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Door is open to participate in Vision 2015

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Sunday, Jan 28, 2007 - 12:11:11 am CST

When word leaked out last fall that a group of influential business leaders was working on big plans behind closed doors, a backlash of suspicion and irritation rolled through Lincoln and beyond.

Now the doors to planning are open.

Wide open.

Vision 2015 has partnered with Leadership Lincoln and several community leaders for public meetings.

Each session will include an overview of the projects, followed by small group discussions and a one-hour question-and-answer session.

Doors open at 5 p.m., presentations begin at 5:30 p.m., and the sessions will end by 8:30 p.m.

At the end of each, the public will be invited to rank the 2015 projects by preference.
  • Monday — Lincoln High School, 2229 J St.
  • Tuesday — Lincoln East High School, 1000 S. 70th St.
  • Wednesday — Lincoln North Star High School, 5801 N. 33rd St.
  • Feb. 7 — Scott Middle School, 2200 Pine Lake Road.
Additional information on Vision 2015 is available on the group’s Web site at www.2015vision.org.

Anyone can take advantage of the opportunity to learn more and offer their own ideas and opinions.

The leaders who are part of what is now called Vision 2015 are taking unprecedented steps to get in touch and in step with the public at large.

The first of four public meetings on the future of Lincoln is slated for Monday. See the list below this editorial for more details.

It’s almost impossible to imagine the famed “O Street Gang” of Capital City historical lore taking such a step.

But times change. Leadership and the nature of community involvement evolve. The public meetings hold potential to invigorate talk about the future of Lincoln.

This sort of energetic leadership from the private sector is something Lincoln needs.

People used to complain when the old O Street gang supposedly ran things. The gang didn’t always do the right thing, and it didn’t always do things in the right way.

But at least it got things done. People knew that if they could get the O Street gang behind a project, success was possible.

People missed it when the group faded into history. Without the O Street gang around, it was hard to know how to get the private sector in Lincoln mobilized.

Now a new generation of leaders has stepped forward. It’s to their credit and the community’s benefit that they are moving to a more inclusive and open style of private leadership than in the past.

During the past week, the Journal Star has explored potential Vision 2015 projects in some detail. The stories will remain accessible on the Journal Star’s Web site for the foreseeable future.

Think moving the Nebraska State Fair is a terrible idea?

The upcoming series of meetings offers you a chance to rank that project at the bottom.

Excited by the thought of a “sports triangle” anchored by Memorial Stadium, Haymarket Park and a new arena?

Here’s your chance to put it at the top of the list.

In order for Lincoln to move forward with creativity, energy and confidence, there must be community agreement on direction and priorities. Don’t pass up the opportunity to participate in shaping Lincoln’s future.


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Hjalmer wrote on January 28, 2007 8:01 am:
" I couldn't agree more that Lincoln needs to get it's business leaders to step up and focus on something other than just making money for themselves. They need to put their influence and their money into projects that move the community forward. Want to know why Omaha gets things done and Lincoln just watches? That's the difference. "

 JT wrote on January 28, 2007 10:12 am:
" Thanks 2015 and thanks Journal Star for some outstanding articles on the proposed developments. "

 Steve wrote on January 28, 2007 1:28 pm:
" What a joke. If these supposed "business leaders" really believed what they claim, they would be willing to put up their own money for these ideas- not lobbying to increase our taxes to fund the projects that would ultimately put even more money in their pockets. Look at the members of this group- what have they done to help the city? Nothing. They have spent years lining their pockets. This is nothing more than a coordinated attempt to continue the same. Lets see them pool their money to build a convention center- and then let them continue to pour their money into it to keep it running. Don't use my tax dollars for it. "

