Press Releases

The Topeka City Council’s Policy and Finance Committee will host a public input session on Wednesday, March 23 at 6:00 p.m. at the City’s Holliday Building located at 620 SE Madison St.

The purpose of the session is to solicit feedback from the community regarding what criteria and qualifications should be met, in order to be eligible to apply for the $10 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding the Council voted to allocate for social services.

“This will be a deliberative process with decisions made based on input we receive from Topekans,” said Topeka’s Deputy Mayor Spencer Duncan, and the Chair of the Policy and Finance Committee. “This is just one step in a layered process, and we look forward to hearing directly from citizens regarding their expectations of us during this process.”

The Policy and Finance Committee is currently working with City staff on the application and process for social services.

To sign up for public comment, visit https://www.topeka.org/cityclerk/sign-up-to-speak-at-a-governing-body-meeting/. The deadline to sign up for public comment is 5:00 p.m. the date of the meeting. Public comment can be made in person or by Zoom. Public comment is limited to four minutes per person. Time extensions will not be granted.

On February 12, the Council voted to approve setting aside $35,676,831 to be allocated for Capital Improvement Projects (CIP), and $10 million to be allocated for social services. The City received $45,676,831 in ARPA funds.

The Topeka City Council will convene a Special Meeting on Friday, April 12, to conduct follow-up interviews and discuss two final candidates for Topeka’s next city manager.

On April 8, 2024, the City Council held a series of interviews with five finalists for the city manager position. That included an interview by a Community Panel selected by Mayor Padilla, which included Laura Burton, Susan Duffy, Kerry Pancoast, Daniellé Twemlow, and Keith Warta.

Subsequently, candidates participated in a public Meet and Greet event at Hotel Topeka, where citizens had an opportunity to interact with each candidate and provide feedback to the Council.

On Tuesday, April 9, after the City Council meeting, Councilmembers held an Executive Session to discuss the five finalists and their interviews the prior day. Following the Executive Session, Mayor Padilla called for a Special Meeting to take place on Friday, April 12, to further discuss and consider the two finalists for the city manager position.

Stay tuned for additional updates expected next week.

The City of Topeka announced Friday that the Governing Body will vote during the City Council meeting on Tuesday, May 14 to formally name Dr. Robert Perez to serve as Topeka’s next city manager. Perez comes to the city after serving as an Assistant City Manager for the City of Dallas, Texas.

“The Governing Body invested considerable time and effort into their selection process, and we’re excited that Dr. Perez has been selected,” said Topeka Mayor Michael Padilla. “I have full confidence in his ability to lead the City of Topeka and guide us toward our strategic goals.”

With over 20 years of municipal government experience, Perez holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Education with a concentration in organizational leadership, a Master of Public Administration, and a Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in political science.

His background is in Public Works, and he has published numerous academic articles covering diverse topics such as the nexus between data and infrastructure, as well as innovation in local government. During a vast majority of his most recent role, Perez provided executive leadership to the City of Dallas’ Department of Public Works, Transportation, Bond and Construction Management, Equipment and Fleet Services and Building Services. Through a reorganization, Perez was recently assigned to oversee the Department of Sanitation, Code Compliance, Animal Care Services, Homeless Solution, and 311 Customer Service.

“I’m extremely honored and excited to begin leading the City of Topeka as its next city manager,” Perez said. “Public service is important to me, and I look forward to getting to know and serving the community in the near future.”

Topeka’s Governing Body is expected to formally approve Perez’s contract during the May 14th City Council Meeting. The one-year contract includes Perez’s base salary, which will be $255,000.

While Perez’s start date is still being finalized, it is anticipated to be sometime between late June and early July. Perez will be moving to Topeka from Dallas with his wife, Harim Perez, and their miniature schnauzer, Sebastian.

On April 8, five City Manager finalists participated in interview panels with the Governing Body and community stakeholders. Following those interviews, the Governing Body conducted follow-up interviews with Perez and another candidate. Initially, more than 40 applicants applied for the position.

The Topeka City Council’s Police & Community Special Committee met Friday, June 3, and a draft document was presented, summarizing proposed recommendations pertaining to the Topeka Police Department.

The draft is a working document, and further revisions by the Committee are possible. Members of the community can view the draft document online at https://www.topeka.org/citycouncil/police-community/. The direct link can be found here.

The Policy & Community Special Committee will meet again on Friday, June 10 at 2:00 p.m. at the Holliday Building to review the draft document, and make any revisions as a group. Members of the public can listen to the meeting in person, or watch the meeting live on Facebook, the City4 Livestream, or on Cox Local Channel 4.

