The City of Topeka Finance Department has released the preliminary 2020 budget on the City of Topeka website. The 2020 budget will be $292.6 million and will be the sixth consecutive budget proposal that has not included a mill levy increase. The FY20 Proposed 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 $96.5 million, a 1.9% increase. To balance the General Fund and maintain current service levels without raising the mill levy, the FY20 Proposed Budget includes a mix of revenue enhancements and expenditure cuts. The FY20 Proposed Budget shifts mills from tax levied funds (Debt Service and Special Liability) to the General Fund, but maintains a flat overall mill levy. The FY20 Proposed Budget includes reductions to General Fund department operating budgets of $1.0 million. This includes the elimination of three vacant positions in the Executive, Administrative and Financial Services, and Public Works departments. The preliminary 2020 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 $76.1 million, or 79% of total expenditures. Personnel costs, including wages and benefits, increase $1.9 million, or 2.5%, over the 2019 Adopted Budget, and include finalized union contracts along with assumptions regarding negotiations in progress. Non-union, management and executive staff wages increase 1%, or $150,000.
• Property and sales tax collectively make up 61% of the General Fund’s revenue, 29% and 32% respectively.
• Property tax is budgeted to modestly increase over the FY19 Adopted Budget by $640,000, as mills have been shifted from the special liability and debt service funds. Sales tax is economically sensitive and City collections have alternated annually between growth and modest decline over the last five years.
• General Fund departments were asked to identify budget reduction options totaling 3% (approximately $2.8 million) of their overall budget. Based on discussions with department heads, questions regarding sustainability and how the cuts impact operations were thoroughly explored, approximately $1.0 million has been incorporated into the FY20 Proposed Budget.
• The Topeka Police Department has increased personnel services by $515,000, and will be decreasing overtime expenditures for FY20.
The test results from recent samples taken from the Shunganunga Creek have come back with acceptable levels of bacteria. These results allow us to lift the stream advisory that was put in effect on June 6th. If you have any questions regarding this incident please call:
Ryan Woolaway
City of Topeka
785-409-8636
The City of Topeka Utilities Department is currently in the process installing an Advanced Meter Infrastructure (AMI) system. This system provides the Utilities Department with the ability to read all 57,000 water meters in Topeka by radio, using 31 radio receiving locations. The AMI system will also provide the Utilities Department with more frequent and reliable information to better serve our Utility customers.
When selecting locations for the 31 radio receiving locations, many existing buildings and structures were considered. 27 locations have been selected and approved including several City of Topeka facilities, local schools and community centers. These locations allow for 80% of the meters to be read. The gaps in our coverage were due to not having existing buildings or structures to utilize. To resolve this issue 4 locations have been selected to house a 60 foot tall steel pole. The pole will have an electronics cabinet and electrical service. The 4 locations are 515 SW Horne Street, 4813 SW 17th St, 2350 SW Pepperwood and 1650 NW Fredith Lane. These will be installed in the public right of way along the street. Each location was reviewed in order to minimize the impact on the neighboring homes and businesses. There should not be any direct negative impact to the areas surrounding the 4 locations. However this new system will provide more beneficial data such as more accurate readings, leak detection and high water usage. The installation will start in June with the poles being fully functional in July.
If you have any questions regarding this project please call:
Ryan Woolaway
City of Topeka
785-409-8636
Local fire and law enforcement personnel are teaming with the American Red Cross for the 3rd annual Battle of the Badges blood drive to see who can recruit the most eligible donors in their community to donate blood.
Individuals can join the Battle of the Badges blood drive by donating May 30 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Holliday Building, 620 SE Madison. Donors’ blood donations will help decide who wins bragging rights and the traveling trophy.
“The Battle of the Badges blood drive is one of those yearly events where a little competitive spirit takes over between the members the Fire Department and the Police Department to benefit a great cause,” said Topeka Police Chief Bill Cochran. “Best of all, at the end of the day everyone in our community benefits and the comradery between our two departments becomes even stronger. We hope you will come donate blood and make a difference.”
Battle of the Badges is a friendly competition to encourage community members to join their local first responders and perform their own heroic act with a blood donation.
“I know this event is known as the “Battle of the Badges,” blood drive but to me it is really the “Pledge of the Badges,” said Topeka Fire Chief Craig Duke. “Each year both departments look at this special way to serve our community. We pledge to go beyond our daily way of public safety servitude by donating blood. Why? Because that’s who we are.”
