OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — We are about a week away from Inauguration Day. John W. Ewing, Jr.'s treasurer's office is boxed up as he prepares to move upstairs to the mayor's office.
- Ewing plans to keep Mayor Stothert's chief of staff, Tom Warren. Warren is a long-time friend of Ewing's.
- Other names he mentioned that he feels confident keeping on his team include Fire Chief Kathy Bossman and Police Chief Todd Schmaderer.
- Reporter Molly Hudson asked the mayor-elect about several important topics, such as the streetcar and development. We'll have those answers for you this week as our series leading up to his swearing-in continues.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
It's been a busy few weeks, juggling his role as treasurer and learning the ropes of the mayor's office.
"What I have been trying to do is make determinations on which staff members we are going to retain and then also looking at making sure I have good communication with them," Ewing said.
Molly: "Are there any names that you can mention at this point who you either want to bring in of your own, or that you are looking to retain?"
Ewing: "The one person that I feel good about mentioning because I think it's important for the people of this community is that Tom Warren will be retained as the chief of staff."
Ewing and Warren have a history that goes back decades, serving as chief and deputy chief of the Omaha Police Department and long before that, becoming friends at 6 years old.
"This is a picture of Tom Warren and I. That's Tom Warren, and that's me back right there. So this is from our 1975 undefeated city champion football team for the Horace Mann Wildcats," Ewing said.
Warren has been Mayor Jean Stothert's chief of staff.
"I think it is critically important, as I talked about during the campaign, that we have stability in the city of Omaha," Ewing said.
Other names he mentioned that he feels confident keeping on his team include Fire Chief Kathy Bossman and Police Chief Todd Schmaderer.
"They may retire or something of that nature, but I have full confidence in Kathy Bossman and Todd Schmaderer. I believe they have been doing a great job for the people of this community, and quite honestly when I interact with police officers or firefighters, they tell me the same thing," Ewing said.
As his first day approaches, Ewing is still making hiring decisions. His management style is one of collaboration.
"They need to understand that I am here as part of the team to help them be successful so that we can be successful for the people of this community," Ewing said.
Reporter Molly Hudson asked the mayor-elect about several important topics, such as the streetcar and development. We'll have those answers for you this week as our series leading up to his swearing-in continues.
