Press Releases

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.

 

The City of Topeka will be extending the moratorium on water shut-offs until May 15^th. Customers must work in conjunction with the Utilities Department to develop a payment plan five days prior to their payment due date.

City Express at 620 SE Madison will remain temporarily closed. The Customer Service Call Center is open between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, and is available to work with customers to help keep their balances due manageable during this time. Customers who need to pay their water bill in cash can do so at authorized US Bank locations at the drive through window. Bills can also be paid by phone at 785-368-3111 or online at www.topeka.org/payonline.

US BANK LOCATIONS IN TOPEKA

Fleming Place 1017 SW Gage Blvd Wanamaker 1064 SW Wanamaker Rd. White Lakes 3600 SW Topeka Blvd. Pioneer Square 3625 NW 46th St. 5th & Jackson 434 SW Jackson St. 21st Street 5730 SW 21st St.

Please note that payments made through unauthorized locations may require a fee and take longer to process.

Doorstep, Let’s Help, the Salvation Army and the City of Topeka created the Water Share Program to assist citizens in need with their COT water utility bill. Please contact one of the agencies directly to request assistance.

• Doorstep 785-357-5341
• Let’s Help 785-234-6208
• Salvation Army 785-233-9648

The Utilities Refund Program (Franchise Fee Program) also offers assistance for utility bills. Please contact the Community Resources Council to apply 785-233-1365 after the program resumes taking applications on May 4th. For citizens looking for a way to help, you may go to www.topeka.org/utilities/watershare or call 785-368-3111. Donations may be set up as reoccurring monthly or you may select to make a one-time donation. The donation amount will be added to your next City of Topeka water bill.

The City of Topeka will be extending the moratorium on water shut-offs until May 31st. Customers must work in conjunction with the Utilities Department to develop a payment plan five days prior to their payment due date.
City Express at 620 SE Madison will remain temporarily closed. The Customer Service Call Center is open between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, and is available to work with customers to help keep their balances due manageable during this time. Customers who need to pay their water bill in cash can do so at authorized US Bank locations at the drive through window. Bills can also be paid by phone at 785-368-3111 or online at www.topeka.org/payonline.
US BANK LOCATIONS IN TOPEKA
Fleming Place 1017 SW Gage Blvd Wanamaker 1064 SW Wanamaker Rd. White Lakes 3600 SW Topeka Blvd. Pioneer Square 3625 NW 46th St. 5th & Jackson 434 SW Jackson St. 21st Street 5730 SW 21st St.
Please note that payments made through unauthorized locations may require a fee and take longer to process.
Doorstep, Let’s Help, the Salvation Army and the City of Topeka created the Water Share Program to assist citizens in need with their COT water utility bill. Please contact one of the agencies directly to request assistance.

• Doorstep 785-357-5341
• Let’s Help 785-234-6208
• Salvation Army 785-233-9648
The Utilities Refund Program (Franchise Fee Program) also offers assistance for utility bills. Please contact the Community Resources Council to apply 785-233-1365 after the program resumes taking applications on May 4th. For citizens looking for a way to help, you may go to www.topeka.org/utilities/watershare or call 785-368-3111. Donations may be set up as reoccurring monthly or you may select to make a one-time donation. The donation amount will be added to your next City of Topeka water bill.

