Previewing State of City speech

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Last January, Mayor Jim Suttle delivered his annual State of the City address days before a recall election threatened to toss him from office.

A close vote spared Suttle's job, granting him an opportunity to speak again.

So on Thursday, a year after the end of the recall effort, Suttle will again step up to a podium to outline his visions for the city's future.

Suttle's aides continued to tinker Wednesday with details of the speech, but the address is expected to cover three primary themes: jobs and economic development; curbing gang activity and illegal firearms on city streets; and the cost of a $1.7 billion sewer upgrade project.

The goal of the complex sewer replacement effort, mandated by federal regulators, is to avoid raw sewage overflows into the Missouri River and Papillion Creek — a frequent occurrence during heavy rains. Large amounts of spending on sewer work commenced in 2012, and Suttle has been seeking federal dollars to put toward the effort.

Meanwhile, Suttle could unveil new proposals to help combat street violence in the city. Details on new efforts to target gangs and guns are likely to emerge.

The key component of Suttle's address, though, will be a call to promote job creation.

Omaha enjoys low unemployment rates compared to the rest of the country, but efforts to bring jobs to economically stressed parts of north and south Omaha have shown mixed results.

City officials often stress that job creation is critical to reducing violent crime.

Suttle's speech is scheduled for 10 a.m. Thursday at Gallup's riverfront campus. The speech is open to the public.

Contact the writer:

402-444-1068, johnny.perez@owh.com

twitter.com/PerezJr

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