Lincoln Mayor Highlights City’s Progress and Future Initiatives
In a comprehensive State of the City Address, Lincoln Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird outlined key achievements and forward-looking initiatives at an event hosted by Leadership Lincoln. Her speech emphasized continued service and improvement for the community’s future.
“Patriotism is service. It’s sacrifice. It’s stewardship,” Mayor Gaylor Baird stated, highlighting the community’s ongoing responsibility to strengthen both the country and local community. As America approaches its 250th birthday, she recognized the efforts of past leaders in shaping the present and future.
The mayor proudly cited Lincoln’s high rankings: 10th best city for families, ninth best-run city, and second for work-life balance. “The state of our city is strong,” she affirmed, while emphasizing the importance of ongoing progress.
Public Safety Enhancements
Public safety was a primary focus, with notable advancements in police and fire services. The Lincoln Police Department (LPD) has increased its force by 31 officers since Gaylor Baird took office, with plans to add four more by 2027. The Co-Responder Unit, pairing officers with behavioral health professionals, answered over 650 calls.
Lincoln Fire and Rescue (LFR) achieved a prestigious Insurance Services Office Class 1 rating, ranking them among the top 1% of fire departments. The department’s cardiac arrest survival rate is more than double the national average, saving 24 lives in 2025 alone. Despite these successes, recent national censure of Fire Chief Dave Engler by the International Association of Fire Fighters was noted.
Addressing Housing and Infrastructure
Affordable housing remains a priority, with new units at FiftyOne Commons and Mural Apartments. A call for proposals seeks developers to build a new neighborhood near 112th and Adams, aiming for 1,500 homes on city-owned land.
Gaylor Baird also highlighted the bipartisan 21st Century Road to Housing Act, supported by Congressman Mike Flood, which provides communities with more resources to boost housing supply and homeownership opportunities.
Infrastructure improvements under the Lincoln on the Move initiative were discussed, as tax dollars enhance the city’s Transportation and Utilities department. The ongoing Project O Street focuses on smoother streets and safer crossings, aiming to revitalize downtown Lincoln.
Further highlights include upcoming construction of a new Central Library and progress in job opportunities, childcare, and environmental programs.
Concluding her address, Gaylor Baird urged citizens to contribute to the community’s future: “The America we inherited was shaped by people who served, sacrificed, built, protected, taught, planted, and cared for communities whose future they would never see. Now it’s our turn to shape what comes next.”
