Press Releases

The City of Topeka’s Street Division is launching its first ever contest to name one of its 72,000 pound snowplows.

The contest is open now through Friday, October 7 at 5:00 p.m. The contest rules are simple:

• One entry per adult or child
• Entries must be 15 characters or less, including spaces between words

Once the contest has closed, a three-member panel from the City’s Street Division will review and select their favorite entry. The author’s name and the winning entry will be announced on the City’s social media accounts, and through traditional media in mid-October.

The snow plow’s new name will be mounted on a metal sign and attached to the unit.

To enter the naming contest, visit the City’s website.

 

Effective Tuesday April 14^th, the City of Topeka will limit parking in all public garages to monthly card holders only. This decision is based on the currently limited hourly usage and to support increased security measures for monthly card holders who are still using the garage services during this time of reduced traffic in the garages. During this time of reduced occupancy, staff will be focused on increased garage maintenance efforts, including cleaning the garages and lighting repairs.

In the City’s continuing effort to support customers who may be experiences financial hardships due to the COVID-19 situation the City will extend the monthly lease fee and enforcement suspension though the month of May. The City will continue to assessing the parking situation on a month-by-month basis and alert the public when fees and enforcement will be reinstated.

Enforcement of on-street parking regulations will continue to be suspended, with exception of Americans with Disabilities (ADA) violations, reserved spaces, construction work area, and public safety-related violations. At this time, enforcement officers will continue to patrol the downtown area, but will not be issuing tickets except for the violations specified above.

Currently in Effect:

• Non-payment for on-street parking meters will not be subject to citation
• Enforcement of on-street parking in time-restricted locations is suspended
• Enforcement will still be in effect in all public parking garages, off-street parking lots, reserved spaces, construction work areas, and spaces reserved for ADA parking and fire and emergency vehicle access
• If you are parking in a designated ADA parking space, please remember display your ADA placards or plates
• Parking Garage access is restricted in all public garages to monthly card holders only.

Please go to the City of Topeka website for more information on COVID-19 related policies enacted by city departments:  https://www.topeka.org/news/category/press-releases/

The City of Topeka and GO Topeka are joining forces to equip small business owners with the tools they need to succeed with the 2024 Supplier Diversity Workshop.

The Supplier Diversity Workshop will take place on November 13, 2024, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Bishop Professional Development Center, 3601 SW 31st St. The workshop is designed to empower small business owners by providing valuable insights into how to successfully do business with the government.

In addition to covering the essential steps for securing government contracts, the workshop will also include several panels that will cover topics such as: legal compliance, sound accounting practices, comprehensive insurance coverage, key elements for how to sustain and grow a business, and much more.

“We recognize that running a business requires a holistic approach,” said Leigha Boling, division director of procurement and grant management for the City of Topeka. “This workshop is a way that we can help connect small, minority and disadvantaged business owners with the right resources and contacts for success.”

Individuals interested in attending the Supplier Diversity Workshop should pre-register online. Breakfast and lunch will be provided for attendees. There will also be translation services available for Spanish speakers. Individuals needing translation services can find the registration form in Spanish on the city’s website.

This event is a condensed version of the Supplier Diversity Expo that was hosted by the city earlier this year. The expo and workshop were both made free to attend due to a grant received from the National League of Cities (NLC) as a part of the City of Topeka’s participation in the City Inclusive Entrepreneurship (CIE) program.

The City of Topeka is partnering with the Mexican Consulate of Kansas City and the Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library to host a Mexican Art Exhibit that coincides with Fiesta Topeka.

The exhibit, “Simple Memories of Routine Life,” features work from artist and curator Mauricio Zúñiga. Zúñiga, who’s originally from Jalisco, Mexico, lives in Kansas City. His work incudes paintings, photography, plastics and sculptures, and has been featured in galleries and venues in major cities like Albuquerque, Chicago and Kansas City.

The public is invited to view the art and meet the artist during a welcome reception hosted by Topeka Mayor Michael Padilla on Wednesday, July 19 at 5:30 p.m. in the library’s Anton Room.

“I’m so excited that Mauricio is bringing his beautiful art to Topeka during our community’s Fiesta Topeka celebration,” said Mayor Padilla. “We know that art tells stories, and there is no one better than Mauricio to help tell the story of the Mexican-American culture – especially during such an exciting time in Topeka. I invite everyone to stop by the library to see the exhibit.”

The exhibit, which will be displayed in the main hall and second floor of the library, is open between July 19 and August 30. The public is welcome to visit the exhibit during the library’s hours which are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday from 12 to 9 p.m.

To learn more about the gallery, visit https://tscpl.org/gallery.

 

The City of Topeka has announced the four finalists for the Topeka police chief position.

