Press Releases

The City of Topeka is thrilled to announce a series of dance hall events taking place at
Hotel Topeka this fall, starting with a Halloween costume party followed by two country-themed dance
halls.

The Halloween costume party will feature a DJ, a costume contest, door prizes, and much more. Doors
open to anyone 18 and older, with cash bar available for those 21 and up. Costumes are highly
encouraged, and participants can look forward to winning exciting prizes.
Following the Halloween festivities, the weekend will continue with two Rodeo after-parties on
November 1 and 2. These events will bring live music, door prizes, and a lively atmosphere to Hotel
Topeka, offering attendees the chance to kick up their boots and enjoy two nights of dancing. These
events are also 18 and up, with cash bar available for guests over 21.

Event Details:
• Halloween Costume Party: October 31, 2024
• Rodeo After Party: November 1 & 2, 2024
• Venue: Hotel Topeka, 1717 S. Kansas Ave, Topeka, KS
• Entry: 18 to enter, 21+ to drink
• More Details: DJ, live music, Halloween costume contest, door prizes, and much more!

“We are incredibly excited to showcase Hotel Topeka through these dance hall events,” said City
Manager Dr. Robert Perez. “It’s a fantastic opportunity for the community to come together and
celebrate in one of our city’s premier venues.”

The City of Topeka is actively seeking sponsors for these events. Businesses interested in supporting
these community celebrations can contact citycommunications@topeka.org for more information.

 

The City of Topeka is announcing upcoming changes to Downtown parking rates and regulations following approval by the Governing Body during its June 10th meeting. These changes are part of a broader effort to create consistency across the parking system, invest in infrastructure, and improve accessibility for those who live, work, and visit Downtown.

In the coming weeks, Parking Administration staff will begin outreach to current garage and street permit holders to explain pricing updates. Signage, online resources, and other communications will also be used to help downtown visitors navigate the changes.

“We’re committed to maintaining an affordable and accessible parking system for everyone who visits, works, or lives in Downtown Topeka,” said City Manager Dr. Robert Perez. “These updates are designed to simplify our parking structure while supporting reinvestment in our facilities.”

Key Parking Changes

Effective September 1, 2025:
• Monthly parking rates will increase from $67.75 to $74.00 at the following garages:
o Centre City Garage
o Crosby Place Garage
o Townsite Garage
• 10-hour meter rates will increase from $0.50 to $1.00 per hour, creating a uniform hourly rate for on-street meters.
• 10-hour permits will increase from $44.00 to $74.00 per month
Effective January 1, 2026:
• Monthly parking rates will increase from $67.75 to $74.00 at:
o 512 Jackson Garage
o Park N Shop Garage

• The 9th Street Garage monthly rate will increase from $47.43 to $51.00
• Yellow hoods will be removed from the 100 blocks east and west of Kansas Ave. Between 6th & 10th Streets. These spaces will become 2-hour metered parking at a rate of $1.00 per hour. Some areas will retain meters, while others will feature signage with payment options via mobile app.
• The Coronado and Uptowner garages will increase to $74.00 per month following the completion of necessary structural repairs. A 60-day notice will be provided once a completion date is determined.

Please Note:
• Hourly garage rates will remain at $1.00 per hour, with free parking during evenings and weekends
• Parking on Kansas Ave. will remain free with a two-hour daily time limit
• More 4-hour free parking spaces will be added on the outskirts of Downtown to support longer visits and employee parking.

The City of Topeka announced Friday two new leadership position changes.

Alicia Guerrero-Chavez will serve as the city’s new director of human resources. Guerrero-Chavez has previously served as the city’s internal investigator, with a background in risk management, since 2023. She has served as the interim-HR Director since April 2025. Guerrero-Chavez has a Juris Doctor from Washburn University’s School of Law and a bachelor’s degree from Kansas State University. Guerrero-Chavez is a past Topeka “Top 20 Under 40” Honoree and is active with the Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish, and the Shawnee Heights District. Guerrero-Chavez’s appointment will take effect on August 29, 2025.

Nick Jefferson was also announced to serve as the interim city attorney for the City of Topeka. Jefferson currently serves as chief of litigation for the City of Topeka, where he leads the defense of municipal lawsuits with a primary focus on tort, employment, and constitutional litigation. With a legal career spanning over a decade, Nick has significant experience in both public and private sectors, including three years in private practice, nearly ten years at the City of Topeka, and an earlier career as a civil engineer. A licensed attorney and professional engineer, Nick has served the City as a lawyer, engineer, and as a former member of the City’s Planning Commission. He has also taught for a number of years as an adjunct professor at Washburn University School of Law. Jefferson’s appointment will take effect on September 6, 2025.

