# Omaha honors retiring attorney, debates fundraising rules  
**Published:** 2026-05-27T19:10:36.000Z  
**Source:** [Flatwater Free Press](https://flatwaterfreepress.org/may-19-omaha-city-council-honors-longtime-attorney-approves-licenses-and-debates-fundraising-ordinance/)  
**AI-generated:** yes (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001)  
**Canonical:** https://lincolne.news/article/omaha-honors-retiring-attorney-debates-fundraising-rules

OMAHA, Neb. — The [Omaha City Council honored retiring Deputy City Attorney Bernard in den Bosch](https://flatwaterfreepress.org/may-19-omaha-city-council-honors-longtime-attorney-approves-licenses-and-debates-fundraising-ordinance/) for three decades of service during a Tuesday meeting, while also tackling a controversial proposal to allow city employees to participate in nonprofit fundraising campaigns.

The council proclaimed June 5, 2026, as "Bernard in den Bosch Day" in Omaha, recognizing the attorney's long tenure with the city. The council also approved several liquor licenses and routine development items with minimal discussion.

The meeting's most contentious moment came during deliberation over a proposed ordinance that would permit city workers to engage in fundraising activities for nonprofits with approval from their department directors and the mayor. [The initiative has garnered support from firefighters seeking to restore their "Fill the Boot" campaign for the Muscular Dystrophy Association](https://www.mda.org/filltheboot/iaff), a program that has operated in some form for decades nationwide.

Firefighters and advocates for families affected by muscular dystrophy testified in favor of the ordinance. However, council members expressed concerns about transparency, potential misuse of public resources, and whether the rules adequately prevent favoritism toward select organizations. Some council members also argued the proposal had become overly complicated compared to similar programs in other cities.

The ordinance advanced following its second reading and public hearing, with supporters and skeptics alike expecting continued debate before a final vote. The measure would establish a formal process allowing city employee participation in approved fundraising while maintaining oversight mechanisms intended to prevent conflicts of interest.

## Sources

- [Flatwater Free Press](https://flatwaterfreepress.org/may-19-omaha-city-council-honors-longtime-attorney-approves-licenses-and-debates-fundraising-ordinance/)
- [Muscular Dystrophy Association information on the Fill the Boot program](https://www.mda.org/filltheboot/iaff)

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This article was generated by AI (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) based on source material from Flatwater Free Press, enriched with 3 web searches. The original source is available at https://flatwaterfreepress.org/may-19-omaha-city-council-honors-longtime-attorney-approves-licenses-and-debates-fundraising-ordinance/.