just go back to the private sector exclusively." Welch calls his time in office a “privilege and a gratifying experience.”

He tells Channel 6 News he expects to decide if he'll run for mayor by next month. "I'm probably 50/50. I'm seriously considering it. Talking to people and getting great feedback. You almost have to give it strong consideration when people are asking you to do it."

It's an open race. Mayor Mike Fahey announced last month he isn't running for a third term.
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Posted by: Anthony on Aug 28, 2008 at 03:36 PM
Citizen - Yes, it does start with the rest of us 'citizens' who call in graffiti as it is happening with the culprits still on site, only to be shrugged off by 911 and directed to the Mayor's Hotline, which is nothing more than a glorified answering machine. Yes, it is the duty of the city council to address violent crime (even if indirectly) and a failing city infrastrucuture that has manifested itself at a staggering rate. No, I wouldn't read the Weird Harold even if it was free. Where was his dissenting final votes for the spiked pension funds, NO-DO and the recently shelved taxpayer graffiti cleanup proposal that have our concern and interest? I agree, we don't need Daub either but we do need to be able to TRUST our next mayor. Trust is something EARNED not just given away on a whim (and if we haven't learned that lesson yet with Fahey, shame on us). The present city council has not come close to earning our trust and that reflects directly on Mr. Welch as it's president.
Posted by: Citizen on Aug 28, 2008 at 11:30 AM
Good luck Dan. I hope you do take office. We do not need Daub back. In NW Omaha many speak very highly of you. For those of you who are writing in - read a newspaper every once and awhile. I would not call him a yes man considering Fahey and Dan did not agree on several issues. If you think the City Council is the answer to all of the violence and stupidy that happens in this town then you are dead wrong. It starts with the citizens, the City Counsel and Mayor are just a tool to make our city successful. Instead of complaining get out and help. Or teach your kids respect for one another instead of violence. Then maybe you can talk.
Posted by: JJ on Aug 28, 2008 at 10:40 AM
WHY DOESN'T HE RUN FOR MAYOR? WE CAN USE YOUNG BLOOD AND FRESH THOUGHTS,IN THE CITY.
Posted by: Lori on Aug 28, 2008 at 10:11 AM
I wouldn't vote for Dan Welch for mayor, and I won't vote for MY city councilman for mayor, either (Jim Suttle); several times in the last two years I contacted him and he NEVER got back to me (well, one time he did but it was a canned "thank you for your concern" e-mail sent by his SECRETARY). He doesn't have the interests of his district at heart, either, and would be another Fahey clone.
Posted by: To T@10:34 on Aug 28, 2008 at 09:28 AM
No idea? Really? Please show us (with true facts) where we err in our views. And we would run for office but only folks with money (as Mr. Welch just pointed out) can. That pretty much leaves out the general voting public, doesn't it? And do you seriously think the 'special' interests groups who run this city are going to support anyone wishing to upset the status-quo? Not likely.
Posted by: To Proponent on Aug 27, 2008 at 10:34 PM
Welch was going to spend $275,000 $ on a 'study' to cut police officers and fire fighters. They are already short!! Too short!! He is quoted saying "he is dealing with facts, not emotional arguments" when Darren Bates (Omaha Firefighter) said that by cutting the fire dept "people could die". So bottom line.. Welch basic isn't caring about human lives?? That could be any one of our family members trapped in a burning house. Like I said before, fire and police are too short staffed. TOO SHORT to be cutting jobs and corners. If my house was on fire, or if my house is being robbed, those 2 are the last in my mind that need to be cut! HEY WELCH..just stick to being a crooked lawyer...JMD wannabe!
Posted by: T on Aug 27, 2008 at 10:34 PM
A lot of you people have absolutely no idea what you're talking about with your criticisms. Let's see you run the city!
Posted by: Mike on Aug 27, 2008 at 10:33 PM
mTm- What do you expect when we have no faith in our city's leaders ability to lead? You expect us to be happy with the lies and broken promises that the city council and mayor have inflicted on this city, all in the name of progress? Yeh, I bet everything is just fine from where you're sitting (or in your case, traveling) but not for the rest of us.
Posted by: To mTm on Aug 27, 2008 at 10:22 PM
Are you 'mike The mayor'? If so, that would explain why you call us 'whiners'.
