Press Releases

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.

The City of Topeka announced today the retirement notice of Topeka Police Chief Bryan Wheeles. Chief Wheeles will be closing out a three-decade long law enforcement career of distinguished service on July 1, 2024. He has worked in many capacities within the Topeka Police Department (TPD) to include; a patrol officer, a narcotics investigator, a homicide detective, a supervisor and various levels of police command, culminating as the Chief of Police.

“We extend our deepest gratitude to Chief Wheeles for his unwavering dedication and years of service to not only his fellow officers, but the city as a whole,” said Interim City Manager Richard Nienstedt. “Chief Wheeles leads by example. His calm, pragmatic, reliable presence in times of crisis is felt far beyond the police department. He is the first to offer help wherever he is needed and he will be deeply missed.”

“Thirty years of dedicated police service, within one community, makes me very proud,” said Chief Wheeles. “There are a lot of amazing people working at TPD and it has been an honor, beyond my ability to truly express, to serve beside them all these years. I loved my job and got to make a difference. When you come to the end of a career and look back, it’s hard to ask for more than that. It has been a great ride, in a great community and I’m looking forward to spending more time with my family and seeing what life brings me out of the uniform.”

The city wants to acknowledge Chief Wheeles’ 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 Police Chief.

The City of Topeka has scheduled three public input sessions to gather community perspectives and priorities for the selection of Topeka’s next police chief. These in-person sessions will allow residents to share their ideas directly with the city manager. Interpretation services will be available. Details of the sessions are as follows:

Public Input Session #1

• Thursday, August 1, 2024
• 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library, located at 1515 SW 10th Ave, Marvin Auditorium 101B

Public Input Session #2

• Friday, August 2, 2024
• 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.
• Cyrus K. Holliday Building, located at 620 SE Madison St, First Floor Conference room

Public Input Session #3

• Saturday, August 3, 2024
• 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.
• Hi-Crest CRC Care Center 455 SE Golf Park

The information gathered from the community survey and public input sessions will be used to update the job description for the police chief position. The selection process, led by an executive recruiter, will include several interview panels made up of councilmembers, law enforcement officials, and community members, media interviews and a public meet-and-greet before the final appointment of the new chief. Additional details on the meet-and-greet will be shared in the coming weeks.

“I am excited and hopeful as we embark on the selection process for Topeka’s next police chief,” said City Manager Robert Perez. “This must be a collaborative effort between the city and community, to ensure our next chief has department and community support and knows where to focus their energy. I have laid out an aggressive timeline for the selection, aiming to make the final appointment in late September or early October. I am confident this approach will help us select the best possible candidate for the job.”

The survey will close on August 2^nd.

Residents can access the survey at:

English Survey – https://us.openforms.com/Form/f84b9c2b-0e91-42b9-95c8-d2541e7dc54c

Encuesta en Español– https://us.openforms.com/Form/74814400-794c-44cd-9825-d903dd7476b8

The City of Topeka’s Governing Body selected Stephen Wade to serve as the next City Manager. Wade currently serves as the City’s Director of Administrative and Financial Services.

“Stephen’s experience in leadership roles in both the public and private sectors, and his vision for equity in government are some of the many reasons we selected him to lead the City of Topeka as our next City Manager,” said Topeka Mayor Michael Padilla.

Wade is a Shawnee Heights graduate and a Topeka resident. Prior to his role as the City’s Finance Director, he was the publisher of The Topeka Capital-Journal.

Wade 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.

Wade 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.

“It’s an honor to have the opportunity to serve in this role in the place I truly call home. I’m excited to represent our more than 1,000 City employees as we work to collectively make Topeka a better place to live, work and play,” Wade said. “I’ve pledged to the Governing Body that we will work with all neighborhoods and community members to ensure an atmosphere of fairness and equity.”

Topeka’s Governing Body approved Wade’s contract at Tuesday night’s City Council Meeting. The three-year contract includes Wade’s base salary, which will be $200,000.

Wade’s start date will be September 14, 2022 at 8:00 a.m.

On August 30, the City Manager finalists participated in interview panels with the Governing Body and community stakeholders. Wade was selected by the Governing Body out of a pool of more than 40 City Manager candidates from across the country. 13 candidates had ties to Kansas.

The City of Topeka is inviting community members to participate in the selection process for the next police chief by providing their input through a public survey and public input sessions.

The survey seeks to gather input on the qualities and priorities that citizens believe are most important for the next police chief. This feedback will play an important role in guiding the selection process and ensuring that the selected candidate aligns with the values and expectations of Topeka’s residents.

This is the first step in the selection process and will be followed by a series of public input sessions. Details on those sessions will be shared in the coming weeks.

“Selecting our next police chief is a critical decision that will impact the safety and well-being of our community,” said City Manager Robert Perez. “We want to ensure the selection process is transparent and inclusive, giving community members multiple opportunities to participate and share their perspectives.”

The survey will be open for two weeks and will close on August 2nd.

