The City of Topeka has appointed Monique Glaudeˊ to the newly created Ombudsman position, while also continuing to serve as the Director of Community Engagement. The Ombudsman will serve as an independent and impartial office where citizens can get help with city services and report their issues with city government. The Ombudsman’s office will allow citizen’s to find answers, ask a question, or submit a SeeClickFix service request. The City of Topeka Ombudsman’s office will provide every effort to respond quickly, succinctly, accurately, and in a friendly manner to citizen requests, inquiries for answers to questions, internal information about policies, practices, and procedures and provide citizens with the capabilities to perform business. Inquiries will be provided to constituents within 3 business days.

“Navigating local government can be tricky for those who don’t know where to start, I’m excited to help our neighbors in the City of Topeka with any issues or concerns that they have,” said Monique Glaudeˊ, Ombudsman for the City of Topeka. “The Ombudsman office will be an essential tool to helping our community have a partner to guide them through city government and any problems that they’re facing.”

The Ombudsman’s office should be the first point of contact for constituents. The goal of the Ombudsman’s office is to foster closer, more effective, and efficient working relationships, to better anticipate and meet citizen needs, and to develop a more detailed working understanding of what citizens want, expect, and need from those who serve them. The Ombudsman’s Office provides many benefits to the public including:

• Enables citizens the opportunity to voice their concerns and make inquiries.

• Accept, track, and manage service requests.
• Record all action taken on each service request.
• Investigate a complaint against a city department, official or employee of the City of Topeka, independently and impartially, and on a confidential manner, to the extent possible as provided by law.
• Work with a department to resolve a problem when an investigation shows that the department has acted contrary to law, unreasonably or unfairly, or has made a mistake.
• Make recommendations to departments for administrative or policy changes, when appropriate.
• Answer questions relating the City government or refer the person to a suitable agency or entity for answers.

The public can contact the Ombudsman’s office at ombudsman@topeka.org or by calling (785) 368-3947. The Ombudsman’s office is located at the Holliday Building, but will eventually move to City Hall.

In November 2019 the City of Topeka established an ordinance to require the registration of vacant properties and properties that are the subject of mortgage foreclosure proceedings. The registration of vacant properties is to help address the deterioration, crime and decline in property values in Topeka by identifying, regulating and working to limit and reduce the number of vacant properties in the community. Letters have been sent out by the city’s contractor ProChamps to owners of properties that have been determined to be vacant for more than 180 days.
ProChamps implements the registration requirement for properties that have been vacant more than 180 days pursuant to TMC 8.65. ProChamps recently mailed out 1,400 letters requiring owners of these properties to register. If a particular owner wishes to dispute whether his or her property is vacant, the owner can do so through the internet link provided on the notice and choose the dispute option on the link. Property Maintenance staff will review the dispute, make a determination whether the property falls within the purview of the ordinance, and will notify the property owner. We apologize for any alarm or inconvenience this may have caused and, again, encourage those who received a letter and wish to file a dispute to follow the process outlined above.
If the property owner has questions concerning the City’s determination, the owner can contact Property Maintenance staff by email at mhaugen@topeka.org or call 785-368-3161. If the property owner has questions about how to dispute an initial determination, the owner can contact Prochamps at support@prochamps.com or 1-888-463-7770.

The City of Topeka was awarded $1,157,894 from the KDOT Transportation Alternatives (TA) Grant Program to implement Phase IV of the Topeka Bikeways Master Plan/Fast-Track 2020 Update. This phase includes 12 projects ranging from small to large that will provide for safer and more connected bike facilities in neighborhoods throughout the city. Those projects include two new major connections to Downtown, a first ever connection and enhancement to a Kansas River levee trail, 8 additional connections to the Shunga, Landon, and Soldier Creek Trails, and a ¾ mile multi-use side path along NW Tyler. In addition, Shawnee County was awarded funds to complete the Deer Creek Trail between Dornwood Park and SE 29^th Street.

“This grant from the KDOT Transportation Alternatives Grant Program will better connect the city and make it safer for cyclists – two priorities we heard from the public,” said Bill Fiander, Director of Planning and Development for the City of Topeka. “The City of Topeka is proud of our growing bikeways and complete streets network that benefit all users of streets and trails regardless of how they choose to travel.”

Total project costs will be split between the TA Grant (80%) and local funds (20%). The City’s match will primarily come from the Countywide sales tax dedicated for Bikeways Master Plan implementation. Construction is scheduled to be completed by 2023. The City projects are further described below:

Downtown Connections

1. Kansas Bridge – Laurent to 1st street: Reduction of vehicle lanes and separated bike lanes on the Kansas Avenue Bridge
2. Landon to downtown connection- Reduction of travel lanes on Monroe and Quincy, separated/buffered bike lanes on Monroe, Quincy, 11th and 12th, and pedestrian lane on Monroe from 15th – 17th

Trail Connections (multiple areas)

