The Topeka Fire Department is pleased to recognize the following individuals on their promotions and retirements. As we continue to face the unprecedented COVID-19 situation, employees are having to navigate a new normal in order to get the job done. Between learning and implementing new safety precautions, managing family needs and more, it’s a tough time for everyone – which is why it’s important to express our appreciation to our first responders. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, the Promotion and Retirement ceremonies have been postponed indefinitely.
“I would like to take this opportunity to express our gratitude to these individuals for their hard work and dedication in providing essential services to the Topeka community,” said Topeka Fire Chief Craig Duke. “Their sacrifice, determination and perseverance are admirable contributions to the Topeka Fire Department”.
Below is a list of retirements and promotions for the Topeka Fire Department:
RETIREMENTS
February 2020
Zachary L. Bottenberg, Investigator III – 24 years
March 2020
Captain David D. Owen – 32 years
Captain Claude E. Clark – 32 years
Captain Michael L. Claassen – 31 years
Captain Robert S. Williams – 28 years
Captain Jerome A. Benning – 28 years
Captain Thomas D. Wolfley – 31 years
June 2020
Captain Michelle M. Radmacher – 20 years
July 2020
Captain James J. Simpson – 24 years
August 2020
Exzetta Steele Accounting Specialist III – 29 years
September 2020
Deputy Chief Kelly R. Adams – 34 years
PROMOTIONS
January 2020
Advanced Firefighter
Matthew J. Conner
Brandon J. Wenger
Macon J. Ezell
Matthew M. Gromer
John G. Bills
Chase D. Labrador
Joshua L. Osborn
Firefighter 2nd Class
Coty R. Freiss
Cory A. Petit
James D. Klepees
Brooks W. McClane
Thomas N. Treantafeles
February 2020
Fire Inspector II Chadwick J. Holthaus promoted to Fire Inspector III
Fire Inspector II Adam J. Appelhanz promoted to Fire Inspector III
March 2020
Shift Commander Ty D. Christian promoted to Division Chief of Operations
Battalion Chief Melvin D. Bouton promoted to Shift Commander
April 2020
Lieutenant Prentiss J. Rice Jr. promoted to Captain
Lieutenant Michael D. Stapleton promoted to Captain
Lieutenant William C. Miller promoted to Captain
Lieutenant Jeffery R. Reynolds promoted to Captain
Lieutenant Keith J. Czechanski promoted to Captain
Lieutenant Mark D. Johnson promoted to Captain
Apparatus Operator Ryan R. Gay promoted to Lieutenant
Apparatus Operator John R. Crites promoted to Lieutenant
Apparatus Operator Robert D. Forman promoted Lieutenant
Apparatus Operator Brian J. Flott promoted to Lieutenant
Apparatus Operator Nathan D. Hibbert promoted to Lieutenant
Apparatus Operator Daniel J. Jacobs promoted to Lieutenant
Advanced Firefighter Jesse B. Moyer promoted to Apparatus Operator
Advanced Firefighter Nathan W. Decker promoted to Apparatus Operator
April 2020
Advanced Firefighter Dustin J. Howbert promoted to Apparatus Operator
Advanced Firefighter Kyle A. Hamilton promoted to Apparatus Operator
Advanced Firefighter Austin L. McClane promoted to Apparatus Operator
Advanced Firefighter Gabriel M. Schultz promoted to Apparatus Operator
New Hires
Firefighter 3rd Class
Tyler A. Abernathy
Kaleb D. Chockley
Chelsea D. Foster
Jonah M. Domann
Jacob M. Gardner
Mitchell A. Ridder
Cole E. Searles
May 2020
Battalion Chief Todd A. Harrison promoted to Fire Marshal
Firefighter 1st Class
Jeremy A. Steimel
John K. Bentler
Craig A. Stevenson
Jacob W. Pera
June 2020
Lieutenant Robert R. Aurner III promoted to Captain
Apparatus Operator Chad R. Swift promoted to Lieutenant
Advanced Firefighter Christopher R. Reece promoted to Apparatus Operator
July 2020
Captain Alan J. McKenzie promoted to Battalion Chief
August 2020
Lieutenant Ty C. Forshee promoted to Captain
Lieutenant Travis J. Thompson promoted to Captain
Apparatus Operator Charles A. Ridder promoted to Lieutenant
Apparatus Operator Joshua M. Mayer promoted to Lieutenant
Advanced Firefighter Chance W. Boyle promoted to Apparatus Operator
Advanced Firefighter Zachary R. Bradford promoted to Apparatus Operator
The Topeka Zoo and Conservation Center would like to invite members of the media to the ribbon cutting ceremony which will mark the unveiling of the Kay McFarland Japanese Garden on Thursday, August 27, at 10:00 AM. Attending and speaking at the ceremony will be Consul General Kenichi Okada from the Japanese Consulate in Chicago and James Kanki Honorary Consul of Japan in Kansas City. The ribbon cutting will occur in traditional Japanese style.