Residents can access the survey on our website at:

English Survey – https://us.openforms.com/Form/f84b9c2b-0e91-42b9-95c8-d2541e7dc54c

Encuesta en Español– https://us.openforms.com/Form/74814400-794c-44cd-9825-d903dd7476b8

Flushing a system varies based on the size of a building. Generally, customers should turn on all indoor faucets in their home or business for 10-15 minutes to flush approximately 40 gallons of water through their system. Due to outdoor weather conditions, consider using only indoor faucets like sinks, tubs, toilets and other washing appliances. Regular water use habits, like taking a shower or doing laundry are also effective methods of flushing. For homes or businesses with larger water heaters, flush for an additional 10-15 minutes.

Additional guidance on flushing procedures are laid out by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) here: https://www.kdhe.ks.gov/…/Flushing-Interior-Plumbing…

The City of Topeka is assisting 18 residents after the discovery of unsanitary conditions and a carbon monoxide leak at an apartment building on Wednesday afternoon in East Topeka.

On August 7, 2024, just before 1 p.m., crews from the Topeka Fire Department (TFD) responded to a reported chemical odor at a residential building located at 313 SE Lime St. Upon arrival, firefighters measured unsafe levels of carbon monoxide and immediately notified the Kansas Gas Service and the Topeka Police Department’s Property Maintenance Unit (PMU). Two juveniles were transported to a local hospital by medical personnel to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

As a result of PMU’s investigation, raw sewage was found and four apartments have been condemned. This is an ongoing investigation.

The City of Topeka’s Housing Services Division responded and is working with the affected residents to provide relocation assistance.

The City of Topeka has been selected to receive more than $1.72 million in federal funding for pedestrian and bike-friendly improvements, Governor Laura Kelly announced today.

The City was selected for Transportation Alternatives (TA) funding that would help advance implementation of the major project priorities contained in the Topeka Bikeways Master Plan’s supplemental plan recently approved by the Metropolitan Topeka Planning Organization (MTPO) policy
board. The recommendations for these streets will help with the safety and comfort of the bike user and create an alternative mode of transportation.

The projects submitted in the TA application include the following locations:
• SW 5th Street – From Washburn to SE 4th Street
• SW 4th Street/Willow Avenue – From Washburn to Kansas Avenue
• SE Adams Street – From SE 10th Avenue to SE 1st Street

“Currently, the streets that have been selected are designed for vehicular traffic only and pose a safety concern to bicyclists trying to use our streets to get across the city,” said Assistant City Manager Braxton Copley. “These projects will help connect existing and future bikeways to Downtown.”
The City of Topeka’s project was one of 31 Kansas projects selected.

The City of Topeka’s Housing Services Division has been awarded a $4 million Lead Hazard Reduction Grant, which will be distributed from November 15, 2024, through November 15, 2028. These funds will be used to expand the division’s rehabilitation programs to address and mitigate
lead hazards, with the goal of making an estimated 180 homes lead-safe for families.

The grant will focus on 16 census tracts identified as disadvantaged and below 80% of the low-tomoderate income (LMI) level, as outlined on the City of Topeka’s Justice 40 map. It is anticipated that 90% of approved applicants will be families with children under the age of six, ensuring that the program directly benefits those most at risk for lead exposure.

“We are thrilled to receive this grant, which will allow us to protect Topeka’s most vulnerable residents
by making homes safer for young children,” said Carrie Higgins, Housing Services Division Director. “By
addressing lead hazards in older homes, we can prevent lead poisoning and create healthier living
environments for families in our community.”

This initiative reflects the city’s commitment to improving overall community health by targeting lead
hazards in homes located within historically disadvantaged areas. The Housing Services Division will use
the grant to enhance its existing rehabilitation programs, focusing on homes in need of lead remediation
and ensuring that LMI families, especially those with young children, have access to safe and secure
housing.

Through collaboration with local partners, the program will also provide educational resources to help
families and property owners understand the risks of lead exposure and how they can maintain safe
living conditions

The City of Topeka is proud to announce it has been awarded a United States Department of Justice (DOJ) grant to provide a batterers intervention treatment program to Topeka residents.

The Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) has awarded the Grants to Improve the Criminal Justice Reform (ICJR) totaling $488,045 to facilitate batterers intervention treatment through local service providers Halley Counseling Services and the Family Peace Initiative.

In 2022, the City Prosecutor’s Office assumed responsibility for handling misdemeanor domestic battery cases, aiming to offer a more personalized approach at helping victims and their families in domestic violence situations. The ICJR will enable the prosecutor’s office to extend assistance to eligible offenders who lack the financial means to participate in intervention programs, ensuring accountability in their sentencing.

“This grant represents a significant step forward in our efforts to address domestic violence in our community,” said Chief of Prosecution Kelly Trussell. “By providing access to intervention programs, we are better equipped to support both victims and offenders, fostering safer and healthier environments for residents and stopping the cycle of violence.”

The OVW, a division of the DOJ, administers grant programs aimed to develop the nation’s ability to reduce domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking by strengthening services to victims and holding offenders accountable.

Read more about the OVW’s Grants to Improve Criminal Justice Response here: https://www.justice.gov/ovw/improving-criminal-justice-responses-program