OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – Omaha’s mayor is making a temporary policy exception to pay for some vehicle damage caused by the city’s potholes, which have become an even larger issue during the winter’s severe weather conditions.

Mayor Jean Stothert announced Monday that the city will pay nearly 60 claims that were formally filed between Jan. 1 and March 18. She says 54 of the claims requested a combined total of nearly $29,000. The five remaining claims didn’t include a specific dollar amount.

Stothert says the City Law Department will consider subsequent claims on a case-by-case basis until crews are caught up on pothole repairs.

Stothert says the city’s longtime policy against paying for damage caused by potholes aligns with state statutes and is similar to other Midwestern cities. But she says the extraordinary winter conditions have warranted a brief exception.