Also speaking at the event will be Mayor Michelle De La Isla, Friends of the Zoo Board President Pat Colley, Japanese Garden Master Koji Morimoto and Trustees Elaine and Howard Schwartz.
Because of Covid-19 restrictions, attendance at the ribbon cutting is by invitation only.
Guests will be greeted at the event by Three Trails Taiko, a Japanese drum group. As guests check in, they will be given an origami crane. At the conclusion of the ceremony after the Sake drum has been broken, a procession will lead to the Garden’s entrance. Along the way, guests will be instructed to hang their origami crane with a wish on one of the plants. Kimonos will be on display in the Event Venue.
Members of the media can arrange for a preview of the Kay McFarland Japanese Garden beginning Monday, August 24. Interviews can be arranged during the preview with the Zoo Director, Garden Master and Trustees if desired. We would ask that any stories developed through the preview experience be embargoed
The City of Topeka, Kansas (the “City”) will hold a public hearing in the ECR Room on the third floor of City Hall, 215 SE 7th St., Topeka, KS, on August 13, 2020, commencing at 2:00 P.M., regarding the proposed issuance by the City of its health facilities revenue bonds in one or more series in the maximum aggregate principal amount of approximately $13,000,000, as part of a plan of finance for the purposes of (1) paying for all or a portion of the costs rel ated to the acquisition, construction, improvement, extension, repair, equipping and furnishing of certain health facilities and related facilities for the benefit of Midland Care Connection, Inc. and its affiliates (the “Company”) Company”), including without limit ation, for the Frazier campus, construction of a parking garage, renovation of existing interior spaces for the residential care center creation of a retention pond and construction of a new main entrance (the “Frazier Campus Projects” – approximately $4,235,000, and miscellaneous capital improvements for the Company’s locations together with the Hospice House Campus Projects and the Frazier Campus Projects, collectively, the “Projects”), (2) refunding all or any portion of the Health Care Facilities Refunding Revenue Bonds, Series 2013 (Midland Care Connection Inc.) previously issued by Shawnee County, Kansas for the benefit of the Company (the “Refunded Bonds” – approximately $2,365,000 outstanding principal), (3) refinancing certain outstanding loans and indebtedness (the “Refinanced Debt”) of the Company previously incurred to finance or refinance projects of the Company at its Westport Facility (approximately, $44,605,000 outstanding principal) and its Lawrence, Kansas Facility (approximately, $210,000 outstanding principal), and its Valley Falls, Kansas Facility (approximately, $600,000 outstanding principal), and (4) funding certain interest and paying certain costs of issuance. The locations for the Projects and the facilities relating to the Refunded Bonds and the Refinanced Debt include the following (in certain cases such locations consisting of campuses which have multiple addresses): 120 and 200 SW Frazier Circle, 2134 SW Westport Drive, all in Topeka, Kansas, 319 Perry Street in Lawrence, Kansas, and 1509 Linn Street in Valley Falls, Kansas. At the Company’s discretion, up to the entire maximum principal amount of the bonds may be allocated to any of the above described Projects and facilities to finance all, part, or none, of the capital expenditures at each location. The Company may finance a portion of the Projects above with equity or other available funds in addition to proceeds of the bonds. The Company will own and operate the facilities financed and refinanced with proceeds of the bonds.
