Some Omaha residents opened up the mail to find unwelcome news. The city plans to grind up their neighborhood streets and turn them into dirt roads. Those letters were sent to residents in the area near 84th and Pacific. A meeting held Thursday between locals and city officials was heated.

"You're not answering the question,” some shouted at Thursday’s meeting.

The questions were plenty, but the answers weren't what they wanted to hear.

"Our prime charge as representatives of the tax payers is to be good stewards of the tax payer's money,” said a representative with Omaha’s Public Works.

But that's exactly what people feel isn't happening. Much of the anger comes from a letter sent out to more than 50 residents.

"It was shocking. It was a brief letter that said in 60 days my road which was considered unserviceable any longer would be turned into a gravel road,” said resident Kathryn Abrahamsen.

It's the state of the road that the city says has gotten to an unfixable point with patches alone.

But the residents say that's because they haven't seen city trucks make repairs in some areas for three to five years.

"We do understand the scale, we do understand the scope and we have a rough idea of the cost,” said the city representative.

The cost for the city to build a new concrete road would run between $18,000 to $30,000 per lot. Other options include a majority of residents deciding to pay for and construct it themselves or all residents agreeing in writing that they don't want to do anything at all.

"We're very upset. If the politicians want to help us they have to work with us. But this is not right,” said Abrahamsen.

"I can advocate on your behalf, but I can't make any of these things happen," said Councilman Franklin Thompson.

Thompson says he realizes the options aren't favorable and he'll do what he can to find other sources of funding.

"We've been hard working people. We take care of our neighborhood. Why would the city come and turn it into a gravel road,” said Abrahamsen.

The Public Works representatives explained they're going to keep track of the pulse of the neighborhood to see how residents want to move forward with their current options.

A lawsuit from one of the residents has already been filed against the city.