Press Releases

The City of Topeka is partnering with Shawnee County, The District Attorney’s office, local, state and federal law enforcement agencies, state officials and Freedom Now USA to combat human trafficking in Topeka/ Shawnee County. A joint press conference held on April 5th, announced the partnership of these agencies in the fight against human trafficking.

Freedom Now USA, an initiative launched by the Topeka Rescue Mission, is uniting efforts to eradicate Human Trafficking in the United States. Barry Feaker, Executive Director of the Topeka Rescue Mission said, “Freedom Now USA is proud to partner with Topeka and Shawnee County leaders to win the fight against Human Trafficking in our back yard. Our nation needs a win against modern day slavery and Kansas has a rich history of not compromising on this issue. By uniting, we will eradicate Human Trafficking from our city, county and eventually our nation.”

A resolution to combat human trafficking was signed by the Topeka City Council on April 3rd. The Shawnee County Commissioners signed the same resolution on April 5th.

“The City of Topeka is proud to help out all of our partners in putting a stop to human trafficking in our community. Together we can all make a difference and help end suffering in our community,” said Topeka City Manager Brent Trout.

A Freedom Now Coalition will be formed for Topeka and Shawnee County which will create solutions to end human trafficking by identifying the unique challenges and concerns faced by our community. The coalition will work to address human trafficking on the local level while coordinating with the state and national Freedom Now initiatives.

“This joint effort is essential in helping out the men, women and children who are being abused and enslaved in human trafficking,” said Mayor Michelle De La Isla. “It is crucial that we all unite to help stop human trafficking so that people are able to live without fear of being recruited and solicited for labor or sexual servitude.”

“The Resolution presented to the Shawnee County Commission reaffirms our position that Human Trafficking will not be supported or ignored in our community. As a County we support the endeavors to end the persecution of individuals who have been forced into human trafficking,” said Shawnee County Commissioner Kevin Cook.

These agencies are partnering to eliminate human trafficking in Topeka and Shawnee County by identifying, addressing and eliminating situations that lead to or allow human trafficking to occur. To reach this goal these agencies will provide education to help identify victims and perpetrators of human trafficking, establish ways for victims to safely seek justice and be provided with access to restorative and support services, and to prosecute those individuals, businesses and systems that conduct and benefit from human trafficking.

By working together, sharing resources and creating action plans, these agencies in Topeka and Shawnee County will work to stabilize this community and decrease the vulnerability of our citizens to human traffickers. This coalition will meet once a month to discuss actionable plans with Freedom Now staff. These plans will influence policy at the city and county level. The action plans will establish a framework that allows these agencies to collaborate and share vital resources, best practices and data to help eliminate human trafficking.

For more information on the Freedom Now USA initiatives please contact Barry Feaker at the Topeka Rescue Mission (785) 354-1744.

The City of Topeka, the Department of Justice and Washburn University will be hosting a
Department of Justice Program on Strengthening Police and Community Partnerships on June 8th.

For the past several months a planning committee, made up of several diverse community members, has
been working on putting together the SPCP program. The day long program will be composed of two
large group sessions and two break-out sessions where Topekan’s can talk about their relationship
with the Topeka Police Department and issues in their community. For the morning session the small
groups will identify issues in the community. Once those issues are identified, the small groups
will be discussing solutions to the top five problems identified in the morning.

“Washburn University’s Criminal Justice and Legal Studies Department is honored to work with the
Topeka Police Department, the Department of Justice, and local community members in their efforts
to improve community and police relations,” said Dr. Ryan Alexander, the Criminal Justice and Legal
Studies Department faculty member helping to plan the event.

During the Strengthening Police and Community Partnerships program, a council will be formed from
community members who participate in the program. This SPCP council will be working together to
advise Chief Cochran and continue community conversations in Topeka.

“I am eager to get to hear from Topekan’s about their ideas and see how this diverse group can come
up with innovative solutions to Topeka’s issues,” said Topeka Police Chief Bill Cochran. “The
council formed out of this group will be a great asset to the police
department.”

The SPCP day-long event on June 8th will be invite only. Members of the planning group are inviting
influential community members who can go out into their neighborhoods and tell their friends and
neighbors about the SPCP program and continue the work and community conversation that the program
started.

Members of the planning group include:

Melissa Masoner

Major Russell Klumpp

Joe Ledbetter

Ed Collazo

Marty Hillard

Luis Estrada

P.J. Carter

Pastor Marcus Clark

Molly Hadfield

Ben Scott

The City of Topeka’s homeless initiative is getting underway this week, with the convening of the working group alongside Coach Brianna Sylver with Sylver Consulting.

In February 2023, the city hired Sylver to facilitate a team of individuals who will develop effective solutions to address homelessness in Topeka in a proactive and thoughtful way.