Posted by: Nope on Aug 27, 2008 at 10:20 PM
He is getting positive feedback? From where? He didn't ask his district, did he? Nope, as president, Mr Welch represents all that is wrong with this city council and it wouldn't be realistic to consider him as a good candidate. Just wouldn't be prudent of us to make the same mistake we made when we elected Fahey and that is to TRUST he will fight for our interests in all city matters.
Posted by: SWOmaha on Aug 27, 2008 at 10:01 PM
Welch is a good man. He came to my neighborhood during his campaign to city council to meet the people. I was impressed as no other candidate ever set foot in this middle class neighborhood. He would be a good mayor
Posted by: mAm on Aug 27, 2008 at 09:54 PM
mTm - We call it 'exercising our civic responsibility', not whining anymore. If enough of us do it, who knows, we might just affect real change and better our community! But if you think everything is just 'rosey' than keep the blinders on. As Obama says; it's time for REAL change.
Posted by: mTm on Aug 27, 2008 at 09:48 PM
I sure hope his daddy is making him be a lawyer full time. We just want you to go away.
Posted by: WHO? on Aug 27, 2008 at 09:44 PM
OK, who asked him to run for mayor? Fahey? Stinson? Diesing? Corporate Omaha? No average voter could be that gullible when there is little reason to believe he is any different than his mentor, Fahey!
Posted by: To Proponent on Aug 27, 2008 at 09:35 PM
No one said he was a bad person (though he might be), just that he would make a bad mayor. If we are dumb enough to elect ol' Dan, then logic would dictate that he would run the city just like Fahey has and that nightmare needs to end now! He has never stood on the side of the taxpaying voter on any issue and is simply one of Fahey's flunkies. We simply can't afford to take a chance with our livelyhoods anymore. We demand TRUE representation from all public offices, not anyone who says and does anything else contrary to OUR needs and wishes simply because we were foolish enough to elect them to office. We deserve and demand TRUST in the office of mayor. We should never have to question WHY we are being treated as the enemy when it is our city and our money! If the city council had not failed so miserably in providing just simple city services, maybe we wouldn't be so infuriated with this administration. Not one city council member deserves our respect or our vote at this moment.
Posted by: mTm on Aug 27, 2008 at 09:27 PM
What a bunch of whiners on here!!! complain, complain, complain....
Posted by: Please! on Aug 27, 2008 at 09:14 PM
Can we get the rest of the city council to step down as well? None of them are looking out for us, just their own gains.
Posted by: Anti-Welch on Aug 27, 2008 at 08:27 PM
As a sidenote - he won't be elected as Mayor - he has done way too much to try and hurt the people that serve and protect this community. He burned the wrong bridges, plain and simple.
Posted by: Proponent on Aug 27, 2008 at 07:34 PM
Just what facts (true facts) make him such a bad person?
Posted by: Omaha Kid on Aug 27, 2008 at 07:29 PM
Does anyone care?
Posted by: John W on Aug 27, 2008 at 07:07 PM
Please don't run for mayor. I don't have time to spend making sure you don't get elected, I need to spend it all fighting unjust dog bans.
Posted by: Reality Czech on Aug 27, 2008 at 06:48 PM
See ya later, pretty boy. Don't let the door hit you on the way out.
Posted by: Joe on Aug 27, 2008 at 06:26 PM
Dont let the door hit ya!
Posted by: Anonymous on Aug 27, 2008 at 06:18 PM
This guy is a politically motivated lawyer. A very dangerous thing. He's a skeemer with a plan,and not to be trusted.
Posted by: Joe on Aug 27, 2008 at 06:16 PM
Bye
Posted by: April on Aug 27, 2008 at 06:09 PM
The next time you want to complain about your property taxes, you can thank yourself for not taking Dan's solution. Dan is an intelligent, forward thinking man and it's really sad that there are still ignorant citizens that refuse to see outside the box.
Posted by: AJ on Aug 27, 2008 at 04:35 PM
Bill@3:42 - I totally agree but don't forget to add the rest of our city misfits to your list! We need all new representation in our city government.
Posted by: TO Dan on Aug 27, 2008 at 04:32 PM
Hal Daub and the entire City Council (except Gernandt) have all expressed interest although none have proven to be viable as they all have personal agendas that don't include the taxpaying public's best interests. They sure like our money (especially when they grant themselves a pay raise after next week) but not any of our concerns/issues. If they did, issues like graffiti, gang violence, street maintenance and spiked pension funding wouldn't just be a citizen concern and they would have already come up with a comprhensive plan to deal with them instead of pushing it off on the Omaha public without resolution. We need a true people's champion not any more 'wanna-bees'.