 JB wrote on January 28, 2007 4:01 pm:
" Kudos to the Journal Star on an excellent series of articles on the 2015 Vision. I also went to the http://www.2015vision.org website to check out what is there. I am disappointed, though, that they do not have an interactive place where interested people can submit ideas over the internet. By posting this, I hope that someone who will be attending the meeting will read this and bring it up at the meetings. My concern for Lincoln is that before a huge amount of development capital and energy goes into the downtown projects - a serious study into creating an enhanced road system (beltways and crosstown limited-access interstates) need to be developed. Lincoln is choking from too slow of travel times. It takes too long to get places in town. Quick, easy access to the downtown area is crucial for any project to succeed. When it takes the same amount of time for some to travel to Omaha as it would take for them to drive downtown, guess where the people will go. Thought should also be given to the development of a rapid transit or light rail system connecting Omaha to Lincoln. (This idea has been brought up before - but it needs to become a reality for the future. We are talking about 2015 now.) If this group is really serious about developing Lincoln into a first class city, these transportation issues must be addressed first. "

 whatever wrote on January 29, 2007 4:44 am:
" Here ya go Lincolnites. Go to a few meetings and share your ideas, and listen to their ideas. Sometimes you need to be in the same room with people to find out what is really on their mind. "

 Roger wrote on January 29, 2007 12:44 pm:
" This group will not give up until they get what they want, even if the rest of us don't want it. Seems like when you don't want something you are considered more of a detriment to the city than when you do. This city is becoming so twisted in thinking that the day is coming and soon when I will convince my family members to move out of here, the insanity going on is only going to get worse. I have lived here about half of my life, and my first impression of Lincoln was it was difficult place to live, but I learned to love this place, but in the past 3 years I have started to hate to live here, because every time you open the paper or read something or see something in the news, its change this, add this, change that, and add this. Normalacy is not one of the characteristics of this city any more. My beleif is that we should stabalize before we try to do anything else. "

 Humm wrote on January 29, 2007 1:51 pm:
" Uhoh!! Hang on to your seats. They will present their vision. Prepare a report stating that they listened took you comments to heart, then it is set in stone. The final report will say this is what the community wants. Now we need to move forward and make it happen. "

 jerry wrote on January 29, 2007 2:29 pm:
" Lincoln has always had the sit back and see if it works attitude. Now, its to late to catch up unless the taxpayers can afford it. I don't think they can. I was like Roger but after they lost more businesses and the citizens got more ugly I convinced my family and got out. Believe it or not a lot of towns the size of Lincoln are prosperous, without taxing their citizens to death. Real estate for 100,000=400 a year. cars valued at 15000=100 a year. Sales tax is 7.75 but everyone pays that way. I hope the city leaders get everything they want and half the people move and then let the leaders figure out how to pay for it. "

 MH wrote on January 29, 2007 2:30 pm:
" I appreciate the members of Vision 2015 taking their time to present their ideas at public meetings, but regret the scheduled times. How many Lincoln families can attend meetings on school nights which take place so soon after work when most are heading home for their dinner, nightly chores, etc.? Additionally, many of Lincoln's older citizens are not comfortable driving after dark, especially in this kind of weather, so I suspect will stay home. Could at least one meeting be scheduled during the day, perhaps on a Sunday afternoon? And, like JB, I'm disappointed they are not utilizing their website to allow ordinary citizens to register their preferences. An interactive website would allow a much greater precentage of Lincoln's citizens the opportunity to participate. Maybe this could still be accomplished at the website? Perhaps an online poll allowing the public to vote on which ideas they favor and which they do not? The list of members of the 2015 group is long. Surely all of these people haven't met together on a regular basis? Who are the core members who are providing the direction for the group? The average citizen can vote for people who best represent their feelings about the direction Lincoln should go and contact those officials when they head off in a direction we don't like. Perhaps an editorial on who has the most and the least influence on how Lincoln grows...the 2015 Vision group, our elected politicians both local and state, UNL administration/leaders, and/or the average citizen? "

 Jose J. Soto wrote on February 19, 2007 10:58 am:
" Story: Vision for Lincoln should play on city's strengths, not others' Concerns have been expressed publicly and privately regarding Vision 2015. A small group of influential residents meeting behind closed doors, purporting to create a vision of the future for the entire community, should beget concern, trepidation and suspicion.  Granted, their efforts are well-intended, thought-provoking and generally welcomed.  They fall short, however, of being the broad-based and encompassing effort that focuses on the totality of what Lincoln should be for everyone.  The broader needs of the community cannot be subservient to the wishes of a few, which advance the interests of fewer, at the expense of the community at large. Lincoln is described as "a great place to live and raise a family," "safe," "clean," "good schools," "friendly," "a big small town." For more of this story, click on or type the URL below: http://www.journalstar.com/articles/2007/02/19/opinion/columns/doc45d8e97f72425322324966.txt "

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