3. 15th street from Kansas Ave to Shunga: Sharrows and signage
4. 6th and Branner connecting to the Shunga: 10’ Trail connection and signage
5. North Levee Trail loop: Along the levee from Kansas to Topeka- Trail surface enhancements/signage/access. Tyler north to Laurent and Laurent to Kansas- Sharrows
6. 20th and Kansas connecting to the Shunga: 10’ Trail connection and signage
7. 21st and Western connecting to the Shunga: 10’ Trail connection and signage
8. Shunga Trail connection near MacVicar and Shunga Dr: 10’ Trail connection, signage and curb ramps
9. Waddell to Soldier Creek Trail: 10’ Trail Connection, signage and curb ramps (design will be done with City Street recon project)
10. Landon Trail to Fremont on 29th: 10’ Shared use path and retaining wall
11. Liberty and California to the Shunga: 10’ Trail Connection

North Topeka

12. Tyler- Lyman to Paramore- 10’ Sidepath on East side (design will be done with City Street recon project)

The City of Topeka is partnering with the Shawnee County Health Department and the Jayhawk Area Agency on Aging to help our neighbors who are 65 and over to complete the COVID-19 vaccination interest survey through Pop-Up Survey Clinics. Several people over the age of 65 in our community have a variety of impeding factors that prevent them from completing the survey including a lack of computer accessibility, no internet availability, no cell phone number, no email address or a lack of vaccine educational information. In an effort to ensure equitability for all of our 65 and older neighbors, a plan of action has been implemented for the months of February through April to help complete the survey. The events will take place during the day, one evening a week and one Saturday a month to provide participants with a variety of options to receive help to complete the survey.

“Shawnee County is dedicated to an equitable distribution of vaccine in our communities. We are grateful for partnerships that will help us reach those with limited resources. As our mission states, we are committed to working in partnership with our community to protect the optimal health of all people by bridging gaps,” said Derik Flerlage, Infectious Disease Division Manager at the Shawnee County Health Department.

The first Pop-Up Clinic will be Saturday, February 20^th from 9-11 a.m. at the Jayhawk Area Agency on Aging located at 2910 SW Topeka Boulevard. It is estimated that hundreds of people in our community will be able to obtain the vaccination who otherwise could have potentially been omitted due to the barriers of accessing the vaccination interest survey. Additional times and places of the Pop-Up Survey Clinics will be announced in advance once they are scheduled.

The Pop-Up Survey Clinics will consist of the following:

• Pop-Up Survey Clinics at local senior housing facilities
• Pop-Up Mobile Survey Clinics at various locations throughout the community

Social distancing mandates will be adhered to and the team will be equipped with PPE gear during the events in an effort to ensure everyone’s safety. Participants will be required to wear a facial mask.

For additional information on the Shawnee County Health Department contact Craig Barnes at 785-251-5612.

For additional information and questions pertaining to seniors please contact Susan Harris at the Jayhawk Area Agency on Aging at sharris@hawkaaa.org or 785-235-1367.

For additional information and questions on Pop-Up Events please contact Monique Glaudeˊ, Director of Community Engagement & Ombudsman for the City of Topeka at mglaude@topka.org or 785-368-4470.

Bill Cochran has been named as the Chief of Staff for City Manager Brent Trout. The Chief of Staff is a new position who will work as an assistant to the City Manager and perform a variety of duties to coordinate the administrative activities of the City Manager while also assisting with strategic focus and operations efficiencies to ensure optimal use of resources. Cochran will start his duties as Chief of Staff on February 22^nd.

“Today I am excited to announce that Bill Cochran has accepted my offer to return to the City of Topeka in a new role as my Chief of Staff.  Bill Cochran is someone that we all know as a dedicated public servant to the City of Topeka with 34 years of service in the Police Department,” said City Manager Brent Trout. “Bill is a well-qualified person to fulfill this newly created position in our government structure.  In addition to his education and experience, Bill Cochran has strong community ties that will help facilitate the duties of his new role.”

Bill Cochran worked for the Topeka Police Department for 34 years including 3 years as Chief of Police. Cochran has worked in several capacities at the Topeka Police Department including homicide, traffic, patrol, field operations, and criminal investigations.

“I am very excited to continue my career in public service as the Chief of Staff to City Manager Trout. I am looking forward to starting this new phase of my career and continuing to serve the citizens of Topeka in my new role,” said Cochran.

Cochran has also served in the Army National Guard from February 1985 until he retired as a First Lieutenant in July of 2005. He was deployed for thirteen months in Iraq from January 2004 to February of 2005. Cochran received his Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from Washburn University in 1987 and his Masters of Business Administration from Friends University in 2010. Cochran is also a graduate of the Northwestern University Center for Public Safety Police Staff and Command School. Cochran’s salary as Chief of Staff will be $125,000.

In 2020 the City of Topeka Housing Services Division created COVID-19 assistance programs to help with basic needs and small businesses in the community who have been impacted by COVID-19. These federal dollars have been and continue to be a great resource to the businesses and individuals struggling in Topeka. The City of Topeka has helped 23 small businesses and 177 individuals since the program started. Funding is still available.

“We have seen a great need in our community for assistance due to the impacts of COVID-19,” said Corrie Wright, Division Director of Housing Services. “The Operation COVID-19 Assistance programs were designed to help our small businesses stay open and keep our neighbors housed.”

