ELKHORN, Neb. (KMTV) — Omaha Mayor John Ewing met with Elkhorn Public Schools officials Thursday to address safety concerns at two newly opened elementary schools that failed to pass required inspections.
- A life and safety inspection conducted by the Omaha Fire Prevention Division revealed the schools did not pass several measures needed to receive a certificate of occupancy
- Elkhorn Public Schools plans on releasing additional information to parents, including details on safety and security protocols as well as anticipated timelines as they move forward.
- To prevent something like this from happening again, the mayor wants to establish more formal communication between the city and the schools.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
I'm Elkhorn neighborhood reporter Jill Lamkins at City Hall, where Omaha Mayor John Ewing says two new schools are in violation of city code because they're not finished yet. However, the district has a different view; it says they're safe and is keeping the buildings open for class.
The start of the school year kicked off this week, but for kids at the new Stone Pointe and Iron Bluff elementary schools in the Elkhorn Public Schools District, things looked a little different. Ongoing construction has become a concern for parents.
On Thursday, Mayor Ewing met with the district superintendent and other project representatives to discuss those concerns.
"We are working closely with them now to ensure that they expedite unfinished construction and wrap up these projects," he said.
A life and safety inspection conducted by the Omaha Fire Prevention Division revealed the schools did not pass several measures needed to receive a certificate of occupancy. However, the schools opened anyway.
To prevent something like this from happening again, the mayor wants to establish more formal communication between the city and the schools.
"That's the biggest issue. I think the biggest issue is we want to be able to have communications with the school district, the construction personnel, and our personnel so we can ensure that we have a much more coordinated process," he said.
For now, the schools will remain open.
Elkhorn Public Schools plans on releasing additional information to parents, including details on safety and security protocols as well as anticipated timelines as they move forward.
"We understand that school districts are critical to this community, and if we don't allow them to open, then we have a situation where we have young people with no place to go, parents with no place to take them, and potentially education being delayed," the mayor added.
