# Lincoln City Council addresses minimum wage, infrastructure projects  
**Published:** 2026-05-11T11:00:00.000Z  
**Source:** [Lincoln City Council Agendas](https://lnklan.granicus.com/AgendaViewer.php?view_id=2&clip_id=413)  
**AI-generated:** yes (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001)  
**Canonical:** https://lincolne.news/article/lincoln-city-council-addresses-minimum-wage-infrastructure-projects

LINCOLN, Neb. — The Lincoln City Council met Monday to address several significant matters, including final approval of a local minimum wage ordinance and advancement of funding agreements for a major infrastructure project in north Lincoln.

The council voted 6-1 to approve an ordinance that will establish a [$15 minimum wage for all workers in Lincoln](https://lnklan.granicus.com/AgendaViewer.php?view_id=2&clip_id=413), including teenagers, effective July 18, 2026. The vote restores voter-approved inflation-based wage increases, despite Attorney General Mike Hilgers' opinion that the ordinance is invalid and unenforceable.

The ordinance was introduced after the November 2022 Initiative 433, which established a path to a $15 minimum wage by 2026. The council saw an overwhelming amount of support for the ordinance at a public hearing, with dozens of Lincolnites talking about the potential impact of the ordinance. The measure has drawn support from Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird and several advocacy organizations.

In addition, the council approved multiple resolutions related to the [33rd and Cornhusker Viaduct project](https://www.lincoln.ne.gov/City/Departments/RTSD/33rd-Cornhusker), a $114 million project that will improve safety outcomes by eliminating two at-grade crossings that have resulted in 20 accidents with six fatalities in recent years. The resolutions approved Monday covered preliminary engineering services and utility, roadway, trail, signal, and demolition packages for the project.

The viaduct will reduce vehicular congestion and emissions due to up to 3.6 hours of idling due to trains crossing the two intersections daily, with those blockages creating unacceptable delays and necessitating rerouting for first responders and emergency services.

The council also presented the 2025 Annual Mayor's Award of Excellence to Fariha Mohmand from the Health Department's Community Health Services division in the category of Inclusion and Belonging. The award recognizes City employees who consistently provide exemplary service and work that demonstrates personal commitment to the City.

The meeting also included approval of new Keno Satellites at two Lincoln establishments and appointment of Timothy Menter to the Electrical Advisory, Appeals, and Examining Board. The next regular city council meeting will be held June 8, as the May 25 meeting was canceled due to the Memorial Day holiday.

## Sources

- [Lincoln City Council Agendas](https://lnklan.granicus.com/AgendaViewer.php?view_id=2&clip_id=413)
- [Lincoln City Council votes to restore inflation-based minimum wage increases](https://www.1011now.com/2026/05/11/lincoln-city-council-votes-restore-inflation-based-minimum-wage-increases/)
- [33rd and Cornhusker Highway Viaduct Improvement Project – City of Lincoln](https://www.lincoln.ne.gov/City/Departments/RTSD/33rd-Cornhusker)

---

This article was generated by AI (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) based on source material from Lincoln City Council Agendas, enriched with 3 web searches. The original source is available at https://lnklan.granicus.com/AgendaViewer.php?view_id=2&clip_id=413.