Name                           Jen Bauer

Occupation                   Continuous Process Improvement Lead – North America

Education                     BBA w/Concentration in Accounting – Kent State University

Political Affiliation        Independent

Website                       votejenbauer.com

What are your connections to the community?

I’ve been the President of Aksarben/Elmwood Park Neighborhood Association for the past 4 years. Through this affiliation, I’ve been involved with numerous city departments, Keep Omaha Beautiful, SW Precinct of OPD and other neighborhood alliances and associations.

What experience do you bring to the office?

I’m an accountant by trade, although now I work in IT improving business processes globally. This would serve Omaha well in relation to budgeting, working collaboratively with other council members and departments within the city. I have worked with the Planning Dept, Public Works and Parks & Rec and have formed relationships with my current City Councilman. The neighborhood association is very active with the city council and departments.

What would one of your top priorities be?

I have noticed, over the years, that residents feel as though they aren’t part of conversations which directly impact them. It’s my goal to ensure they have access to city council, by potentially changing the time or locations of meetings, quarterly town hall events with myself and potentially other city council members, and regularly attending neighborhood association meetings.

What motivated you to run for public office?

The past year motivated me. We’re seeing a change in how people interact with the world, be it through technology or the fact that we have been at home for the past year. As I shifted to working from home, I had more time to review the issues facing Omaha and this made me realize that while my work in the community was good for Aksarben/Elmwood Park, I had the ability to facilitate positive change for all of District 3 and Omaha.

What’s the biggest issue that Omaha faces?

Transportation issues. Our bus service is inefficient and does not take people where the jobs are located. We have unimproved streets which will not be fixed unless homeowners contribute to the cost. The continual cost of filling potholes is a cost that takes money from an area that could be spent in a better manner, such as directing funds towards housing issues in the city.

Is there anything else you want to tell voters?

I am passionate about community involvement and investing locally. Omaha is a vibrant community with many great restaurants, shops and businesses. It is the job of city council to ensure that the city is on the correct path, but without the input from residents and business owners, we won’t reach our full potential as a world class city.