As part of ongoing efforts to limit the spread of novel coronavirus in Kansas and in compliance with IRS Revenue Procedure 2020-21 limited in-person attendance will be allowed. Interested individuals may attend and participate in the public hearing via conference call. Please call 785-368-2575 to join the conference.
The hearing will be open to the public. All interested persons may attend the hearing and will have an opportunity to express their views with respect to the issuance of the bonds and the facilities financed or refinanced pursuant to the plan of finance for the bonds. Written comments may also be submitted to the undersigned prior to the hearing.
NE Kansas has received excessive amounts of rain throughout the week. Topeka had an unusually large rain event on July 29th and saw localized flooding in certain areas of town. During these extreme rain events the stormwater system can get overwhelmed, causing areas to temporarily flood while the system processes the massive amounts of water.
The Utilities Department has crews that go out daily to inspect, clean and clear stormwater inlets, sewers, and ditches to ensure functionality. The infrastructure in the areas that had localized flooding are currently being inspected to ensure that there are not any obstructions. With that said, the stormwater system performed as it was designed to.
With grounds already saturated and more rain in the forecast, it is possible that we could see more temporary, localized flooding. We want to encourage all of our customers to exercise caution and report any potential issues or obstructions that they see regarding stormwater infrastructure. They can do this by calling (785)368-3111 or by utilizing the See Click Fix app.
Governor Laura Kelly[1] announced on June 29th that she will sign an Executive Order on Thursday, July 2nd mandating masks in public places effective Friday, July 3rd. In expectation of that order, all visitors to the Topeka Municipal Court are being notified that masks or cloth face coverings will be required while in the building once Governor Kelly’s order takes effect. The court has a very limited supply of disposable masks, but all visitors will be expected to bring their own. Persons who do not have a cloth face covering or mask will not be allowed to enter the courthouse beginning the effective date of the executive order.
The Court will continue to observe the following:
- Only those with court business/probation appointments will be permitted in the building. Defendants should not bring family/friends/observers to their court hearings and should make all attempts for alternate childcare arrangements.
- To maintain appropriate social distancing and the maximum number of persons allowed in the courtrooms, defendants may be required to wait in the lobby or other areas during larger dockets.
- Defendants who report or are displaying symptoms of illness, are caring for someone ill, or are in a high risk category, should contact their attorney to request a continuance. Defendants without an attorney may file a motion for continuance. Defendants should expect to attend their court hearing until the continuance has been granted by a judge.
- Anyone entering the courthouse or probation office will be denied access as follows:
- If the person has been in close contact with someone who has been diagnosed with, or is suspected to have had, COVID-19 within the last 14 days;
- If the person is experiencing two or more of the COVID-19 symptoms[2] identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; or
- If the person has traveled within the previous 14 days to an area subject to COVID-19 travel restrictions imposed by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment[3]
Anyone denied access to the courthouse for the above reasons, or who needs to request a continuance, may contact the Court Clerk’s Office at 785-368-3776 for instructions on rescheduling or otherwise completing their court business.
Please plan ahead when reporting to the courthouse to ensure you are able to complete your court business while keeping everyone safe.
[1] See Governor Laura Kelly’s official post on June 29th
[1] See CDC’s list of COVID-19 symptoms
[1] See KDHE’s Travel Exposure Related Isolation/Quarantine list
The City of Topeka has hired Karan Thadani as the Administrative Municipal Court Judge. Thadani has fourteen years of experience practicing law in the State of Kansas, having worked in both private practice and the government sector, most recently as the Chief of Prosecution for the City of Topeka.
“The City of Topeka is excited to welcome Karan to preside over the City’s court. We believe that his knowledge and experience working in Kansas as a defense attorney and prosecutor will give the City a solid judicial foundation,” said City Manager Brent Trout.