(Simon Happer withdrew his application on 11/04/24) W. Simon Happer currently serves as the deputy police chief for the Overland Park Police Department in Overland Park, Kansas. Lieutenant Colonel Happer has 34 years of law enforcement experience and 19 years of senior police leadership including serving as the interim police chief for the Overland Park Police Department. Happer received his Master of Public Administration from the University of Kansas. Happer has worked with his command staff to develop new strategies to address staffing issues including several proposals which focus on retention of current employees, recruitment of candidates from colleges, the military and high schools, as well as our commitment to the 30 by 30 campaign. Happer says he hopes to reduce crime rates, increase traffic safety and improve morale, while building trust with a diverse population hungry for transparency and collaboration.

Russ Klumpp currently serves as a Major for the Topeka Police Department. Klumpp has 19 years of leadership and executive experience. He works in the Criminal Investigations and Field Operation units. Klumpp was appointed by Governor Laura Kelly as a member of the Kansas 988 committee to help reduce suicide rates. He received his Ph.D. in social psychology from Walden University. Klumpp says he plans to emphasize strong community relationships, a commitment to meaningful and open communication, police department accountability, improved care and procedural integrity for employees, advancements in the provision of police services, and increasing officer morale.

(Jose Salcido withdrew his application on 10/31/24) Jose Salcido has more than 27 years of law enforcement experience, most recently serving as the Director of Campus Security at Friends University in Wichita, Kansas. Salcido holds a Master of Military Arts and Sciences from the United States Air Force Air Academy and has a human resources certification. Salcido served in the United States Air Force for 25 years before retiring as a Major. During his time with the Wichita Police Department (WPD), he led a department of investigators overseeing all criminal investigations and helped to develop various crime prevention strategies in partnership with the community.

Chris Vallejo has 30 years of experience in law enforcement, having served in various roles during his tenure with the Austin Texas Police Department (APD). Vallejo holds a Master of Criminal Justice from Texas State University. During his time as Commander in Training at the APD, Vallejo helped to develop inclusive and diverse training programs and implemented recruitment strategies that resulted in the most diverse cadet class in APD history. He also pioneered the creation of a Chief Data Officer position that aimed to integrate community-based initiatives to foster to trust and collaboration between the APD, elected officials and the community. Vallejo currently serves as a National Policing Institute Executive Fellow, regularly collaborating with Police Chiefs nationwide and advising on strategies to
address evolving challenges in U.S. law enforcement.

To give residents an opportunity to meet the finalists, the city will host a public meet and greet on Wednesday, November 6, at Hotel Topeka, located at 1717 SW Topeka Blvd. The event will take place from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. and will provide community members the chance to interact with the candidates and ask questions.

Following the public event, there will be a special meeting of the Governing Body at 6 p.m. on Thursday, November 7, to discuss the police chief candidates, with the goal of selecting the next leader of the Topeka Police Department. They will meet in executive session

12/13 Update

If you are concerned about the exposure of your credit or debit card information, please access www.IC3.gov to file a complaint. The Internet Crime Complaint Center or IC3 accepts online Internet crime complaints.

In order to file a complaint on IC3, you will need personal information, including your address, telephone, and email. You will also need financial transaction information, specific details on how you were victimized and any other relevant information that you believe is necessary to support your complaint.

When filling out a complaint with IC3, please be sure to include Click-2-Gov in the description part of the incident form. The City of Topeka is cooperating with the FBI and your input and information are valuable to support cooperation efforts.

Original Post

On the afternoon of December 7th, the City of Topeka was notified by our Utility Billing Payment System software vendor Central Square that the City of Topeka has been a potential victim cyber-attack. This potential data breach has not been confirmed at this time. Central Square has turned over their information to a forensics investigator to confirm the potential breach of the City of Topeka Utility Billing Payment System. On Saturday, December 8th the City of Topeka Information Technology team went through the data breach system and did not see any malicious activity. As a potential victim of a cyber-attack, the City of Topeka wants to keep our costumers information safe and city Information Technology staff worked with the software vendor on December 7th to transition the current online Utility Billing Payment System to a more secure platform as advised by the software vendor. Local law enforcement and the FBI have been notified of the potential breach.

The City of Topeka is working with very limited information at this time regarding the potential cyber-attack. The data breach occurred between October 31st and December 7th. The data breach would affect any City of Topeka Utilities customer who made a one-time payment or set up autopay during this time. E-checks and customers who set up autopay before October 31st will not be affected. While this potential compromise has not been confirmed by a qualified forensic investigator yet, the City is strongly recommending, as a precautionary measure, customers who make credit card or debit card transactions using the online Utility Billing Payment System between October 31st and December 7th to contact their credit card issuer for advice related to the potential exposure of their credit card information.

As the potential victim of a cyber-attack, the City of Topeka has identified that up to 10,000 customers have been potentially impacted by the data breach. City of Topeka Utilities Department will be sending a letter to customers whose information has potentially been impacted.