The City of Topeka announces parking restrictions along the route for this year’s Fiesta Parade to help ensure the safety of participants and spectators. Parking will be prohibited on designated streets starting at 3 a.m. on Saturday, July 12.

This early restriction will allow city crews and public safety personnel additional time to prepare the parade route and ensure a safe environment before the event begins. The parade is scheduled to start at 10:30 a.m.

No Parking – Parade Route:
•SW Jackson – from 12th Street to 7th Street
•SW 7th Street – from Jackson to Harrison
•SW Harrison – from 7th Street to 12th Street

While parking on SW 8th and SW 10th streets between Jackson and Harrison will not be prohibited, it is strongly discouraged due to limited accessibility once the parade route is closed.

Downtown businesses will remain open and accessible to pedestrians during the parade. Residents and visitors are encouraged to use downtown parking garages or surface lots outside the parade route.

To avoid towing, vehicles should be moved from the parade route the night before. Any vehicles left on the route after 3 a.m. will be towed at the owner’s expense by the Topeka Police Department in coordination with Heartland Recovery. For towing inquiries, please contact Heartland Recovery at 785-232-1015.

For questions about street closures, please email citycommunications@topeka.org.

The City of Topeka announced today the retirement notice of Topeka Fire Chief Randy Phillips. Chief Phillips will be closing out his 30 years of dedicated service with the Topeka Fire Department on Dec. 22, 2025. He has worked in many capacities with the Topeka Fire Department, rising through the ranks to Captain, Battalion Chief, and Interim Deputy Chief prior to being named Fire Chief.

“On behalf of the City of Topeka, I want to congratulate Chief Randy Phillips on his well-earned retirement,” said City Manager Dr. Robert Perez. “His years of dedicated service to our community have made a lasting impact, and we are grateful for his leadership and commitment. We wish him all the best as he begins this new chapter and hope his retirement is filled with happiness, health, and well-deserved family time.”

“It has been an honor and a privilege to have had the opportunity to lead this organization,” said Chief Phillips. “The men and women of the Topeka Fire Department are second to none and I would not trade the last 30 years for anything. This is truly the best job in the world. I’m extremely proud of what we have accomplished as a department during my tenure as Chief, but now it’s time for me to focus on my family and enjoy retirement.”

Chief Phillips will transition from Fire Chief on August 4th but will continue assisting the Topeka Fire Team as they transition to a new Chief, by providing guidance and leadership through the rest of the year while working with the Assistant City Manager on continuity of operation plans and other projects. The city wants to acknowledge Chief Phillips’ leadership, celebrate his career, and wish him a well-deserved and fulfilling retirement. In the coming weeks, the city will share details regarding the search process for the next Fire Chief.

The City of Topeka announced Monday that it hired Alicia Guerrero-Chavez to serve as its Internal Investigator. The Internal Investigator position is a new position to the city, and is an expansion of what was the Independent Police Auditor position.

The Internal Investigator’s role is to investigate internal and external complaints related to all city departments, employees and services, including police-related matters.

“With this position, we will be able to more broadly enhance city investigations as a whole, allowing us to ensure we are serving our community and our employees at the level they deserve,” said Topeka City Manager Stephen Wade. “Alicia comes to the City of Topeka with a wealth of knowledge and experience in this area, and we are delighted to have her on board.”

Guerrero-Chavez comes to the city with 10 years of investigation work, including experience in risk management. She has a Juris Doctor from Washburn University’s School of Law and a bachelor’s degree from Kansas State University. Guerrero-Chavez is a past Topeka “Top 20 Under 40” Honoree and is active with the Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish.

To contact the office of the Internal Investigator, email investigator@topeka.org or call 785-368-3763. The office is housed in City Hall.

Guerrero-Chavez’s first day is Monday, February 20.

 

In partnership with national nonprofit organization the Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund (CFE Fund), the City of Topeka announced today the launch of a free Financial Navigators program to help residents navigate critical financial issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Financial Navigators will be available remotely starting September 21st to provide guidance over the phone to help residents access available programs and services to manage income disruptions and other financial concerns. Financial Navigators help residents one-on-one to triage personal financial issues, identify immediate action steps to manage expenses and maximize income, and make referrals to other services such as meeting daily living expenses, maximizing income, managing debt, budgeting and avoiding predatory scams. The City of Topeka will offer these Financial Navigator services in partnership with Housing and Credit Counseling Inc.