Duke continues, “On the lighter side, it is fun to see how Topeka Fire Department and Topeka Police Department make this a whole community event by competing in fun, to see who will have the most donated pints of blood for the Red Cross but in the end, we all win.”
This May, during National Trauma Month, the Red Cross is calling on donors to give blood regularly to be prepared to meet the needs of patients. In emergency situations, having blood available when a patient arrives at a hospital is vital. Regular donations can help ensure sufficient supplies are available for trauma patients when every second matters, as well as others with serious medical conditions.
“Fire and law enforcement units know firsthand how important it is to have blood readily available for emergencies,” said Susan Faler, account manager, Red Cross Central Plains Blood Services Region. “By hosting this blood drive, they are helping ensure that blood is on the shelves before it is needed.”
In thanks, all those who come to donate blood with the Red Cross now through June 10, 2019, will receive a $5 Amazon.com Gift Card via email. (Restrictions apply; see amazon.com/gc-legal. More information and details are available at RedCrossBlood.org/Together.)
To make an appointment for the Topeka Battle of the Badges, download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) and use sponsor code Topeka.
How to donate blood
All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age (16 with parental consent in some states), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.
Blood and platelet donors can save time at their next donation by using RapidPass® to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, before arriving at the blood drive. To get started, follow the instructions at RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass or use the Blood Donor App.
About the American Red Cross: The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.
The City of Topeka Utility Department is advising Topeka area residents to avoid contact with local waterways flowing throughout the City until further notice due to the inundation of the City’s storm and sanitary sewer systems. With the heavy rains the local infrastructure is struggling with excess water (commonly referred to as inflow and infiltration) in the sanitary sewer system. Stormwater can enter into the sewer system through illegally connected residential sump pumps and roof drains, as well as cracked sewer pipes and manhole covers. This excess water is currently causing areas of the system to overflow into nearby waterways.
The Department is also actively working to complete repairs to a broken sanitary sewer force main near 2501 SW Randolph that caused untreated sewage to flow into a small tributary that flows to Shunganunga Creek near Big Shunga Park. Temporary repairs were completed Tuesday, however the pipe was compromised again early Wednesday morning. Permanent repairs are ongoing.
Residents are advised to practice safe and common sense hygiene, like avoiding immersion and ingestion, keeping pets out of the water and washing hands before eating. Topeka staff will continue to monitor the water in local creeks and waterways and provide notification when the advisory can be lifted. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has been notified and is advising.
Gov. Lara Kelly, will sign a proclamation at 9:00 a.m. on Friday, May 3rd, to designate April 26th Kansas Arbor Day. The Governor will be joined by members of the Kansas Forest Service, the Kansas Arborist Association, and City of Topeka Arborist Travis Tenbrink.
“This is an important opportunity to celebrate Arbor Day and the importance that tree’s play in our lives,” said City of Topeka Arborist Travis Tenbrink. “This is a great way to get the community involved in planting trees and we hope that it will encourage others to plant a tree during our celebration of Arbor Day.”
Following the signing the group will be planting a White Oak across the street from the Capital at the Judicial Center. The White Oak was selected to increase the diversity of trees being planted in the downtown area.
Beginning on Monday, April 29, 21st Street will be fully closed to vehicular traffic and open to pedestrians and bike on the north sidewalk. There will be a signed detour using 17th Street. I-470 off and on ramps will be fully closed on the east side of the bridge, the west side ramps will both be open. Although through traffic will be prohibited, local access to the businesses between Belle Avenue and I-470 will be maintained. This section of roadway carries about 27,000 vehicles a day.
The complete “emergency” closure is being done for several reasons:
• The concrete pavement was already showing signs of significant deterioration at the joints, and the situation was made noticeably worse by the harsh winter.
• KDOT will be starting their project to overlay I-470 northbound on or before June 15. The City’s project must be completed prior to the beginning of that overlay work or wait until it is finished. It is our opinion that 21st Street cannot be adequately and safely maintained until after the I-470 work, so we have to act immediately.
• Worker and driver safety. This is a high traffic location. In order to protect construction workers and drivers, full closure is a safer alternative than a complicated, ever changing maze of signs, cones and barricades.
• The full closure will allow the work to be finished in a much shorter time period. The Contractor is required to be finished on or before June 1st or they will face financial penalties.