Applications for the Small Business Grant program were accepted beginning on October 1^st, 2020. Nineteen applications have been approved and 28% of the funds have been committed and paid. 83% of the recipients of the grant are minority or woman owned businesses. The average grant for approved applicants is $12,486.

The Small Business Grant Program provides operating assistance to sole proprietors and business owners employing 1-25 persons as of March 1^st 2020 to keep residents employed. For a business to qualify for this grant they must be owned, or employ low to moderate income persons and demonstrate a need. Applicants can apply up to $20,000 in assistance and are eligible for expenses including payroll, rent/mortgage, utilities, loss of inventory or COVID related purchases.

Applications for the Basic Needs Assistance Program were accepted beginning on December 1^st, 2020. Thirty-one percent of the funds have been committed and expensed in two months. 177 applications have been approved so far with $427,259 in funds having been paid.

The Operation COVID-19 Basic Needs Assistance Program is a foreclosure/eviction mitigation and utility prevention shut-off program created by the City of Topeka and administered by the Community Resources Council. $1.5 million in CARES Act funds are available to qualified applicants to help cover expenses and help keep people housed and with utilities. The program is by appointment only and applicants must be city residents, have COVID related outstanding bills after March 2020 and match no more than 100% of area median income. Appointments can be scheduled over the phone from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday by calling (785) 233-1365. If the line is busy, leave your name and phone number and CRC staff will call back to schedule an appointment.

More information on the COVID assistance programs can be found on the City of Topeka website. https://www.topeka.org/housing-services/covid-assistance-programs/

You can view the full report on the COVID Assistance Programs here: https://cot-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/planning/HSRptJan2021.pdf

Who is going to win the big game on Sunday?  The Topeka Zoo’s orangutans know the answer.  The media is invited to the Topeka Zoo Friday, February 5, 2021 at 10:00 AM to watch the orangutans unveil their answer.  Interested members of the media should arrive at the zoo about 10 minutes before 10:00 and make their way to the Lianas Forest where the zoo’s orangutans live.  The orangutans will reveal the winner promptly at 10:00.

The Topeka Zoo is home to a family group of three Bornean orangutans ranging in age from 7 to 35.  Orangutans are the only great ape native to Asia.  The wild population of orangutans has decreased by 50% over the last sixty years mainly due to habitat loss.  We can help protect orangutans by making sure we utilize products made with sustainable palm oil.

The City of Topeka City Council meetings will continue to be online for the near future as the spread of the COVID-19 virus continues in the community. Public comment for City Council meetings is available on zoom. Anyone interested in providing public comment on an item can contact the City Clerk’s office to sign up before 5 p.m. the day of the council meeting and will be provided with a zoom link. Once on zoom, public comment participants will be required to have their camera off and their microphone on mute until they are called for public comment. The time limit for public comment is four minutes. To sign up for public comment contact the city clerk’s office at cclerk@topeka.org or by calling 785-368-3940.

The Municipal Court will resume in-person court dockets on Monday February 1, 2021.  All patrons entering the courthouse will be subject to a temperature check and must be properly wearing a face mask. Other safety measures include plexiglass in both courtrooms, strict social distancing requirements, UV lighting, and hand sanitizer stations.

Defendants are encouraged to check the status of their case on the Court’s online public access portal at https://www.topeka.org/municipalcourt/. Parties may also visit the Court’s website to determine if their matter qualifies for resolution via video conference hearing.

Anyone exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 or other related illnesses should contact the Prosecutor’s Office to discuss a continuance of their scheduled court date.

Municipal Court Clerk’s Office: 785-368-3776

City Prosecutor’s Office:  785-368-3910

The Point-in-Time (PIT) Count is a count/report required by the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) as part of our local Topeka/Shawnee County Continuum of Care (CoC) funding. It provides the data needed to understand the number and characteristics of people experiencing homelessness in our community to obtain a snapshot on one single night in January. Surveys are given to people who are unsheltered, in emergency shelters and transitional housing.

Homelessness in Kansas and across the country is on the rise. In the past year, the Topeka Rescue Mission has seen record numbers of guests in the shelter with the biggest increase being in persons with mental health challenges especially during the COVID period.

This year’s Point-In-Time Count will be held on Wednesday, January 27th from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

“During this pandemic, it is important to continue with the homeless count to ensure we are putting our resources in initiatives that help the most vulnerable.” said Corrie Wright, Division Director of Housing Services for the City of Topeka.  The information gathered will help Topeka to:

• Understand the face of homelessness within the community;
• Make sure services are meeting the needs of homeless persons;
• Raise public awareness about the issues surrounding homelessness; and
• Measure community progress towards preventing and ending homelessness.

Help us make sure that everyone is counted!  Persons who are experiencing homelessness or if you know someone who is that wish to take the survey, please call (785) 368-0168 between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Wednesday, January 27^h. Interviewers will also be available at the City Offices – Holliday Building. 620 SE Madison, Holliday Conference Room from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, January 27^th.

Media who would like to follow an outreach team on the day of the count, please call Theresa Douthart at (785) 274-7359 in advance of the actual day to schedule a time.