Thadani has fourteen years of experience practicing law in the State of Kansas, having worked in both private practice and the government sector. Thadani graduated from the University of Texas in 2001 and earned his juris doctorate from Washburn University School of Law in 2006.
“My family and I are grateful to the City of Topeka for selecting me to serve as the next administrative Municipal Court Judge. I am deeply honored and humbled to have been selected and thankful for the opportunity to continue my work with the City and in public service. The responsibility that comes with a judgeship is not one that I take lightly and I will do my very best to uphold the law and ensure that the citizens in our community are treated with impartiality and fairness,” said Thadani.
Throughout his entire career, Thadani has served in the capacity of either a defense attorney or prosecutor. He began his career in civil litigation and criminal defense work in Lawrence, Kansas, after which he and his family moved to St Francis, Kansas where he continued in private practice. While in western Kansas, Thadani was elected as the Cheyenne County Attorney and County Counselor to the Board of County Commissioners. He returned to the Topeka area where he began his work with the City of Topeka Prosecution office as an associate prosecutor. Thadani has served that office as the Chief of Prosecution since 2017.
Thadani’s start date will be July 27th, with a salary of $111,335.
The City of Topeka Finance Department has posted the 2021 Preliminary Budget on the City of Topeka website. The city-wide 2021 budget is $312.6 million and the seventh consecutive budget proposal that has not included an increase to the property tax mill rate. The ability to continue to provide the current service levels while not increasing the City’s largest revenue source becomes increasingly challenging. City-wide, the budget proposes to eliminate 32.5 full-time equivalent positions when compared to the 2020 Adopted Budget along with other non-personnel related expense reductions. The 2021 Preliminary Budget continues to support the budget priorities that were established by the Governing Body – investing in infrastructure, continuing commitment to public safety, continuing a commitment to developing neighborhoods, selected strategic investment toward quality of life and improving fiscal sustainability.
The General Fund budget is $96.2 million, a 0.3% decrease. The City began the 2021 budget process with an estimated operating deficit of more than $5 million in the General Fund. To close this gap, both personnel and non-personnel related reductions have been proposed. The 2021 Preliminary Budget can be viewed on the City of Topeka website, with the City Manager’s transmittal letter beginning on page 7: https://www.topeka.org/finance/budget/
Budget Highlights:
- Personnel related expenses represent the largest portion of the General Fund at $76.5 million, or approximately 79% of total expenditures. Personnel costs, including wages and benefits, increased $360,000, or 0.5%, over the 2020 Adopted Budget. Such personnel costs include finalized union contracts along with assumptions regarding negotiations in progress, as well as a 1% wage increase for non-union staff.
- Property and sales tax collectively make up 61% of the General Fund’s revenue, 30% and 31% respectively.
- Property tax is budgeted to increase over the 2020 Adopted Budget by $1.1 million, as the City has experienced strong assessed valuation growth ($33.76 million or 3%) compared to the prior year. The strong assessed valuation growth allows the City to capture additional revenue as more taxable value has been added to the tax rolls while keeping the mill levy rate the same.
- Sales tax projections reflect a 3% decline over the 2020 Adopted Budget as the long-term economic impact from the current public health emergency (COVID-19) is still being evaluated.
- A reduction in interest income of $536,000 has also been projected in the General Fund, reducing the budget to $268,000 as interest rates are expected to remain below historic averages.
- General Fund departments were asked to identify budget reduction options totaling at least $5 million while also providing feedback on any potential service reductions. Various reduction scenarios were presented to the City Manager for his review. The reductions that have been included in the budget were difficult decisions made after thoughtful consideration. These reductions are likely to place additional strain on staff as responsibilities are shifted and prioritized.
Topeka is proud to share it has been recognized for achieving 2020 What Works Cities Certification at the silver level. What Works Cities (WWC) Certification evaluates how effectively cities are managed by measuring the extent to which city leaders incorporate data and evidence in their decision-making – whether they have the right people, processes, and policies in place to put data and evidence at the center of decision-making – against a national standard of excellence. WWC is a national initiative launched by Bloomberg Philanthropies in 2015.
