The City of Topeka is inviting community members to participate in the selection process for the next police chief by providing their input through a public survey and public input sessions.

The survey seeks to gather input on the qualities and priorities that citizens believe are most important for the next police chief. This feedback will play an important role in guiding the selection process and ensuring that the selected candidate aligns with the values and expectations of Topeka’s residents.

This is the first step in the selection process and will be followed by a series of public input sessions. Details on those sessions will be shared in the coming weeks.

“Selecting our next police chief is a critical decision that will impact the safety and well-being of our community,” said City Manager Robert Perez. “We want to ensure the selection process is transparent and inclusive, giving community members multiple opportunities to participate and share their perspectives.”

The survey will be open for two weeks and will close on August 2nd.

Residents can access the survey on our website at:

English Survey – https://us.openforms.com/Form/f84b9c2b-0e91-42b9-95c8-d2541e7dc54c

Encuesta en Español– https://us.openforms.com/Form/74814400-794c-44cd-9825-d903dd7476b8

Flushing a system varies based on the size of a building. Generally, customers should turn on all indoor faucets in their home or business for 10-15 minutes to flush approximately 40 gallons of water through their system. Due to outdoor weather conditions, consider using only indoor faucets like sinks, tubs, toilets and other washing appliances. Regular water use habits, like taking a shower or doing laundry are also effective methods of flushing. For homes or businesses with larger water heaters, flush for an additional 10-15 minutes.

Additional guidance on flushing procedures are laid out by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) here: https://www.kdhe.ks.gov/…/Flushing-Interior-Plumbing…

The City of Topeka is assisting 18 residents after the discovery of unsanitary conditions and a carbon monoxide leak at an apartment building on Wednesday afternoon in East Topeka.

On August 7, 2024, just before 1 p.m., crews from the Topeka Fire Department (TFD) responded to a reported chemical odor at a residential building located at 313 SE Lime St. Upon arrival, firefighters measured unsafe levels of carbon monoxide and immediately notified the Kansas Gas Service and the Topeka Police Department’s Property Maintenance Unit (PMU). Two juveniles were transported to a local hospital by medical personnel to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

As a result of PMU’s investigation, raw sewage was found and four apartments have been condemned. This is an ongoing investigation.

The City of Topeka’s Housing Services Division responded and is working with the affected residents to provide relocation assistance.

The City of Topeka has been selected to receive more than $1.72 million in federal funding for pedestrian and bike-friendly improvements, Governor Laura Kelly announced today.

The City was selected for Transportation Alternatives (TA) funding that would help advance implementation of the major project priorities contained in the Topeka Bikeways Master Plan’s supplemental plan recently approved by the Metropolitan Topeka Planning Organization (MTPO) policy
board. The recommendations for these streets will help with the safety and comfort of the bike user and create an alternative mode of transportation.

The projects submitted in the TA application include the following locations:
• SW 5th Street – From Washburn to SE 4th Street
• SW 4th Street/Willow Avenue – From Washburn to Kansas Avenue
• SE Adams Street – From SE 10th Avenue to SE 1st Street

“Currently, the streets that have been selected are designed for vehicular traffic only and pose a safety concern to bicyclists trying to use our streets to get across the city,” said Assistant City Manager Braxton Copley. “These projects will help connect existing and future bikeways to Downtown.”
The City of Topeka’s project was one of 31 Kansas projects selected.

The City of Topeka’s Housing Services Division has been awarded a $4 million Lead Hazard Reduction Grant, which will be distributed from November 15, 2024, through November 15, 2028. These funds will be used to expand the division’s rehabilitation programs to address and mitigate
lead hazards, with the goal of making an estimated 180 homes lead-safe for families.

The grant will focus on 16 census tracts identified as disadvantaged and below 80% of the low-tomoderate income (LMI) level, as outlined on the City of Topeka’s Justice 40 map. It is anticipated that 90% of approved applicants will be families with children under the age of six, ensuring that the program directly benefits those most at risk for lead exposure.

“We are thrilled to receive this grant, which will allow us to protect Topeka’s most vulnerable residents
by making homes safer for young children,” said Carrie Higgins, Housing Services Division Director. “By
addressing lead hazards in older homes, we can prevent lead poisoning and create healthier living
environments for families in our community.”

This initiative reflects the city’s commitment to improving overall community health by targeting lead
hazards in homes located within historically disadvantaged areas. The Housing Services Division will use
the grant to enhance its existing rehabilitation programs, focusing on homes in need of lead remediation
and ensuring that LMI families, especially those with young children, have access to safe and secure
housing.

Through collaboration with local partners, the program will also provide educational resources to help
families and property owners understand the risks of lead exposure and how they can maintain safe
living conditions

The City of Topeka is proud to announce it has been awarded a United States Department of Justice (DOJ) grant to provide a batterers intervention treatment program to Topeka residents.

The Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) has awarded the Grants to Improve the Criminal Justice Reform (ICJR) totaling $488,045 to facilitate batterers intervention treatment through local service providers Halley Counseling Services and the Family Peace Initiative.

In 2022, the City Prosecutor’s Office assumed responsibility for handling misdemeanor domestic battery cases, aiming to offer a more personalized approach at helping victims and their families in domestic violence situations. The ICJR will enable the prosecutor’s office to extend assistance to eligible offenders who lack the financial means to participate in intervention programs, ensuring accountability in their sentencing.

“This grant represents a significant step forward in our efforts to address domestic violence in our community,” said Chief of Prosecution Kelly Trussell. “By providing access to intervention programs, we are better equipped to support both victims and offenders, fostering safer and healthier environments for residents and stopping the cycle of violence.”

The OVW, a division of the DOJ, administers grant programs aimed to develop the nation’s ability to reduce domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking by strengthening services to victims and holding offenders accountable.