“We are in unprecedented times that are greatly affecting families and their finances. The Financial Navigator program with support from Cities for Financial Empowerment and Housing and Credit Counselling, is an amazing tool that will help our families have access to great partners in our community. This support can help our citizens navigate challenges and stay self-sufficient during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Mayor Michelle De La Isla.

Residents can access these remote services by completing the web form here: https://finnav.org/topeka or calling (785) 670-5900 to sign up. The financial navigator will then send a short service agreement and call the client to begin their personal session. Organizations across Topeka can also refer clients directly to a financial navigator.

The City of Topeka is launching the Financial Navigators program in partnership with the CFE Fund, who provided grant funding along with significant technical assistance and training to launch the program in Topeka and other cities and counties across the nation. The Financial Navigators initiative is supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies, the Citi Foundation, JPMorgan Chase & Co., and the Wells Fargo Foundation.

“Financial distress is a primary part of the COVID-19 crisis, and we’re pleased Mayor De La Isla and her team is making this a priority for Topeka residents,” said Jonathan Mintz, President and CEO of the Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund. “The Financial Navigators program will help City of Topeka residents assess and prioritize their financial concerns and get connected with the right resources.”

“The pandemic and resulting economic crises have hit low- and middle-income households, contingent and undocumented workers, and many others very hard,” said James Anderson, Head of Government Innovation at Bloomberg Philanthropies. “We are very pleased to help the CFE Fund expand its high quality and impactful financial empowerment services to reach many more people in more cities.”

“Sound financial health is a critical component of addressing the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on low-income and diverse communities in the U.S,” said Sarah Bainton Kahn, VP of Global Philanthropy, JPMorgan Chase & Co. “We are pleased to collaborate with the CFE Fund to help people in Topeka to access the tools and services they need to build resiliency and advance their financial health.”

“Communities across the country continue to face significant economic challenges as a result of COVID-19,” said Brandee McHale, Head of Citi Community Investing and Development and President of the Citi Foundation. “To provide residents in Topeka with the vital financial tools and support necessary to navigate the financial impacts of the pandemic, the Citi Foundation is proud to partner once again with the Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund to launch the Financial Navigators program.”

“The pandemic has clearly heightened awareness around the financial hardships that so many people were already facing here in Topeka and deep disparities that exist in society,” said Darlene Goins, head of financial health philanthropy with the Wells Fargo Foundation. “We applaud the CFE Fund for bringing together the City of Topeka, philanthropists, and financial services and other industries to reimagine solutions that can help improve financial stability and resiliency for individuals and families, particularly during this economic crisis.”

About the Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund (CFE Fund)

The CFE Fund supports municipal efforts to improve the financial stability of households by leveraging opportunities unique to local government. By translating cutting edge experience with large scale programs, research, and policy in cities of all sizes, the CFE Fund assists mayors and other local leaders to identify, develop, fund, implement, and research pilots and programs that help families build assets and make the most of their financial resources. The CFE Fund is currently working in over 100 cities, and has disbursed over $42 million to city governments and their partners to support these efforts. For more information, please visit www.cfefund.org or follow us on Twitter at @CFEFund.

 

The City of Topeka announced Monday that two internal candidates have been named the Public Works and Utilities directors, two key leadership positions within the City government.

Braxton Copley, who had been serving as the Utilities Director and Interim Public Works Director, has been named the Public Works Director. Copley is a dedicated leader who’s served the citizens of Topeka in various roles for a combined 17 plus years. Copley has a bachelor’s degree from Colorado College, and a Juris Doctor from the University of Kansas. Copley has numerous technical certifications that are nationally recognized in the field.

“Braxton’s dedication to the City of Topeka throughout his career has been remarkable to watch,” said Stephen Wade, Topeka’s City Manager. “His responsiveness to our constituents promotes excellence in customer service. I believe his talents and vision will be a great asset to the Public Works Department as we work to better our roads, improve our infrastructure, and make the City more efficient. I couldn’t be more pleased to have Braxton lead this great team at the City.”

Sylvia Davis, who had been serving as a Deputy Director in the Utilities department, has been named the Utilities Director. Davis has worked for the City for 18 years. Davis has a bachelor’s degree from Kansas State University. Davis is also a Certified Public Manager. In September, Davis received a national leadership award from the Utility 2030 Collaborative.