Posted by: Dan on Aug 27, 2008 at 03:43 PM
Does anybody know who's running for Mayor of Omaha in 2009?
Posted by: Bill on Aug 27, 2008 at 03:42 PM
Yes, take Fahey and Ken Stinson with you.
Posted by: Chortle on Aug 27, 2008 at 03:24 PM
Now if we could only get the rest of the city council to step down. None of these individuals have attempted to be the true voice echoing the real sentiments of their districts and could be easily replaced by parrots if voting 'yes' to Fahey's demands was the only job requirement necessary. This particular city council lacks any backbone to effectively deal with the issues that plague our city. I don't see any significant change after the upcoming Mayoral election (it's too late to field a truely viable candidate) unless a miracle happens but in no way should we settle for the leftover city council candidates nor elect Mr. Daub as our next mayor. We deserve better than all of them put together and if necessary I will write in 'none of the above' or N.O.T.A on my cast ballot to protest the lack of choice. We need to change the image this city government presents to it's citizens, after all it is our city and we should have a much better relationship with less contention than we do.
Posted by: cece on Aug 27, 2008 at 02:57 PM
Perhaps we should run the city like you would a corporation. We would probably see a better return on our investment (taxes). We would certainly not be able to raise taxes whenever we have not spent wisely. Our officials would be forced to get the job done with what they have and without raising taxes. Corporatation all over the world do it everyday.
Posted by: Bill on Aug 27, 2008 at 02:33 PM
We need a new mayor and city council puppets. Sure hope this clown isn't planning on running for mayor. He has NO clue just like the Huskers.
Posted by: UP board of directors on Aug 27, 2008 at 02:13 PM
That's where this guy is going, along with mayor fakey. Part of the payoff.
Posted by: Tony on Aug 27, 2008 at 01:48 PM
Mr. Welch - Please don't run for mayor as we have had as much of Mr. Fahey and his YES men as we can stomach. You have never proven to be anything other than that since taking office & as Hillary just said, "We can't take four more years" of the same crud we have had to put up with concerning this administration. We NEED change that will positively impact the image of the our city government, which you simply cannot provide at this time. The public needs to believe that our leaders are listening to us, not passing us off between offices or depositing our opinions/complaints on to an answering machine. You want to help the concerned citizens out? Back anyone else not associated with this administration and hasn't already been apart of the issues (like the Qwest $300 million slated for us to pay back in 2013) that have plagued our fair city. Support a true visionary when he steps forward to run for office, not the fakers that proudly crow. It's time for REAL change for the better!
Posted by: Joe on Aug 27, 2008 at 01:44 PM
Let's hope he doesn't run for mayor. The first thing to go would be public safety.
Posted by: RM on Aug 27, 2008 at 01:15 PM
If he runs for Mayor I'm pretty sure he will have to do it without the support of the police union.
Posted by: Resident on Aug 27, 2008 at 12:57 PM
I hope he does not run for mayor, he is a Fahey supporter who has been groomed to continue his agenda. I feel that the city council has let the citizens of this community down by voting for the stadium project allowing us no vote and also the fact Welch is against a Public safety auditor tells me that problems will only continue in our city government.
Posted by: rudy on Aug 27, 2008 at 12:17 PM
this is great news,
Posted by: Millard on Aug 27, 2008 at 12:12 PM
I hope this doesn't mean he is running for mayor. Here is another one who would serve nothing but his own agenda and not the wishes of the community. Just someone else who is in it for the personal satisfaction. He represents my area in Omaha and in my experience has not responded or addressed our concerns.
Posted by: Ex-Brit on Aug 27, 2008 at 11:41 AM
I certainly hope Dan Welch does not run for Mayor. I have found him to be extremely out of touch with the average citizen of Omaha and has a skewed view of the actual "needs" of the city. I would fear for Public Servants if this man were to be elected. He is a Corporate man with Corporate views, not a good fit for a public position. Can you say... George Bush!
Posted by: pete on Aug 27, 2008 at 11:16 AM
Good riddance..Take fahey with you..
Posted by: OmahaAnnie on Aug 27, 2008 at 11:05 AM
He wants to run for Mayor.
Posted by: Anonymous on Aug 27, 2008 at 10:43 AM
Looks like a great opportunity to enter the mayor's race now.
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