Jean Stothert | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 51st Mayor of Omaha | |
| Assumed office June 10, 2013 | |
| Preceded by | Jim Suttle |
| Member of the Omaha City Council from the 5th district | |
| In office 2008–2013 | |
| Preceded by | Dan Welch |
| Succeeded by | Rich Pahls |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Jean Louise Wolf February 7, 1954 Wood River, Illinois, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouses |
Joe Stothert
(m. 1981; died 2021)Kevin O'Rourke (m. 2022) |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Seattle Pacific University (BS) |
| Website | Official website |
Jean Louise Stothert (née Wolf; born February 7, 1954) is an American politician and former nurse serving as the 51st mayor of Omaha, Nebraska. She is the first woman to hold the office and was sworn in as Mayor on June 10, 2013. She was re-elected on May 10, 2017,[1] and May 11, 2021.
Jean Stothert was born on February 7, 1954, in Wood River, Illinois.[2][3] She earned a Bachelor of Science in nursing from Seattle Pacific University.[citation needed]
Stothert married Joe Stothert in 1981. He became a critical care surgery specialist at the Nebraska Medical Center. The couple had two children, and were married until Joe Stothert died by suicide at age 72.[3]
In May, 2022 she married J. Kevin O'Rourke. O'Rourke is a retired anesthesiologist who Stothert met when he was in medical school at St. Louis University and she was a critical care nurse at St. Louis University Hospital.[citation needed]
Stothert began her career in nursing. Her 12 years as a critical care nurse and nursing manager included serving as head nurse at St. Louis University in Missouri. She was responsible for her department budgeting, hiring and staff management.[citation needed]
In 1997, Stothert was elected to the Millard Board of Education. She was re-elected for three terms, including 3 years as president of the board, serving until 2009.[citation needed]
Entering politics after she and her husband moved to Omaha, Stothert was a candidate for the Nebraska Legislature in 2006. She was defeated by Steve Lathrop by 14 votes (5073–5059).[4]
In 2009, Stothert was elected to the Omaha City Council (District 5), defeating Jon Blumenthal, 7401 to 4308.[5]
On June 29, 2012, Stothert announced her candidacy for Mayor of Omaha.[6] Stothert raised $513,124 for campaign, compared to $804,700 raised by incumbent Jim Suttle.[7] Stothert received 32.2% of votes in a primary election of April 2, 2013.[8] She was elected mayor with 57.32% of votes, on May 14, 2013, defeating Suttle.[9] She is the first woman to hold this office.[10]
Stothert was re-elected in 2017. In 2019, there was a petition to get a recall of Stothert onto the ballot. According to Eric Scott, who filed the petition, the attempt failed due to insufficient funding and a lack of volunteers.[11] Scott cited concerns about infrastructure and potholes as the primary reason for the attempt.[12] Stothert won her third term[13] for Omaha Mayor in 2021.
In 2022, there was a charter convention to amend the Omaha city charter; the convention resulted in 24 proposed amendments.[14] The most controversial amendment to pass delayed the process by which the city council president could be appointed acting mayor if the current mayor leaves Omaha. An amendment adding sexual orientation and gender identity to the list of protected characteristics in the charter was rejected on ground that a legal challenge to it could jeopardize other protected characteristics.[15] In June 2023, an Omaha resident filed paperwork to start petitions for the removal of both Stothert and city councilman Vinny Palermo.[16] The resident cited perceived corruption in the 2022 charter convention alongside a failure to repeal the restaurant tax as reasons to recall Stothert.[17]
Residential areas and downtown Omaha have high levels of lead in the environment, which is believed to be the result of lead plants that previously operated in Omaha.[18] The mayor's office and city council have created clean-up programs for residential homes and testing of contaminated soil.[19] On February 3, 2023, Stothert and the City of Omaha were awarded $34.3 million to put towards these programs from the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.[20]
Stothert signed an executive order in August 2023 that addressed firearms on city-owned properties.[21] The executive order bans the possession of concealed firearms and places public notices in the designated city-owned and city-leased land.[22] In November of 2023, Stothert signed two resolutions from City Council to address gun control in Omaha.[23] One resolution removed state-mandated training and encourages residents to voluntarily seek training on gun use and safety. The second resolution banned possession of home-assembled handgun kits.[24] These resolutions were made in collaboration by Stothert, Omaha City Council, and Police Chief Todd Schmaderer.[23]
In November 2023, Stothert was named as the defendant in a federal lawsuit that contended that, by appointing Matt Kuhse as city attorney, she chose "a less qualified male candidate for the role".[25] The plaintiff, Michelle Peters, was Deputy City Attorney of Omaha. In response, Kuhse contended that the previous city attorney, Paul Kratz, recommended that someone outside of the city law department be appointed.[25]