The Committee will then host a Public Input Session on Friday, June 17 at 2:00 p.m. at the Holliday Building. Members of the community wishing to make public comment can do so in person, via Zoom, or by submitting an email or letter in advance of the meeting. To sign up to speak, or to learn more about the public comment process, visit https://www.topeka.org/cityclerk/sign-up-to-speak-at-a-governing-body-meeting/.

To learn more about the Police & Community Special Committee, visit https://www.topeka.org/citycouncil/police-community/.

The City of Topeka’s Governing Body has selected four candidates to interview for the Topeka City Manager position.

About the candidates

Mike Harmon earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Northern Iowa and later earned a master’s degree in public administration from the University of South Dakota with a concentration in state and local government administration. After Mike’s formal education, he went on to pursue a career in public service and has over twenty-four years of combined governmental experience at the state and local level. During Mike’s career he served as a police officer in the capital city of Pierre, SD and later as a city administrator for Fairfield, IA and Spearfish, SD. Mike currently serves as the chief operating officer for an electric utility in Wyoming and is eager to return to public service and to be nearer to his extended family.

David Johnston has over 25 years of local government management experience. He served as the City Manager for Covington, Kentucky and Maple Valley, Washington. Covington is a rejuvenating historic Ohio River community located across from Cincinnati. He served as the village administrator for Rantoul, Illinois – home of the closed Chanute Air Force Base. David holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Notre Dame and a Master of Public Affairs degree from Indiana University. He also earned a certificate of economic development from the University of Oklahoma. He is an International City Manager Association (ICMA) Credentialed Manager.

Stephen Wade is a Shawnee Heights graduate and a Topeka resident. He serves as the Director of Administrative and Financial Services for the City of Topeka. Stephen spent 30 years in the media industry and has extensive experience at the CEO level. He was formerly the publisher of The Topeka Capital-Journal and The Augusta Chronicle in Augusta, Georgia. Stephen holds a Masters in Public Administration (MPA) from the University of Kansas and a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from the Florida Institute of Technology. He is currently working on an academic research project that calls for a greater emphasis on equity in municipal budgeting. Stephen currently serves on the board of directors for the Topeka Community Foundation, and he previously held board seats on Go Topeka and the Greater Topeka Chamber of Commerce.

Abbe Yacoben is currently the Deputy Finance Director and City Treasurer for the City of Las Vegas,
Nevada where she has served for the past five and a half years. She has nearly 20 years of municipal
government leadership experience, and has held roles in Arizona, Illinois and her home state of Maine.
Abbe has a Master’s degree in Public Policy with a finance concentration from the University of Chicago,
and she is a Certified Public Finance Officer. Abbe is passionate about and skilled at leadership, teambuilding,
open communication, working with different public groups and ensuring the City’s initiatives
truly improve quality of life for all residents and stakeholders.

Interview process

The candidates will participate in two interview panels on Tuesday, August 30. One interview panel will
be with the Governing Body, and the other will be with community stakeholders.

Public meet and greet

In addition to the interview panels, the candidates will also attend a public meet and greet. Community
members are invited to attend the meet and greet, which will take place on Tuesday, August 30 from
5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Bishop Professional Development Center located at 3601 SW 31st St. Light
refreshments will be provided at the event.

Attendees will be able to provide feedback on the candidates to the Governing Body by filling out
comment cards at the meet and greet, or by emailing comments to cmsearch@premierks.com.

Recruitment process

Kansas Personnel Services, Inc., doing business as Premier Employment Solutions and Key Staffing, led
the recruitment campaign for the Topeka City Manager position.

40 candidates applied for the position. Of the 40 candidates, 13 had ties to Kansas. After review of all
candidates, the Governing Body selected the above four candidates to interview.

The City of Topeka has announced the five finalists for the Topeka City Manager position.

Jeffrey Dingman currently serves as the Deputy City Administrator for the City of Fort Smith, Arkansas. Dingman has more than 20 years of government leadership experience and holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Kansas. He has been a Credentialed Manager through the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) since 2006. Dingman has also previously served in similar administration roles in the City of Baldwin City, Kansas and Sebastian County, Arkansas. Throughout his career, he has worked to develop short- and long-range strategic plans for communities of varying populations and has managed city budgets ranging from $13-160 million.

Alan Howze is an experienced public sector executive focused on building strong, financially sustainable communities and delivering high-quality public services. Howze has more than 20 years of professional government experience and is currently serving as the Assistant Administrator for the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas. He holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Virginia and a Bachelor of Science in Economics and Anthropology from James Madison University. Throughout his career, Howze has worked in government on the local, state and federal levels and has a background in information technology and communications.