Who’s involved

During the August 15 City Council meeting, the Governing Body approved the working group, made up of a core and auxiliary team. The group is comprised of representatives from the City of Topeka, local residents, a previously unsheltered homeless individual, and the following organizations:

• AIM Strategies
• Compassion Strategies
• Habitat for Humanity
• Shawnee County
• Shawnee County Department of Corrections
• Shawnee County Landlords Association
• Topeka Housing Authority
• Topeka Rescue Mission Ministries
• Valeo Behavioral Health Care
• YWCA Northeast Kansas

Next steps

The group will convene first in late August and again in mid-September. During this time the group will work to understand and define the problem. Next steps will include conducting in-depth research with subject matter experts, collecting and reviewing the data, generating and testing possible solutions, and much more.

The entire process is expected to last eight months. The city expects to walk away from the process with multiple solutions to address homelessness in Topeka, including at least two that have been tested in the community. Multiple community engagement points will occur throughout the process, especially in the research phase.

“The issue of homelessness is one that is impacting all of our residents. It’s a complex issue and one that must be understood and addressed in a humane way. I’m pleased that the working group is getting underway, and I know citizens are eager to learn about next steps and to see progress. I encourage citizens to be patient and to allow the process to work. Citizens should know that the Governing Body will continue to evaluate our camping ordinances in the coming weeks separate, but related to this process,” said Topeka Mayor Michael Padilla.

How to engage during the process

In addition to the community engagement opportunities directly related to the process, residents and representatives of local businesses and organizations can engage with the working group through an email address.

Those with feedback, ideas and thoughts about how the city and partners can address homelessness are encouraged to email homelessinitiative@topeka.org. The email address will be periodically monitored, however, criminal activity and emergencies should not be reported here.

The city has also compiled some frequently asked questions related to homelessness, which can be viewed at https://www.topeka.org/housing-services/homelessness-faq/.

The City of Topeka’s Public Works and Utilities Departments recently received full accreditation by the American Public Works Association (APWA) for the 5^th time.

Through a five step process, the accreditation formally verifies and recognizes that Topeka’s Public Works and Utilities Departments are in full compliance with the recommended management practices set forth in APWA’s Public Works Management Practices Manual.

“The awarding of the APWA Accreditation reflects the dedication from all the staff toward continuous improvement and excellence. We are extremely proud to receive this honor. The staff of Public Works and Utilities are the reason we have received this prestigious APWA award. They demonstrate daily that their mission is to provide services and programs that contribute to making Topeka a great place to live, work and play,” said Utilities Director Braxton Copley.

The accreditation will last four years, with semi-annual updates required to demonstrate continuing compliance. Topeka’s Public Works and Utilities Departments were first awarded APWA accreditation in 2005.

In addition to Topeka, the accredited agencies in Kansas include Fairway, Lenexa, Olathe, Overland Park, and Shawnee, according to the APWA.

For more information about APWA Accreditation, please contact APWA Sr. Accreditation Manager, Jeanette Klamm at jklamm@apwa.net or 816-595-5295. To learn more about the APWA, visit https://www.apwa.net/.

The City of Topeka will be closing all buildings to the public effective immediately, including the Topeka Zoo and Conservation Center, due to the Emergency Public Health Order issued on March 18^th by the Shawnee County Health Department. The City is still open for business but asks that the public conduct such business by telephone or email. Citizens also have the option of submitting issues through the SeeClickFix app. Bid openings will be done electronically and bid results will be posted on the City’s website within one business day. You can find the link to the bid tabulations and supplier portal on the City of Topeka website here: https://www.topeka.org/procurement/.

The City Express Payment Center at the Cyrus K Holliday Building will be closed. Payments may be made online at https://www.topeka.org/payonline/ or by calling the customer service call center at 785-368-3111.  To make a cash payment, customers can bring their utility account payment stub and visit the following U.S. Bank branches:

• Crosby Place, 719 S. Kansas Avenue
• 5^th & Jackson, 434 SW Jackson St.
• Fleming Place, 1017 SW Gage Blvd
• White Lakes, 3600 SW Topeka Blvd.
• 21^st Street, 5730 SW 21^st
• Wanamaker, 1064 SW Wanamaker Rd.
• Pioneer Square, 3625 NW 46^th

Members of the public will only be admitted to City buildings for the limited purpose of delivering items to security personnel. However, the lobby of the Topeka Police Department will remain open to the public for non-emergency reports. Please refer to their social media accounts for the related media release and further information.

Please know that City of Topeka staff is continuing to work for the community and ensure the safety of our staff and citizens. Throughout this public health emergency, water will continue to be treated, potholes will continue to be filled, and the Police and Fire departments will continue to respond to calls.