More than 1,100 area fourth graders, their teachers and parents and more than 100 volunteers are registered to attend the 19th Annual Make A Splash Topeka Water Festival at Garfield Park and Community Center Thursday, Sept. 20. This event runs from 9:30 a.m. until 2:05 p.m.
The festival, “Make a Splash Topeka Water Festival,” is part of a program in which festivals are scheduled annually in hundreds of locations around Kansas, the United States and internationally.
Project WET (Water Education for Teachers) is an international, interdisciplinary, water science education program for formal and non-formal educators of K-12 students. The activities are correlated to the state standards and support what students are learning in school. The Kansas Association for Conservation and Environmental Education (KACEE), in partnership with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, sponsor Project WET in Kansas.
“Water touches nearly every aspect of our lives. We use water to drink, brush our teeth, wash, cook, clean, grow food, produce energy and more. We depend on water not only to live, but for nearly everything we do. That makes conserving and preserving this vital natural resource essential,” said Laura Downey, KACEE Executive Director. “We designed this event for fourth graders, because water is a topic that is often covered by teachers at this grade and this event supports students’ understandings of this amazing resource. Through the hard work of our many volunteers, the 1,100 fourth graders will participate in hands-on education activity stations and learn about a variety of water topics. Stations will teach students about how water gets from the river to their taps, how we can save water, how we can make sure water is clean and healthy for living things and even how to be safe when recreating on the water, to name just a few. By the end of this fun day, students have a better understanding of how important water is to our lives and what they can do to be good stewards of this shared resource.”
The event is offered free of charge to those who register in advance. Many classes are provided financial assistance with transportation costs.
Sponsors of the Topeka Water Festival include the Kansas Association for Conservation and Environmental Education (KACEE); Office of Utilities and Transportation, City of Topeka Public Works; Shawnee County Conservation District; Shawnee County Farm Bureau; Upper Wakarusa WRAPS and Kansas Alliance for Wetlands and Streams; Westar Energy Green Team; Goodyear Tire & Rubber;Jackson County Conservation District; Pottawatomie County Conservation District; Scott Holloman, CPA, LLC; Franklin County Conservation District. Supporters include Arab Shrine Provost Guard Unit; Garfield Community Center and Park; The Salvation Army; Shawnee County Parks and Recreation; Kansas Department of Health & Environment/Bureau of Water, Watershed Mgt. Section; Kansas Water Office.
For information on KACEE programs, individuals may contact Laura Downey, KACEE Executive Director, at 785-532-3322. For more information about the water festival, contact Molly Hadfield at 785-368-0991 or Laura Downey at 785-532-3322.

The Topeka Municipal Court will close at 12:00 p.m. on Thursday August 27th due to an employee testing positive for COVID-19. The Municipal Court will be fully closed August 27th and 28th for a deep cleaning. All court dockets will be cancelled from August 27th through September 7th. Persons scheduled to appear during this timeframe will be mailed a notice of hearing for another court date at least thirty days out. Please note that court dates can be verified and payments can be made via the court’s online public access portal at www.topeka.org/municpalcourt.com. The court will be open in a limited capacity the week of August 31st to September 4th for defendants to recall arrest warrants, reset payment plans, set up different payment options, and file documents.
The Municipal Court will reopen fully on Tuesday, September 8th. The public can contact the

Due to the high number of COVID-19 cases in our community, and in an effort to reduce community transmission, the Topeka Municipal Court is cancelling all dockets, including trials, from Wednesday, November 18, 2020 through Friday, December 4, 2020.  During that time, the Court will continue to conduct its jail hearings via video conferencing on Mondays and Wednesdays.

All cases during that time will be rescheduled and notices of hearing will be sent by mail to defendants and defense counsel.  Defendants should call the Court Clerk’s office at 785-368-3776 to update contact information during normal business hours. Defendants are also encouraged to check the status of their case on the Court’s online public access portal at https://www.topeka.org/municipalcourt/ .

The Topeka Municipal Court will remain open for walk-in business Monday through Friday, 7:30 am to 4:30 p.m.  However, persons with court business are strongly encouraged to conduct their business by telephone, email, or facsimile wherever possible.  Payments may be made online, over the phone, or by mail.

Clerk’s Office: 785-368-3776

Clerk’s Office Fax: 785-368-3782

Email: Motions@topeka.org (MOTIONS ONLY)

Mail: 214 SE 8th Avenue, Topeka, Kansas 66603

Anyone directed to report to the Probation Division should continue to report as scheduled.  Probationers who are exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 of other related illnesses should contact the Probation Division at 785-368-3783.

The Municipal Court will reevaluate the presence of COVID-19 in the community during the week of December 1, 2020 and make a decision as to whether dockets will resume on Monday, December 7, 2020.