Information on the potential breach will be on the City of Topeka website front page and updated as information becomes available. You can find more information on how to respond to a data breach at: https://www.ftc.gov/data-breach-resources

With severe storms forecasted to impact the Topeka area on Wednesday, the City of Topeka is prepared to respond to potential storm damage and is mobilizing resources to assist with storm debris clean-up.

To report downed city-owned trees, blocked streets or sidewalks from tree debris, or traffic light issues, residents are encouraged to contact the City of Topeka Call Center at 785-368-3111 or report through the SeeClickFix app or webpage. Crews will prioritize moving debris to the side of the road to reopen traffic access as swiftly as possible.

The City of Topeka will focus on clearing city-owned trees and ensuring roadways remain accessible. Should severe storm damage affect large portions of the city, the City Manager will determine if the city will initiate a city-wide storm damage pickup. If city-wide pickup is not implemented, property owners are responsible for removing and disposing of their own tree limbs and other debris. Stay tuned for further updates as the City of Topeka continues to monitor the storm. Please follow the City of Topeka on social media or visit the city’s website for the latest information.

The City of Topeka has officially closed the application process for the position of police chief. A total of 18 applicants applied for the role. The recruiting firm SGR will now begin the process of narrowing the pool down to four or five finalists.

To give residents an opportunity to meet the finalists, the city will host a public meet and greet on Wednesday, November 6, at the Emerald Ballroom in Hotel Topeka, located at 1717 SW Topeka Blvd.
The event will take place from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. and will provide community members the chance to interact with the candidates and ask questions.

“We are excited to meet with the finalists and engage with the community as we select our next police
chief,” said City Manager Dr. Robert Perez. “It’s important that the candidates reflect our values and will work towards the goals outlined in our public input sessions. We invite all members of the community to participate and share their thoughts during this important time.”

Following the public event, there will be a special meeting of the Governing Body at 6 p.m. on Thursday,
November 7, to discuss the police chief candidates, with the goal of selecting the next leader of the Topeka Police Department. They will meet in executive session.

The city will continue to provide updates on the search as the process moves forward.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced the City of Topeka will receive $1.7 million to fund its homeless housing and service program, Shelter Plus Care. The City was awarded an additional $51,737 in planning funds to help the homeless population.

This announcement comes one day after the City reported an increase in the homeless population from its annual Point in Time Homeless Count.

According to the count, 365 people, and 297 households are experiencing homelessness in Topeka and Shawnee County. 40% of the homeless population are unsheltered, meaning they are not living in an emergency shelter or in transitional housing.

“Shelter Plus Care helps around 240 households on a given month. This renewal of funding can help some of those unsheltered individuals in the community, as that number is increasing,” said Corrie Wright, Division Director of Housing Services for the City of Topeka.

Shelter Plus Care is a program designed to provide rental assistance to homeless persons with disabilities, including severe and persistent mental illness, chronic problems with alcohol and/or drugs. Participants may choose their residence from units where the landlord agrees to accept the established housing subsidy, and abide by the Shelter Plus Care program guidelines.

In order to be eligible for Shelter Plus Care, you must meet all of the following criteria:

• You are homeless, living in the streets or shelter
• You suffer from one of the following disabilities; severe mental illness, chronic substance abuse, and/or HIV/AIDS
• You are receiving case management services through one of the designated agencies

For a full list of criteria, and for more information about Shelter Plus Care, visit https://www.topeka.org/housing-services/shelter-plus-care/.

Shelter Plus Care can only accept referrals from the agencies providing case management.

 

The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) announced the City of Topeka will receive a Raise Grant of $25 million to serve disadvantaged census tracts.

The project will cover 50 miles to construct new or improved sidewalks that will transform the River Road and other locations. The City of Topeka’s project is just one of 148 that were selected by the Biden-Harris Administration for the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) discretionary grant program. This project will help ensure pedestrians will have safe and equitable access to daily destinations and local bus routes.

“This grant in the amount of $25 Million will allow us to do some transformative projects for the City of Topeka.” said Public Works Director Braxton Copley.

Key Transformative Projects:

• NE River Rd: NE Crane to NE Emmett Shared-Use Path, which will provide safe access between the Oakland neighborhood and Downtown Topeka.
• SE California Ave: 10^th St to 10^th Ave, which will provide a much safer pedestrian connection between NE Topeka to SE Topeka, as well as access to Topeka Cemetery and transit stops.
• Areas of North Topeka, such as NE Norris St (near Topeka Rescue Mission Distribution Center, ICI Manufacturing, and Topeka North Outreach Food Bank).
• The Central Highland Park neighborhood from SE Adams St to SE California Ave, and from SE 21^st St to SE 29^th

To learn more about the Department of Transportation’s announcement, please visit:

RAISE 2024 Fact Sheets (transportation.gov)