Topeka is one of 16 cities to achieve Certification at the silver level. Over the past year, the city has demonstrated measurable progress on foundational data practices, representing Topeka’s commitment to advancing how data is used to better serve residents.
“The City of Topeka is data driven when establishing our strategic goals and priorities,” said by Mayor De La Isla. “By identifying the key issues our community is facing as a result of the coronavirus pandemic and comparing them to our strategic goals and priorities, we can begin to formulate tailor-made community recovery decisions that provides actionable, long-lasting solutions.”
Through improved data-driven management, Topeka has:
● Improved transparency efforts.
● Improved reporting to the Governing Body.
● Improved tracking of responsiveness to constituents.
What Works Cities Certification is inspiring a movement of cities that are doubling down on their commitment to building a more effective, more efficient, and more equitable local government that works for its residents, and using Certification as a roadmap for doing so. Nearly 200 U.S. cities have completed a What Works Cities Assessment; to date, only 24 cities have met the What Works Cities national standard in achieving Certification.
About What Works Cities: What Work Cities, launched by Bloomberg Philanthropies in April 2015, is a national initiative that helps cities use data and evidence more effectively to tackle their most pressing challenges and improve residents’ lives. It is one of the largest-ever philanthropic efforts to enhance cities’ use of data and evidence. Through the initiative’s expert partners, cities around the country are receiving technical assistance, guidance and resources to succeed in making more informed decisions, tackling local challenges, and delivering more effective services and programs for their residents. Cities in the What Works Cities network also gain access to a collaborative network of peers in cities across the country. For more information, visit whatworkscities.org.
The City of Topeka Utilities Department will resume utility disconnections next week. Utility accounts not in good standing may be subject to disconnect. We encourage customers wanting to make payment arrangements or having difficulty paying their bills to call us at 368-3111 to take advantage of the various options we have available.
Utility bills can be paid at City Express at 620 SE Madison, the customer service call center or at authorized US Bank locations. City Express is open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. The Customer Service Call Center is open between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, and is available to work with customers to help keep their balances due manageable during this time. Customers who need to pay their water bill in cash can do so at authorized US Bank locations at the drive through window. US Bank hours vary by location. Bills can also be paid by phone at 785-368-3111 or online at www.topeka.org/payonline.
Doorstep, Let’s Help, the Salvation Army and the City of Topeka created the Water Share Program to assist citizens in need with their COT water utility bill. Please contact one of the agencies directly to request assistance.
- Doorstep 785-357-5341
- Let’s Help 785-234-6208
- Salvation Army 785-233-9648
The Utilities Refund Program (Franchise Fee Program) also offers assistance for utility bills. Please contact the Community Resources Council to apply 785-233-1365. For citizens looking for a way to help, you may go to www.topeka.org/utilities/watershare or call 785-368-3111. Donations may be set up as reoccurring monthly or you may select to make a one-time donation. The donation amount will be added to your next City of Topeka water bill.
In coordination with the Shawnee County Reopening Plan, beginning Monday, June 8, the Topeka Zoo and Conservation Center will begin reopening some of its buildings. The first buildings to be reopened will include Camp Cowabunga, the Lianas Forest and the Animals and Man building. By the end of next week, the Zoo also plans to reopen the Saving Sharks and Lorikeet Aviary experiences. During phase three of the reopening plan, building and experience opportunities will be limited to less than 45 people at a time and the zoo will maintain a maximum occupancy of 900 people at any given time.
Monday will also be the debut of the Zoo’s newest resident, a baby black and white ruffed lemur that was born in the early morning hours on Friday May 28 to parents Cleo and Sorabe. This birth marks the first successful breeding of black and white ruffed lemurs at the Topeka Zoo. Black and white ruffed lemurs are an endangered species endemic to the Island of Madagascar. The lemur infant can be viewed daily during normal operating hours at the Zoo’s Animals and Man building beginning June 8 when she is out of the nest box.