Read more about the OVW’s Grants to Improve Criminal Justice Response here: https://www.justice.gov/ovw/improving-criminal-justice-responses-program

Over the coming weeks, City of Topeka staff will present the proposed 2026-2035 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) to the Governing Body for consideration. Once the Governing Body has considered and ultimately adopted the final CIP book of projects, the CIP will be formalized through a resolution and ordinance.

Public Works Programs and Projects
• 2026 Pavement Management Program: $14M annually for street maintenance
• NW Menninger Rd & N Topeka Blvd: Intersection re-alignment and widening with Shawnee County sharing 35% of the cost
• SW 45th Street (SW Gage Blvd. to SW Cambridge Ave.): Road widening,resurfacing, and shared-use path construction, with different phases over the next few years

Utilities Programs and Projects
• 2026-2030 Water Main Replacement Program: Focuses on upgrading aging water mains
• Menoken Road Tie Back: Flood mitigation project for levee certification, funded by reallocating prior levee repair funds
• SE California Ave. & SE 4th St.: Stormwater improvements to reduce flooding, especially near a local elementary school

What is the CIP? 

The CIP is a long-term plan that aligns the city’s annual operating and capital improvement budgets with strategic goals and infrastructure needs. It details the funding required for infrastructure projects over several years, including project locations and timelines. The CIP spans 10 years – separate from the annual operating budget – and is funded by sources like sales tax, city funds, and bonds. The first three years are the Capital Improvement Budget (CIB), with the first year focusing on immediate projects and the next two years on preparation. Projects eligible for the CIP must meet certain criteria, including real property acquisition or construction of new facilities costing $50,000 or more. More information can be found at www.topeka.org/finance/capital-improvement-projects/ 

The City of Topeka is actively addressing ongoing concerns regarding overflowing dumpsters and property maintenance violations at multiple properties owned by a local landlord. Despite previous engagement and citations issued by the city’s Property Maintenance Unit, the property owner failed to clean up the affected sites within the allotted timeframe.

As of Tuesday, December 31, 14 of the 34 originally cited properties remain in violation. In response, the City of Topeka’s Property Maintenance Unit began a coordinated cleanup effort at 8:00 a.m. All trash and rubbish will be removed and properly disposed of at the Green Point C and D Processing Center throughout the week. The costs associated with this cleanup will be charged to the property owner, Eucalyptus LLC. Properties that lack the required dumpsters have been cited, and criminal affidavits for these violations will also be processed.

The city recognizes that some tenants may be hesitant to report property maintenance issues, such as overflowing dumpsters or unsafe living conditions, due to fear of retaliation or eviction. To address these concerns, the Topeka City Council strengthened its retaliatory eviction ordinance in May 2024. This ensures that residents can assert their right to a clean, safe, and sanitary home without fear of repercussions.
Residents can find more information about their rights under city ordinance and resources for addressing retaliatory actions by visiting the City of Topeka’s Property Maintenance Division website: https://www.topeka.org/tpd/property-maintenance-division/retaliatory-eviction/.
Tenants and community members are encouraged to report property maintenance concerns to the City of Topeka’s Property Maintenance Division by calling 785-368-3161, using the SeeClickFix app, or emailing propertymaintenance@topeka.org

The City of Topeka Utilities Department is pleased to announce the successful
completion of six major utility relocation projects in preparation for the Kansas Department of Transportation’s (KDOT) Polk-Quincy Viaduct (PQV) improvement project. Over the past year, contractors worked to relocate water, stormwater and wastewater infrastructure throughout the project area in and around Downtown Topeka to make way for KDOT’s long-anticipated expansion and modernization of the viaduct. All project sites now associated with the viaduct are under KDOT’s supervision as they continue work on the viaduct.

“These relocations were a critical step in supporting one of the region’s most significant transportation improvement projects, laying the foundation for the future of Topeka’s transportation network,” said Utilities Director Sylvia Davis. “The effort put forth by our Utilities team is a testament to their tenacity
and dedication to getting the job done. Along with our partners, they managed a difficult timeline, numerous unforeseen challenges and were successful in completing this work for well under half of the original cost estimate. I am extremely proud of this team.”

The utility relocation work included extensive coordination with KDOT and multiple City departments. This massive effort involved moving existing water, stormwater and wastewater lines out of the construction zone to accommodate roadway improvements, bridge enhancements, and safety upgrades planned along the viaduct corridor.

Crews removed and replaced or relocated more than 14,200 square yards of pavement, nearly 6,000 feet of sanitary sewer, more than 2,500 feet of storm sewer, and almost 7,000 feet of water line.
Current information about KDOT’s PQV project can be found at I-70 Polk-Quincy Viaduct | Kansas Department Of Transportation.

More information about the relocation projects completed by the City can be found at Polk-Quincy Viaduct City of Topeka Utility Relocation Projects | Utilities

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The City of Topeka is proud to announce that its Department of Administrative and Financial Service has received the Certificate of Achievement for the 2022 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA).

An ACFR is a set of financial statements for a state, municipality or other governmental organization that comply with the accounting requirements. This set of documents communicates the full scope of the city’s audited financial results of the 2022 fiscal year.

Finance staff completes a 6-month long process that involves hundreds of staff hours to deliver this report to our constituents and the Topeka City Council. The city’s Finance team has received the ACFR award for the last 9 years.

Acting Chief Financial Officer Rachelle Matthews had this to say about the achievement, “I am extremely proud of the finance and accounting staff across the city for their hard work and dedication to this process. This is truly a team effort and without their diligence, we could not provide this level of detail and transparency for our citizens.”

Learn more about the Government Finance Officers Association here: https://www.gfoa.org/about.