On Tuesday, the City of Topeka’s Department of Administrative and Financial Services unveiled the proposed operating budget for fiscal year 2025.

The total city budget for fiscal year 2025 is $400.3 million, with a balanced General Fund budget of $128.4 million. The General Fund is the largest single fund, supporting many of the city’s municipal services. In response to inflation, as well as an increase in employee wages, city departments have had to meticulously manage and propose their budgets to ensure continued service delivery to residents.

“We have developed a budget for fiscal year 2025 that will allow the city to provide essential services to the citizens of Topeka. The Finance team has done an outstanding job balancing current needs with long-term sustainability. We have aligned city resources with our taxpayers’ highest priorities, and this budget will enable us to advance the City of Topeka,” said Ben Hart, Acting Chief Financial Officer.

Expenditure Highlights

• Increased Costs: Personnel and contracting costs comprising of 75.83% of the General Fund budget, increased by approximately $9.43 million, or 10.72% for personnel and $4.2 million, or 20% for contractual services. These cost increases are a combination of union contracts, inflation, and other contractual obligations.
• Property Tax Rebate Program: Continuing the success from last year’s budget, the city is keeping the Property Tax Rebate Program in place at $300,000. This program, modeled after the state’s Homestead Act, provides additional relief to eligible individuals.

Next Steps

• August 13, August 20, August 27: The budget will be presented at Governing Body meetings, where community members can offer public comment.
• September 3: A public budget hearing will provide another opportunity for citizens to give feedback on the budget.
• September 10: The anticipated date for budget adoption.

The proposed budget can be viewed online at City of Topeka Budget.

The City of Topeka is reminding drivers to utilize the designated detour route while the current phase of the Kansas Department of Transportation’s Polk-Quincy Viaduct Project has Topeka Blvd. closed to thru traffic.

The marked detour route for crossing the Kansas River between north and south Topeka is: NW Morse St., NE Quincy St./Kansas Ave., and SW 6th Ave.
Drivers are strongly encouraged to follow this route to ensure traffic moves safely and efficiently throughout the community.

The Topeka Police Department will be conducting traffic enforcement in the area to ensure compliance with detour routes and to help prevent congestion and unsafe driving on local streets.

Additionally, the City reminds commercial vehicle operators that, per city ordinance, vehicles with a gross vehicle weight (GVW) of more than 26,000 pounds are not permitted on collector or residential streets. Truck drivers are urged to plan ahead and use the designated detour and truck routes to avoid violations.

The City of Topeka’s Public Works Department is actively monitoring the current weather
forecast, which predicts the possibility of significant snowfall in the area Tuesday night into Wednesday.

Road crews have been pretreating roads in anticipation of this storm. As weather conditions change,
crews will adapt treatment as necessary. Once the snow starts in Topeka, road crews will prioritize
clearing arterial and collector roads. The decision as to whether crews will work to treat residential
streets will be made based on the total amount of snowfall that we receive. In anticipation of the
possibility of significant snowfall, the city asks residents to park off the street where possible. For more
information about the city’s snow removal policies at

Snow Removal

To help road crews more efficiently clear snow downtown, the city will open parking garages free of
charge from 3:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Tuesday, February 11, and from 6:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Wednesday,
February 12. We encourage the public to utilize the downtown parking garages and leave on-street
parking open for snowplows to clear the parking spots during and after the storm.
To contact the city, call 785-368-3111, or report an issue using the SeeClickFix app:

SeeClickFix

City of Topeka and contracted road crews continue 24-hour snow-fighting efforts following last weekend’s record 14-inch snowfall and ice, along with additional snowfall on Thursday night. 

After completing main roads and arterials Friday morning, 21 city trucks and 6 contractor trucks have refocused efforts to treating and plowing residential streets. Crews will continue their efforts until all city streets are passable. 

Thanks to pretreatment before the January 4 and 5 snow event, main roads and collector streets were cleared more effectively than residential areas that were not pretreated. We’ve heard from many residents regarding Thursday’s update and want to reassure the public that we are actively addressing the areas that have been reported as not having received an initial pass by plows. 