“Sylvia’s recent national award demonstrates how highly thought of she is. Her people skills and passion for developing talent sets an example for us all. Sylvia has led our internal leadership training classes for years, and I believe she will build upon the excellent work of the two previous Utilities directors, Bob Sample and Braxton Copley. The Utilities team is in great hands with Sylvia,” said Wade.

Wade also stated that he felt it was important to fill both roles with the right people and in a timely manner as the City embarks on its annual capital budgeting process. He said both Copley and Davis will work to lead a focused team effort to prepare a quality plan for Topeka Governing Body consideration.

Copley and Davis assumed their roles Monday morning.

Topeka will soon be home to a new non-congregate shelter, and additional affordable housing options, the City of Topeka announced Monday. A non-congregate shelter, commonly known as a temporary shelter, provides rooms to individuals and families, and does not require occupants to sign a lease or occupancy agreement.

The projects are made possible by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) HOME Investment Partnerships American Rescue Plan Program (HOME-ARP), which provided the City $1,754,961. HOME-ARP aims to reduce homelessness and increase housing stability across the country. Topeka’s Governing Body approved the HOME-ARP funding on June 14, 2022 through the 2021 Amended Consolidated Action Plan. These dollars are not affiliated with the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).

The City of Topeka sought requests for proposals (RFPs) for the shelter and affordable housing projects, and received 14 responses. The responses were then reviewed by an external review and ranking committee with expertise in grant writing, real estate or construction.

The City will award $1 million to YWCA of Northeast Kansas to fund the non-congregate shelter, and $754,961 to SENT, Inc. to fund new construction on three homes, and eight rehabilitations on homes for our most vulnerable citizens.

“We are so excited to add 11 new affordable housing options for Topekans. Additionally, being able to assist the YWCA in expanding their shelter is so needed and beneficial to those experiencing domestic violence, human trafficking or stalking. We all know domestic violence has been increasing across the nation. This grant will allow us to address that here in Topeka,” said Corrie Wright, the City’s Division Director of Housing Services.

All projects must fund and serve the qualifying population as outlined by HUD, which includes individuals experiencing homelessness, domestic violence, stalking, and human trafficking. HUD requires that all tenants and homeowners must have income levels of no more than 80% of the median household income, meaning a family of four can make no more than $66,150. City staff will review files to ensure compliance with HUD’s requirements.

The location of the shelter is not being disclosed for security purposes. The affordable housing projects will take place in Hi-Crest.

 

The City of Topeka is encouraging residents to sign up for Nextdoor, the free and private neighborhood social network, to help strengthen neighbor-to-neighbor and citywide communications. To help raise awareness for the City’s presence on the platform and to inspire residents to join, the City is unveiling a Nextdoor branded property maintenance truck that will tour Topeka.

“Topeka has always been an innovative and resourceful City. Nextdoor is another great tool we can use to help us better communicate and reach our residents,” said Monique Glaudeˊ. “We look forward to more residents joining us on Nextdoor so that we can work together to create stronger, healthier neighborhoods.”

With Nextdoor, Topeka residents can create private neighborhood networks to share information with each other, including neighborhood public safety issues, community events and activities, local services, and even lost pets. The City of Topeka launched with Nextdoor for Public Agencies in December 2013 and is using the platform to post information to residents, such as important news, services, programs, free events, and emergency notifications.

Since the City partnered with Nextdoor, membership on the platform has grown by 2200%. This increased membership and engagement on Nextdoor has successfully driven higher levels of participation in City discussions, workshops, and events. The City of Topeka asked residents if they feel more informed since the City of Topeka started using Nextdoor. Seventy-one percent of the 381 residents that responded to the poll told us that they do feel more informed since the City started posting on Nextdoor.

“We are thrilled to be celebrating the City of Topeka’s amazing use of Nextdoor to better connect with residents,” said Joseph Porcelli, Senior City Strategist at Nextdoor. “Topeka is full of wonderful neighbors and we are looking forward to welcoming more onto the platform as the City continues its efforts to engage at the neighborhood level.”

Nextdoor is free for residents and the City. Each Topeka neighborhood has its own private Nextdoor neighborhood website, accessible only to residents of that neighborhood. Neighborhoods establish and self-manage their own Nextdoor website and the City will not be able to access residents’ websites, contact information, or content. All members must verify that they live within the neighborhood before joining Nextdoor. Information shared on Nextdoor is password protected and cannot be accessed by Google or other search engines.

Those interested in joining their neighborhood’s Nextdoor website can visit www.nextdoor.com and enter their address. If residents have questions about their Nextdoor website, please visit help.nextdoor.com.