City of Gretna Government
Our mission is to work with our citizens to create a healthy,
vibrant and caring community through:
Visionary leadership
Providing transparent and accountable governance
Encouraging citizen involvement via a collective sense of community belonging and contribution to the quality of life in Gretna
Balancing the expectation for services with available resources and being fiscally responsible
Decision-making that integrates the social, economic and environmental interests of the community
Development of a dynamic economy which contributes to prosperity and the opportunity to work close to home
Quality in customer service by fostering open and proactive communication which leads to trust and respect
Governing Body
General Information
Gretna operates under a Council/Mayor form of government, with a separately elected mayor and 4 council persons. Council members are elected on a non-partisan basis from 2 wards; all governing body members are elected to staggered four year terms.
The Mayor, with confirmation from the City Council, appoints a professional City Administrator/Clerk/Treasurer to manage day-to-day operation and funds of the City. The Governing Body is responsible for developing policies and direction for the professional City administration.
Meetings
Regular meetings of the Gretna City Council are held at the Gretna City Hall
Council Chamber on the first and third Tuesdays of each month beginning at 7:00 PM.
Copies of the agenda are available in the Office of the City Clerk on the Friday
afternoon prior to the meeting or by calling 332-3336 ext 210.
To view meeting agendas or minutes, please select
the Agendas/Minutes tab.
Citizens may address the Council on items under Public Hearing or Current Business if recognized by the Mayor. Please refer to the Citizen Testimony tab for tips on addressing the City Council in a public forum. A citizen desiring to be placed on the City Council agenda to present and discuss and item of interest may submit a written request to the City Clerk by 4:00 PM on the Thursday afternoon prior to the meeting.
Persons requiring any accommodation (i.e. qualified interpreter, hearing assistance, etc.) in order to attend a Council meeting should notify the
City Clerk at 402-332-3336 ext 205 no later than 48 hours prior to the scheduled commencement of the meeting.
Mayor Sally McGuire
A native Nebraskan, Mayor Sally McGuire has been involved in Gretna’s government for many years.
She served on the City’s Planning Commission prior to serving on the City Council from 1996 to 2008.
Sally was elected to the office of Mayor at the General Election held on November 4, 2008,
and was administered the Oath of Office on December 2, 2008.
She will serve a four year term which expires in December of 2012.
Duties
The Mayor of Gretna has general and immediate control over all property, and officials, whether
elected or appointed, of the City. She presides at all meetings of the City Council and may
vote when the Mayor’s vote is needed to break a tie vote of the Council.
The Mayor has the authority to call the Council into special meetings and is required to sign
all ordinance, resolutions, and City Council minutes. The Mayor may veto any ordinance,
resolutions or order adopted by the City Council.
She may, with the consent of the City Council, appoint officers for the positions of
City Attorney, City Auditor, City Administrator/Clerk/Treasurer, City Engineer,
City Fire Chief, City Police Chief (Services), City Street Superintendent,
City Utilities Superintendent, and City Zoning Administrator/Building Inspector.
She also appoints liaisons and various board members as terms expire.
A complete listing of Mayoral appointments is available here:
2009 appointments
Contact
Mayor Sally McGuire
Mayor’s Hotline (402) 681-9637
(402) 332-3336 ext 207
Term expires 12/2012
City Council
General Information
The four members of the City Council are elected on a non-partisan basis from 2 wards and serve a staggered four-year term. The City Council is the legislative division of the City government, and performs such duties and powers which have or may be conferred upon the City by the Constitution and laws of the State of Nebraska.
Duties
The City Council is responsible for maintaining the peace, regulating business, protecting the public health and safety and assessing such taxes and fees as are necessary and appropriate in the exercise of these functions. The Council enacts the City’s annual budget; sets fiscal policies and approves all spending whether for operations (i.e. salaries) or capital items such as major equipment purchases, street repairs, or other public improvements. The regulation of land use, including the creation and amendment of zoning laws, is another significant Council responsibility. While most of the proposed laws which come before Council are referred by the Administration, Council may also initiate legislation itself. Council members also respond annually to many constituent requests, filling a crucial oversight role in the delivery of basic City services to the public.
Contacts
The City of Gretna is divided into two Wards
(click for map)
each represented by two Council Members.
Doug Clark – Council President
405 Brentwood Drive
(402) 332-4401
Arbor Society/Parks Liaison and Municipal Personnel Committee
Ward I (36)
Term expires 12/2012
Charles Brewer
217 Michael Drive
(402) 332-3013
Water/Wastewater Liaison
Ward I (36)
Term Expires 12/2010
Jeffrey Wollenburg
21875 Plum Creek Drive
(402) 332-3449
Library Liaison
Ward II (37)
Term expires 12/2012
Gregg Dahlheim
21860 Quail Drive
(402) 332-4177
Street Liaison and Planning Commission Liaison
Ward II (37)
Term expires 12/2010
Citizen Testimony
As a concerned citizen, there are several ways in which you may communicate effectively with the Mayor and City Council. One way is to testify at a public hearing.
At public hearings, citizens have an opportunity (within the allotted time available) to make their views known or have them incorporated into the official record. If you want to testify before the Mayor and City Council, you will need to fill out the sign-in sheet at the table in the hallway, orally identify yourself, and spell your last name for the record, and state who, if anyone, you represent as you begin your testimony. It is important to remember to not waste time by repeating a testimony that has already been heard.
Letters or written communications containing support, opposition, or neutral testimony also are accepted by the Mayor and City Council prior to the public hearing. Persons wishing to send written information should address their correspondence to the office of the City Clerk at
cityclerk@cityofgretna.com or PO Box 69 Gretna, NE 68028.
Testimony Tips
Be prepared to limit your testimony and try not to repeat testimony offered by previous witnesses. Remember that while the Mayor and City Council want to hear what you have to say, there are other witnesses who also want to be heard.
Be prepared to answer questions asked by the Mayor and City Council.
Most observers agree that, as a witness, you will be more effective in getting your message across if you have prepared your testimony in writing. If you do this, it is helpful to bring enough copies to distribute to the Mayor, City Council, City Clerk, City Attorney, and the media. Ten copies is usually enough to accomplish this. If written testimony is lengthy, it can be distributed and summarized orally to conserve time.
Addressing the Mayor, City Council, legal counsel, or witnesses from the audience, public demonstrations, and applause are strictly prohibited.