Planning Board's Pete Festersen to run for Omaha council

BY KAREN SLOAN
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER
August 6, 2008

The chairman of the Omaha Planning Board has set his sights on the City Council.

Pete Festersen, 37, said today that he is running for the District 1 council seat held by Jim Suttle.

That district covers Benson, Florence and parts of Dundee, among other areas.

"I've lived in the district my entire life," Festersen said. "I've been involved in the issues that impact the district."

Festersen, vice president of public affairs at Alegent Health, was Mayor Mike Fahey's deputy chief of staff from 2001 to 2005. He then worked for the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce and has been on the Planning Board for three years.

He said he wants to help shape public safety policy with the new police and fire chiefs, as well as keep down city spending and the property tax rate.

"I will take great care to make sure neighborhoods are heard," he said, noting the Florence Futures and Benson-Ames Alliance plans to improve those areas.

Festersen said he will formally announce his campaign later but is gearing up to start fundraising.

His decision is another indication that Suttle will run for mayor. Suttle and Festersen are both Democrats, and both men said they have been in contact about Festersen's decision to run.

"I believe he has other plans," Festersen said of Suttle.

Suttle said he "encouraged Festersen to put together his own plan."

Suttle today declined to say if he will jump into the mayoral race but did say an announcement on his political future will be made Dec. 1.