William Jones has over 24 years of local government management experience. He is currently the City Administrator for the City of Mequon, Wisconsin and previously served in similar roles for the Village of Glencoe, Illinois and the City of Highland Park, Illinois. Jones obtained his Master of Public Administration from Indiana University and is a Credentialed Manager with the International City/County Management Association, Certified Public Finance Officer from the Government Finance Officers Association, and a Certified Labor Relations Professional from the National Public Employer Labor Relations Association. In his current role, Jones has helped expand the tax base, assisted with debt issues, developed an asset management plan, revised an ethics ordinance, restructured organizational staffing, hired a new police chief, initiated a full-time staffing model for Fire and EMS and enhanced health and safety in schools via a new water source and an additional school resource officer.

Robert Perez serves as an Assistant City Manager of Infrastructure for the City of Dallas, Texas. Perez has gained over 20 years of municipal government experience while working for the City of Dallas and the City of San Antonio and holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Education with a concentration in organizational leadership, a Master of Public Administration, and a Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in political science. Perez’s background is in Public Works, and he has published several academic articles ranging in topics from the relationship between data and infrastructure as well as innovation in local government. In his current role, Perez provides executive leadership to the City of Dallas’ Department of Public Works, Transportation, Bond and Construction Management, Equipment and Fleet Services and Building Services. 

Abbe Yacoben is currently the Chief Financial Officer of Washoe County, Nevada, serving the Board of County Commissioners for the last year and a half. She has nearly 20 years of municipal government leadership experience, and has held roles in Arizona, Illinois and her home state of Maine. Yacoben holds a Master of Public Policy with a finance concentration from the University of Chicago, and she is a Certified Public Finance Officer. In her current role, Yacoben leads Washoe County Commissioners in their strategic planning process and benchmarking as well as human resources initiatives in the county. Yacoben is passionate about and skilled at leadership, teambuilding, open communication, working with different public groups and ensuring the City’s initiatives truly improve the quality of life for all residents and stakeholders.

The finalists will participate in two interview panels on Monday, April 8. One interview panel will be with the Governing Body, and the other will be with a panel of community stakeholders selected by the Mayor. The interview panels will not be open to the public, but the finalists will also attend a public meet and greet where community members are invited to attend. The meet and greet will take place on Monday, April 8 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Hotel Topeka Emerald Ballroom located at 1717 SW Topeka Blvd. Light refreshments will be provided at the event.

Attendees will be able to provide feedback on the candidates to the Governing Body by filling out comment cards at the meet and greet.

The City of Topeka would like to invite the public to a special event to meet the newly appointed City Manager, Dr. Robert Perez. The event will take place on Thursday, September 26, from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM at The Tee Box, located at 906 S Kansas Ave Ste 100, Topeka, KS 66612. Snacks will be provided, and the event is held in partnership with the Greater Topeka Partnership.

This is an opportunity for Topeka residents to engage with Dr. Perez and give him a warm welcome to our community. Dr. Perez, who brings a wealth of experience in city management, is eager to meet with community members and discuss his vision for the future of Topeka.

Mayor Mike Padilla expressed his enthusiasm for the event, stating, “This is an exciting opportunity for the people of Topeka to come out and meet Dr. Robert Perez. We are confident that under his leadership, our city will continue to thrive and grow. I encourage everyone to take this chance to connect with Dr. Perez, share your thoughts, and extend a warm welcome to our new City Manager.”

“The Partnership is proud to partner with the City of Topeka in welcoming our new City Manager, Dr. Robert Perez. This open house event at The Tee Box is a fantastic opportunity for our community to come together, get to know Dr. Perez, and experience the warm hospitality that our downtown businesses are known for. We believe in fostering strong relationships between our city’s leadership and the residents, and this event is a perfect way to kick off what we know will be a successful tenure for the City Manager here in Topeka,” said Matt Pivarnik, CEO Greater Topeka Partnership.

We look forward to seeing you at The Tee Box on September 26th. Join us in welcoming Dr. Perez to our community and learn more about his plans for the City of Topeka.

The City of Topeka is excited to announce the commencement of the recruitment campaign for the City Manager position. The job posting and position description can be found at https://www.topeka.org/careers.

The posting comes after a public input survey, where nearly 200 responses from community members were received.

The City of Topeka and Kansas Personnel Services, Inc., doing business as Premier Employment Solutions and Key Staffing, the Executive Recruitment Firm the City hired to assist with the recruitment process, are launching a broad City Manager recruitment search.

The search includes a recruitment video featuring Mayor Michael Padilla, Councilwoman Karen Hiller and Councilwoman Hannah Naeger, who share their thoughts about the ideal candidate. You can watch the video at https://youtu.be/lf86vgXBgOg.