The City of Topeka encourages our citizens to stay safe during this uncertain time, by practicing social distancing and staying home when possible.

List of City of Topeka phone numbers:

City Manager’s Office: 785-368-3725

Mayor’s Office: 785-368-3895

City Council Office: 785-368-3710

City Clerk’s Office: 785-368-3940 or 785-368-3941   cclerk@topeka.org

Customer Service Call Center: 785-368-3111

City Communications: 785-368-0991

Prosecutor’s Office: 785-368-3910

Police Department non-emergency reporting: 785-368-9551

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

Finance Office: 785-368-3970

Fire Department Administration Office: 785-368-4000

Human Resources: 785-368-3867

Neighborhood Relations: 785-368-3711

Parking: 785-368-3916

Planning and Development: 785-368-3728

Licensing & Inspections: 785-368-3905

Permits: 785-368-3704

Public Works: 785-368-3111

Utilities: 785-368-3111

Zoo and Conservation Center 785-368-9180

The City of Topeka announced Tuesday that it is parting ways with former Chief Financial Officer Freddy Mawyin.

Mawyin had been on administrative leave since December 11, 2023 following his arrest for domestic battery.

As this relates to a personnel matter, the city will not be commenting further.

Rachelle Mathews has been named Acting Finance Director and will serve in the role until further notice.

This order is being issued in response to the outbreak of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The City Prosecutor’s Office will remain open Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. However, in the interest of both public safety and public health during the COVID-19 public health crisis, the office will limit contact with the public by no longer allowing walk-in visitors into the office located at City Hall. Effective, Tuesday. March 17th, 2020, all business with the Prosecutor’s Office will be handled via telephone at (785) 368-3910 or fax at (785) 368-3104. If you send a fax, please reference your case number and follow up with a phone call to ensure that there were no issues with your transmission. As always, forms are accessible on the Municipal Court’s website located at www.topeka.org/municipalcourt, and no appearance can be excused without approval from a Municipal Court Judge. If you need to pick-up discovery, you can enter the City Hall building and let security know that you are here for that purpose. Security will then contact us and we will bring down the requested information to you. We will continue to assess how to respond to the ongoing changes in the health of the community and our employees. The City of Topeka Prosecutor’s Office will review this order no later than March 27, 2020, for possible extension or termination based upon public health recommendations about the current pandemic.

The City of Topeka is taking steps to identify conference hotel industry experts to help the city determine how to best re-develop Hotel Topeka at City Center. The city won the auction bid to purchase the hotel early June.

The City of Topeka recently released two requests for proposals (RFP) related to the hotel. The first RFP seeks to contract with an asset manager who would oversee the hotel and any future hotel operator, while the second RFP looks to identify a vendor to evaluate the existing hotel facilities and systems.

“Our research tells us that successful hotel properties, particularly ones owned by public entities, even on a temporary basis, contract with hotel experts to assist them with strategic and operational decisions regarding their hotel properties,” said Acting City Manager Richard Nienstedt.

“These are the first steps by the city to help us understand the current status of the hotel, and help us find a company to manage the asset. Purchasing the hotel allowed the city to take the future of the hotel into our own hands, in order to ensure we’ll have a successful hotel and convention center for many years to come,” said Topeka Mayor Michael Padilla.

The city expects to rely on the guidance of the asset manager to identify an appropriate brand for the hotel and to help select a private operator.

The purchase of Hotel Topeka at City Center is not yet final. Because the hotel is in receivership, the purchase has to be approved by the court. The case is scheduled to be heard in Shawnee County District Court in late-July. The sale of the hotel will not be final until it is court approved.

The RFPs can be viewed at the city’s online bid portal. The asset manager RFP closes on July 19, 2023, while the assessment RFP closes on July 7, 2023. To learn how to do business with the City of Topeka, visit https://www.topeka.org/procurement/vendor-guide/.

This month the Metropolitan Topeka Planning Organization (MTPO), in coordination with the City of Topeka, will host its second community open house and presentation on 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 and presentation from 5 to 7 p.m., Wednesday, May 21, at the Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library, 1515 SW 10th Ave, Marvin Auditorium, Room B. The presentation will begin at 5:30 p.m.

In this second public meeting, City staff and project professionals from JEO Consulting Group will share the results of an analysis that produced a transparent, objective, and data-driven approach to prioritizing sidewalk improvement projects, ensuring that future investments align with local goals and needs. The meeting will be an open house, with attendees visiting stations sequentially. A presentation will also be included, and seating will be arranged for attendees.

“This plan is just one piece of a more considerable effort to improve the quality of life through vibrant neighborhoods and better transportation choices for pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users, and motorists,” says Carlton Scroggins, Transportation Planning Manager.
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.