As previously stated, the Topeka Municipal Court remains open Monday through Friday, 7:30 am to 4:30 p.m. As part of our continual assessment on how to respond to the ongoing changes in the health of the community and Courthouse employees, additional measures are being implemented to protect the health of those who visit the Courthouse or Probation Division, effective March 17, 2020. All previous restrictions remain in place.
1. All dockets and pre-sentence investigation appointments are canceled through March 27, 2020. All cases will be rescheduled and notices of hearing will be sent by mail to defendants and defense counsel. Defendants should call the Court Clerk’s office at 785-368-3776 to update contact information during normal business hours. Defendants are also encouraged to check the status of their case on public access at: https://court.topeka.org/fullcourtweb/start.do
2. Anyone directed to report to the Probation Division should report by telephone, and NOT report to the Probation Division in person. Probationers shall contact their probation officer at the following numbers at their scheduled appointment time:
Tricia Wiebe: 785-368-0332
Lacie Wiggins: 785-368-3669
Probationers who are uncertain of their probation officer should contact the Probation Division at 785-368-3783.
3. Persons with court business are strongly encouraged to conduct their business by telephone, email, or facsimile wherever possible. Payments may be made online, over the phone, or by mail.
Clerk’s Office: 785-368-3776
Clerk’s Office Fax: 785-368-3782
Email: Motions@topeka.org (MOTIONS ONLY)
Mail: 214 SE 8th Avenue, Topeka, Kansas 66603
Your cooperation is appreciated, and we hope that these temporary measures will help safeguard your health and the health of the community. We will continue to evaluate additional measures in the coming weeks. Please contact the court at 785-368-3776 with any concerns.

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

Administrative Judge Karan M. Thadani, in conjunction with City Manager Brent Trout, has made the decision to cancel court dockets, including trials, for an additional two weeks beginning December 7, 2020, and lasting through December 18, 2020.  The decision was made after careful consideration of the Shawnee County COVID-19 Community Transmission Index and reports from local hospitals that occupancy rates and community spread of COVID-19 remain high.

During this time, the Topeka Municipal Court will continue to conduct its jail hearings via video conferencing on Mondays and Wednesdays. The Court will remain open for walk-in business Monday through Friday, 7:30 am to 4:30 pm.  Anyone with court business are strongly encouraged to conduct their business by telephone, email, or facsimile whenever possible.  Payments may be made online, over the phone, or by mail.

All cases during this time will be rescheduled and notices of hearing will be sent by mail to defendants and defense counsel. Defendants should call the Court Clerk’s office at 785-368-3776 to update contact information during normal business hours. Defendants are also 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.

Clerk’s Office: 785-368-3776

Clerk’s Office Fax: 785-368-3782

Email: Motions@topeka.org (MOTIONS ONLY)

Mail: 214 SE 8th Avenue, Topeka, Kansas 66603

Anyone directed to report to the Probation Division should continue to report as scheduled.  Probationers who are exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 of other related illnesses should contact the Probation Division at 785-368-3783.

The presence of COVID-19 in the community will be reevaluated over the next two weeks and a decision will be made at that time in the best interests of its patrons and staff as to when dockets will resume.

Due to health and safety concerns related to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Topeka Municipal Court will continue to keep in-person dockets suspended through Friday, January 29, 2021.

During this time, the Court will continue to conduct daily video conference hearings.  The Court will remain open for walk-in business Monday through Friday, 7:30 am to 4:30 pm, for defendants to set court dates, resolve non-appearance required cases, recall warrants, file documents, make payments, and reset payment plans. Defendants are strongly encouraged to conduct their business by telephone, email, or facsimile whenever possible.  Payments may be made online, over the phone, or by mail.

All cases during this time will be rescheduled and notices of hearing will be sent by mail to defendants and defense counsel.  Defendants should call the Court Clerk’s office at 785-368-3776 to update contact information during normal business hours. Defendants are also encouraged to check the status of their case on the Court’s online public access portal at www.topeka.org/municpalcourt.org.  Parties may also visit the Court’s website to determine if their matter qualifies for resolution via video conference hearing.

Clerk’s Office: 785-368-3776

Clerk’s Office Fax: 785-368-3782

Email: Motions@topeka.org (MOTIONS ONLY)

Mail: 214 SE 8th Avenue, Topeka, Kansas 66603

Anyone directed to report to the Probation Division should continue to report as scheduled.  Probationers who are exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 of other related illnesses should contact the Probation Division at 785-368-3783.