The initial recruitment campaign is expected to last 45 days. After the job posting closes, Topeka’s Governing Body will review applications from qualified candidates. Interviews are expected to occur in August with the Governing Body, City of Topeka leadership staff, and community members who are selected by the Governing Body. There will also be a public meet and greet with the final candidates.

The Topeka Fire Department is pleased to recognize the following individuals on their promotions and retirements. As we continue to face the unprecedented COVID-19 situation, employees are having to navigate a new normal in order to get the job done. Between learning and implementing new safety precautions, managing family needs and more, it’s a tough time for everyone – which is why it’s important to express our appreciation to our first responders. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, the Promotion and Retirement ceremonies have been postponed indefinitely.

“I would like to take this opportunity to express our gratitude to these individuals for their hard work and dedication in providing essential services to the Topeka community,” said Topeka Fire Chief Craig Duke. “Their sacrifice, determination and perseverance are admirable contributions to the Topeka Fire Department”.

Below is a list of retirements and promotions for the Topeka Fire Department:

RETIREMENTS

February 2020

Zachary L. Bottenberg, Investigator III – 24 years

March 2020

Captain David D. Owen – 32 years

Captain Claude E. Clark – 32 years

Captain Michael L. Claassen – 31 years

Captain Robert S. Williams – 28 years

Captain Jerome A. Benning – 28 years

Captain Thomas D. Wolfley – 31 years

June 2020

Captain Michelle M. Radmacher – 20 years

July 2020

Captain James J. Simpson – 24 years

August 2020

Exzetta Steele Accounting Specialist III – 29 years

September 2020

Deputy Chief Kelly R. Adams – 34 years

PROMOTIONS

January 2020

Advanced Firefighter

Matthew J. Conner

Brandon J. Wenger

Macon J. Ezell

Matthew M. Gromer

John G. Bills

Chase D. Labrador

Joshua L. Osborn

Firefighter 2nd Class

Coty R. Freiss

Cory A. Petit

James D. Klepees

Brooks W. McClane

Thomas N. Treantafeles

February 2020

Fire Inspector II Chadwick J. Holthaus promoted to Fire Inspector III

Fire Inspector II Adam J. Appelhanz promoted to Fire Inspector III

March 2020

Shift Commander Ty D. Christian promoted to Division Chief of Operations

Battalion Chief Melvin D. Bouton promoted to Shift Commander

April 2020

Lieutenant Prentiss J. Rice Jr. promoted to Captain

Lieutenant Michael D. Stapleton promoted to Captain

Lieutenant William C. Miller promoted to Captain

Lieutenant Jeffery R. Reynolds promoted to Captain

Lieutenant Keith J. Czechanski promoted to Captain

Lieutenant Mark D. Johnson promoted to Captain

Apparatus Operator Ryan R. Gay promoted to Lieutenant

Apparatus Operator John R. Crites promoted to Lieutenant

Apparatus Operator Robert D. Forman promoted Lieutenant

Apparatus Operator Brian J. Flott promoted to Lieutenant

Apparatus Operator Nathan D. Hibbert promoted to Lieutenant

Apparatus Operator Daniel J. Jacobs promoted to Lieutenant

Advanced Firefighter Jesse B. Moyer promoted to Apparatus Operator

Advanced Firefighter Nathan W. Decker promoted to Apparatus Operator

April 2020

Advanced Firefighter Dustin J. Howbert promoted to Apparatus Operator

Advanced Firefighter Kyle A. Hamilton promoted to Apparatus Operator

Advanced Firefighter Austin L. McClane promoted to Apparatus Operator

Advanced Firefighter Gabriel M. Schultz promoted to Apparatus Operator

New Hires

Firefighter 3^rd Class

Tyler A. Abernathy

Kaleb D. Chockley

Chelsea D. Foster

Jonah M. Domann

Jacob M. Gardner

Mitchell A. Ridder

Cole E. Searles

May 2020

Battalion Chief Todd A. Harrison promoted to Fire Marshal

Firefighter 1^st Class

Jeremy A. Steimel

John K. Bentler

Craig A. Stevenson

Jacob W. Pera

June 2020

Lieutenant Robert R. Aurner III promoted to Captain

Apparatus Operator Chad R. Swift promoted to Lieutenant

Advanced Firefighter Christopher R. Reece promoted to Apparatus Operator

July 2020

Captain Alan J. McKenzie promoted to Battalion Chief

August 2020

Lieutenant Ty C. Forshee promoted to Captain

Lieutenant Travis J. Thompson promoted to Captain

Apparatus Operator Charles A. Ridder promoted to Lieutenant

Apparatus Operator Joshua M. Mayer promoted to Lieutenant

Advanced Firefighter Chance W. Boyle promoted to Apparatus Operator

Advanced Firefighter Zachary R. Bradford promoted to Apparatus Operator