Deena Winter: Hoppe jumps from mayor to mayoral hopeful

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Mayoral aide Rick Hoppe’s last day will be Jan. 1.

After that, he will work on Sen. Chris Beutler’s campaign for mayor.

“The mayor’s leaving in May, and obviously I need to make plans for what I’m going to do after that,” Hoppe said. “It’s been an honor and a privilege to serve Mayor Seng. I’ve learned a lot under her leadership and guidance.”

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By the time he leaves, he will have worked for Seng 20 months.

Prior to that, he was founder and partner/owner of Hoppe and Associates, a company that specializes in government relations and political consulting work. He has managed many campaigns, mostly for Democrats.

But after taking the city job, he sold the company and it was renamed Alchemy Associates. Alchemy, as in magical power to turn a common substance of little value into a substance of great value. Or, as Hoppe put it, turning “lead into gold.”

He’s returning to work for Alchemy, which has a contract with Beutler. And while the company could be expected to be retained to handle a City Council campaign or two, Hoppe said, he won’t be involved in those races.

Among the highlights of his stint in Seng’s office: Helping secure an extra $1 million in street funds from the Legislature; developing sex offender residency restrictions; and implementing an ambulance committee’s recommendations.

Among the lowlights: People in the community and government who are short-sighted and inhibit progress because they’re “more interested in criticizing than moving forward.”

“Frankly I’ll be very glad to get away from that part of it,” he said.

The Lancaster County Democratic Party jumped the gun a bit when it sent an e-mail Sunday about Hoppe’s upcoming speaking engagement with the party to talk about “messaging.”

The e-mail said: “Rick works in the mayor’s office and on Chris Beutler’s mayoral campaign...”

Hoppe said that’s not true.

“It would simply not be appropriate to be on the campaign payroll while being here,” he said.

The county party corrected the error the following day.

FBI investigation continues

The FBI investigation into the city’s botched firetruck purchase is not over yet.

FBI spokesman Jeff Tarpinian said the investigation is in its final stages, and investigators are gathering documents before making a determination about whether there were any federal violations to pursue.

After city officials determined the seven new firetrucks didn’t meet its specifications, Fire Chief Mike Spadt was asked to resign and Assistant Chief John Huff placed on paid leave while police, the FBI and the city’s personnel director investigated the purchase.

The Lincoln Police Department found no criminal wrongdoing, although it was unable to subpoena bank records. The FBI has more subpoena power to do so.

Luncheon leftovers

Arena task force chairman Dick Campbell made a pitch for a new arena to the Downtown Lincoln Association during a recent luncheon, and offered a few new tidbits:

* The task force recommends a trolley system be revived in downtown Lincoln along the P and Q streets corridors. Coincidentally, he says the Bereuter Bridge — linking Haymarket Park with downtown — was built to handle trolley traffic.

* The land area eyed for an arena, hotel and convention center is larger than the Qwest Center’s in Omaha, he said.

* The task force envisions retail development under the new Harris Overpass.

* The cost of building an arena and all of the associated amenities has evolved and fluctuated over the past 2½ years, but the number Campbell is now using is $235 million — $150 million of which would be for the 15,000-seat arena, parking garage, streets, property and retail development.

* Campbell said 70 percent of the people who attend the state fair come from within 30 miles of Lincoln.

* Back when a private group was exploring the idea of building a new arena, Campbell said, its members “quietly discussed” moving the railroad tracks west of the Haymarket. He said Burlington Northern Santa Fe reps flew to Lincoln and were so eager to consolidate the tracks into three sets farther west the local folks had to say “hold on.”

Up the road ...

Arena proponents ought to pay attention to what’s happening up in the Big O.

The Omaha World-Herald recently reported the city-owned Hilton Omaha isn’t generating the kind of revenue projected. Also, the city will likely have to tap reserves to make a bond payment on the hotel, and convention bookings are expected to be down next year.

Nevertheless, that city’s convention and visitors bureau is pressuring the city to expand the Hilton to attract bigger conventions. The World-Herald reported Omaha has struggled to attract large national and regional conventions — conventions Lincoln hopes to attract, too.

Difference is, Lincoln would prefer to get a private investor to build a new convention center and hotel, as a mayoral task force has recommended. That way, the city wouldn’t be on the hook for their performance. However, the city could be on the hook for incentives it offers a developer, like free land.

The Qwest Center and convention center opened in 2003; the Hilton opened in 2004.

New laws go into effect

Starting Friday, you’ll face a misdemeanor charge and minimum $200 fine if you get caught spraying graffiti in Lincoln. The fines escalate with repeat offenses.

That’s also the day a portion of the city’s new salvage law goes into effect. The city will begin requiring salvage dealers to show identification and give fingerprints unless they’ve obtained a special police permit, are commercial operators or have a contract with the dealer for regular pickups.

Reach Deena Winter at 473-2642 or dwinter@journalstar.com.