• A full closure costs significantly less. The cost of maintaining through traffic while constructing roads is expensive.
• There are several construction projects already underway on the west side of Topeka. But there are more projects scheduled to start later in the summer. It is important that the 21st work be completed before these other projects begin to help with the inevitable inconvenience of multiple projects.
Sunflower Paving is the contractor for this project. The project will be completed by June 1st.
During an incident with a Sumatran tiger on April 20, 2019, a Zoo Keeper at the Topeka Zoo and Conservation Center sustained injuries and is currently recovering at a local Topeka hospital. The injured keeper is 40 year-old Kristyn Hayden-Ortega. Kristyn began working with the Topeka Zoo on July 30, 2001.
Kristyn is a passionate and dedicated individual in this field. She has taught and mentored many other zookeepers, educators, interns, and volunteers into becoming ambassadors for animals of all species. Whether training a tiger for a semen collection, a voluntary ultrasound, or working with an African painted dog to allow the use of a stethoscope to listen to his heart, she is very determined which allows her to approach obstacles with a realistic, but also “we’ll try it” outlook. She has a great sense of humor and is a great problem solver.
During Kristyn’s tenure at the zoo:
- She began her employment at the zoo in the zoo’s education department where she helped implement a state wide Safari Edventure Day program. She also made several trips to Paraguay to work with maned wolves and train zoo keepers in South America.
- After transferring to the zoo’s Animal Care Department in 2009, she developed a passion for working with a number of different animals including African painted dogs and Sumatran tigers.
- She is the zoo’s Institutional Representative to and sits on the steering committee of the African Painted Dog Species Survival Plan Steering Committee.
- She recently presented at a conference in Texas on training techniques to enhance reproduction in Sumatran tigers.
- She has traveled to Thailand to work with Asian elephants.
- She was involved with the original release of black-footed ferrets into the Kansas landscape.
- She is the current president of the Topeka Chapter of the American Association of Zoo Keepers.
Kristyn is a highly valued member of our team. She is full of passion and performs great work. It is still uncertain when she will leave the hospital but a full recovery is expected.
Kristyn’s family would like to thank everyone who has sent prayers and well-wishes. At the same time, Kristyn’s family has experienced a traumatic event and needs time to process that. They have asked for privacy and hope the media and public can respect that.
At about 9:15 this morning, a Zoo Keeper found herself in the same outdoor space with a seven year old Sumatran tiger. The Keeper sustained injuries but is being treated at a local hospital and remains in stable condition.
Zoo personnel responded immediately. In less than ten minutes, the tiger was called into an adjoining indoor holding space. The tiger was never out of its enclosure.
While the zoo briefly closed during the time of the incident, it reopened shortly after.
“The male Sumatran tiger, Sanjiv, simply reacted the way that is normal for a tiger to do,” said Zoo Director Brendan Wiley. “There is absolutely no consideration of euthanizing the tiger.”
Over the next several days, a complete investigation will be conducted that will also review all policies and procedures around tiger management at the zoo. “If we need to make updates to our current procedures, we will most certainly do that,” said Wiley.
The zoo staff is highly trained and experienced in working with tigers. Safety is always in the forefront. The entire zoo team routinely trains for emergency situations like this.
The Topeka Zoo considers its Sumatran Tiger Program to be one of its best well rounded animal programs. “For this critically endangered species we have an active breeding program, we make regular contributions to the science of caring for this species and our community financially supports a ranger on the ground in Sumatra,” said Wiley. “Right now, our focus is on our injured team member. Our thoughts and prayers are with her and her family.”
The City of Topeka Utilities Department started construction on the Ash Street Force Main project on April 15th and is scheduled to be completed in April of 2020. The original station was constructed in 1928 with an expansion occurring in 1972. The project consists of construction and installation of a new 48” diameter force main as well as upgrades to the Ash Street Pump Station’s existing pumps, gates, instrumentation and controls. There have been two failures in the existing force main, therefore this is a mandated rehabilitation project as part of the Consent Agreement with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.
Citizens in the area of the Ash Street Pump Station were notified of the construction by mail this spring. An open house and informational presentation was held on January 24th. The site of construction will have several pieces of large equipment working in the area. The City of Topeka asks that citizens be cautious around the construction work zone. Please follow all temporary construction work zone traffic control which will include detours for vehicular and pedestrian traffic. For more information please contact City Wastewater Engineer Michelle Neiswender at 368-4251.