The Topeka Fire Department remains fully operational, responding to fire and medical calls as usual. The Topeka Police Department continues to operate under the walk-in accident reporting phase but is responding to all other calls for service. 

We appreciate the community’s support and ask for continued patience and understanding as we address road conditions following the third largest snowfall in Topeka history. 

City staff have recently received reports of campaign signs in private yards and the public right‑of‑way being destroyed or removed without permission. Under Kansas law, intentionally damaging or removing another person’s property, including yard signs, may constitute criminal damage to property and can lead to fines or other penalties.
In addition, to help candidates and supporters place their yard signs correctly, the City of Topeka offers the following guidance for political signage during the upcoming elections:

Timing:
Signs may be placed no earlier than 45 days before an election and must be removed within 2 days after Election Day.
Only during that period are signs permitted in the public right‑of‑way between the curb or edge of road and the sidewalk.

Location:
The public right‑of‑way typically extends 15 feet behind the curb, or 1 foot behind the public sidewalk in residential areas.
Utility poles often mark the boundary of the right‑of‑way.
Signs can only be placed on private property with the consent of the property owner.

Prohibited Placements:
Attached to utility poles or traffic control devices
Within site triangles at intersections
After the third day following Election Day
Signs larger than 6 square feet in residential zoning districts under one acre, or larger than 32 square feet elsewhere

Enforcement and Removal:
The City will issue a written notice to the candidate or sign owner to correct violations within 3 days.
Uncorrected signs will be impounded and held for 10 business days; thereafter they will be disposed of.
To reclaim a sign before disposal, the owner must pay any outstanding fines plus removal and storage fees.

The City of Topeka is calling on community-minded residents to apply for the newly re-established Citizen Government Review Committee. This committee will play a vital role in examining and evaluating the City of Topeka’s form of government, with the goal of making thoughtful recommendations for potential amendments and modifications to improve its effectiveness and alignment with the community’s needs. 

The Governing Body seeks five civically minded individuals who reflect the diversity of Topeka’s population. Committee members will be tasked with a comprehensive review and analysis of current governmental structures, working collaboratively to provide insights that will shape the city’s future governance. The past Citizen Government Review Committee in 2014 helped define the current roles of the Mayor. Topeka Citizen Government Review Committees date back to 1983. Click here for more information about the roles of our Topeka Government. 

Required Qualifications: 

• Applicants must be registered voters living within Topeka city limits. 

• Candidates must be available for a substantial time commitment from January to June 2025 to attend meetings, participate in discussions, and contribute to the completion of a final report for the Governing Body. 

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Familiarity with the city’s governmental form is advantageous. 

• Candidates should demonstrate an ability to evaluate issues fairly and without bias. 

• Members will need to articulate ideas effectively and listen to diverse perspectives. 

• Ability to lead and work cohesively within a group is essential. 

Applications are being accepted now through December 3, 2024. Interested individuals can apply online by clicking this link. 

This month the Metropolitan Topeka Planning Organization (MTPO), in coordination with the City of Topeka, is kicking off the planning process for the Update of the City’s 2016 Pedestrian Plan. The plan’s goal is to continue creating safe and connected walkways between schools, parks, shopping districts, workplaces, and other popular destinations. Anyone interested in the walkability and connectivity of Topeka is encouraged to attend this open house from 4 to 7 p.m., Wednesday, August 21, at the Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library, 1515 SW 10th Ave.

City staff and project professionals from JEO Consulting Group will present the open house. Displays will include areas of demand from 2016, improvements since then, improvements planned with RAISE grant funding, neighborhood health data, vehicle ownership data, usage by modality, crash data, and safe school routes. Participants will identify necessary improvements for walkability in their neighborhoods and around Topeka, such as locations for improved street crossings and sidewalk infrastructure.

A survey will gather data on factors that impact sidewalk utilization and responses will be weighted with objective condition data and socioeconomic and trip data to prioritize overall recommendations for sidewalk improvements. For those who cannot attend the open house, an online survey and mapping tool are available on the project website at https://arcg.is/0WeH9X and will remain open through September 4. The input gathered will inform the initial draft of the Topeka Pedestrian Plan Update. A second open house will occur later in 2024 to discuss the draft plan with the community.

This plan is just one piece of a more considerable effort to improve the quality of life through of vibrant neighborhoods and better transportation choices for pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users, and motorists.

For more information, visit the MTPO website at https://topekampo.org/pedestrian-master-plan/ or contact the City of Topeka Planning Department at (785) 368-3728

The City of Topeka’s Public Works Department is actively monitoring weather forecasts for this weekend, which predict a high likelihood of significant snowfall in the area. While the exact path of the storm remains uncertain, crews are taking proactive steps to ensure the city is prepared for any inclement weather.

Street Department crews are manufacturing salt brine in preparation for pretreating priority roadways. Pretreatment efforts will begin Thursday and continue into Friday. Crews are also completing the setup of equipment needed to tackle any potential snow and ice. Public Works staff will be on standby throughout the weekend to respond as conditions develop.

If the forecast proves accurate and the Topeka area receives significant snowfall or icy conditions, the city will activate a full snow response. Crews will plow and treat roadways on alternating 12-hour shifts until the weather event concludes and roads are safe for travel.

Additionally, the Topeka Rescue Mission’s Extreme Weather Taskforce is preparing for warming stations.
Information regarding the locations and hours will be released prior to the severe weather. Volunteer opportunities at the warming centers can be found here: https://www.kawvalleyvolunteers.org/

Residents are encouraged to avoid unnecessary travel during the storm and use caution when traveling in icy
conditions.

The City of Topeka is pleased to announce updates to its retaliatory action ordinance, aimed at providing stronger protections for tenants and ensuring fair and safe housing practices within the city.

In July 2023, the Topeka City Council took a closer look at its retaliatory eviction ordinance, which allowed landlords to be held accountable for harassing and evicting tenants out of retaliation. Following collaboration between City Prosecution, Property Maintenance, Housing Services and the Fire Marshal’s Office and as part of the Changing Our Culture of Property Maintenance initiative, the Governing Body further amended and strengthened the policy in May 2024.

The city recognizes that many tenants hesitate to assert their rights to a clean, safe and sanitary dwelling due to fear of retaliation. The ordinance emphasizes that no tenant in good standing should face eviction as a result of retaliation or harassment.

“The thorough amendments to the City of Topeka’s Retaliatory Action ordinance have strengthened protections for tenants (renters),” said Tenant/Landlord Counseling and Education Program Manager Abi Panecatl with Housing and Credit Counseling, Inc. “Now, the priority is to educate our community about these changes. Informing landlords is crucial to help them recognize and address retaliatory behaviors. Equally important is empowering tenants to utilize the available remedies and enforcement mechanisms at their disposal.”

If you believe you or someone you know has been the victim of a retaliatory eviction or action, you may visit the city’s website or contact any of the following entities for more information:

Housing and Credit Counseling, Inc., (785) 234-0217

Property Maintenance Division, (785) 368-3171

In an effort to help the public gain a better understanding of the ordinance, Housing and Credit Counseling, Inc. is hosting several public engagement sessions. You must preregister for these workshops as space is limited:

Thursday, July 25-Landlord Training                                                

3:00 pm-5 pm-KRLTA (including retaliation)

6:00 pm-8 pm-Fair Housing

Thursday, August 1-Tenant/Tenant Advocate Training

3:00 pm-5 pm-Renter Preparation (including retaliation)

5:15 pm-7 pm-Fair Housing

Thursday, September 19-Landlord Training

10:00 am-12:00 pm- KRLTA (including retaliation)

1:00 pm-3:00 pm-Fair Housing

Thursday, September 26-Tenant/Tenant Advocate Training

10:00 am-12:00 pm- KRLTA (including retaliation)

1:00 pm-3:00 pm-Fair Housing