Press Releases

Last Friday, City of Topeka crews successfully completed their storm debris clean-up operation from the July 14 storm that caused city-wide damage.

Crews spent four consecutive weeks cleaning up debris from city residents’ curbs free of charge. The city has an estimated 1,600 lane miles of roadway, all of which were covered in the operation. During the operation, customer service staff from the city’s call center helped generate more than 500 service requests related to storm debris.

The city would like to thank residents for the gratitude and patience they showed over the last month. City leaders are exceptionally proud of the crews and staff who worked tirelessly to make these efforts possible.

In 2020 the City of Topeka Housing Services Division created COVID-19 assistance programs to help with basic needs and small businesses in the community who have been impacted by COVID-19. These federal dollars have been and continue to be a great resource to the businesses and individuals struggling in Topeka. The City of Topeka has helped 23 small businesses and 177 individuals since the program started. Funding is still available.

“We have seen a great need in our community for assistance due to the impacts of COVID-19,” said Corrie Wright, Division Director of Housing Services. “The Operation COVID-19 Assistance programs were designed to help our small businesses stay open and keep our neighbors housed.”

Applications for the Small Business Grant program were accepted beginning on October 1^st, 2020. Nineteen applications have been approved and 28% of the funds have been committed and paid. 83% of the recipients of the grant are minority or woman owned businesses. The average grant for approved applicants is $12,486.

The Small Business Grant Program provides operating assistance to sole proprietors and business owners employing 1-25 persons as of March 1^st 2020 to keep residents employed. For a business to qualify for this grant they must be owned, or employ low to moderate income persons and demonstrate a need. Applicants can apply up to $20,000 in assistance and are eligible for expenses including payroll, rent/mortgage, utilities, loss of inventory or COVID related purchases.

Applications for the Basic Needs Assistance Program were accepted beginning on December 1^st, 2020. Thirty-one percent of the funds have been committed and expensed in two months. 177 applications have been approved so far with $427,259 in funds having been paid.

The Operation COVID-19 Basic Needs Assistance Program is a foreclosure/eviction mitigation and utility prevention shut-off program created by the City of Topeka and administered by the Community Resources Council. $1.5 million in CARES Act funds are available to qualified applicants to help cover expenses and help keep people housed and with utilities. The program is by appointment only and applicants must be city residents, have COVID related outstanding bills after March 2020 and match no more than 100% of area median income. Appointments can be scheduled over the phone from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday by calling (785) 233-1365. If the line is busy, leave your name and phone number and CRC staff will call back to schedule an appointment.

More information on the COVID assistance programs can be found on the City of Topeka website. https://www.topeka.org/housing-services/covid-assistance-programs/

You can view the full report on the COVID Assistance Programs here: https://cot-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/planning/HSRptJan2021.pdf

The City of Topeka is proud to announce that its Department of Administrative and Financial Service has received the Certificate of Achievement for the 2022 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA).

An ACFR is a set of financial statements for a state, municipality or other governmental organization that comply with the accounting requirements. This set of documents communicates the full scope of the city’s audited financial results of the 2022 fiscal year.

Finance staff completes a 6-month long process that involves hundreds of staff hours to deliver this report to our constituents and the Topeka City Council. The city’s Finance team has received the ACFR award for the last 9 years.

Acting Chief Financial Officer Rachelle Matthews had this to say about the achievement, “I am extremely proud of the finance and accounting staff across the city for their hard work and dedication to this process. This is truly a team effort and without their diligence, we could not provide this level of detail and transparency for our citizens.”

Learn more about the Government Finance Officers Association here: https://www.gfoa.org/about.

Visitors of the popular Kaw River State Park may notice excavation work near the boat ramp located in the northeast corner of the park. This earth and excavation work, led by the City of Topeka, is part of the greater Topeka Riverbank Restoration Project.

The Topeka Riverbank Restoration Project is a two-year project, and encompasses 22 acres of land in the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks’ 76-acre Kaw River State Park. The restoration project, led by Friends of the Kaw (FOK), aims to remove non-native plants and invasive species from the area.

Currently, the City’s contractor is making improvements in the boat ramp area to reduce erosion and sediment loss. Additionally, the contractor will be constructing some nested basins near the parking lot to promote water quality by infiltration and filtration. The excavation work is expected to be complete in the next few weeks, weather permitting.

Once complete, FOK and project partners will work with volunteers to return native grasses, wildflowers, trees, and shrubs to the area. Returning native plants will stabilize soil, while improving drainage and water quality of the river. All of the City’s water originates from the Kansas River.

The Topeka Riverbank Restoration Project is made possible by FOK, Native Lands LLC, the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, the City of Topeka Utilities Department, and Shawnee County Extension Master Gardeners.

To learn more about the Topeka Riverbank Restoration Project, including volunteer opportunities, visit https://kansasriver.org/get-involved/volunteer/riverbank-restoration-volunteer-opportunities/.

For more on Kaw River State Park, visit https://ksoutdoors.com/State-Parks/Locations/Kaw-River.

The City of Topeka is pleased to announce the appointment of Ben Hart as the Interim Chief Financial Officer (CFO), effective Tuesday, April 16. With over 25 years of experience in the public sector, Hart brings extensive expertise to the role. As a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA), he previously served as a Director with Baker Tilly and held key positions in resource management for large municipalities in the Kansas City Metropolitan area.

Hart’s dedication to public service is evident through his active involvement in the Kansas and Missouri Society of CPAs, where he contributes to the governmental accounting committee and the Government Financial Officers Association at both national and local levels.

Interim City Manager Richard U. Nienstedt expressed enthusiasm about Hart’s appointment stating, “Mr. Hart’s experience and dedication to public service will serve Topeka well as the city transitions into new leadership with the next city manager.”

Hart’s tenure as Interim CFO will continue until a permanent replacement is found.

The City of Topeka announced Thursday that it hired Freddy Mawyin to serve as its next Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Mawyin currently serves as the Senior Economic Advisor at the Greater Topeka Partnership (GTP).

Prior to his role at GTP, Mawyin served in the United States Army as an Intelligence Officer. He holds a Master of Business Administration from Washburn University, and obtained a bachelor’s degree in Economics and Spanish from the University of Missouri–St. Louis. Mawyin sits on various community boards and committees, including the United Way of Kaw Valley’s Board of Directors and the Topeka Community Foundation Asset Management Committee.

“Freddy comes to the city with an impressive resume and a wealth of knowledge of finance and economics. He also has a great understanding of the Topeka community, which will serve him well in this role,” said City Manager Stephen Wade. “This hire is another example of the wonderful partnership between the city and GTP. I’m grateful that Matt Pivarnik and leaders at GTP see this as a collective win for our organizations and Topeka as a whole.”

“I’m so proud of Freddy and all that he’s accomplished here at The Partnership,” said Matt Pivarnik, Greater Topeka Partnership CEO. “Serving as economic advisor to GO Topeka was actually Freddy’s first civilian job after leaving the military, and he’s been with us since our partnership model was just an idea waiting to be explored. Freddy has taken our economic analysis and data-driven development to a new level, and I know he’ll bring that same tenacity to the City of Topeka as CFO. I can’t think of a better next step for him in his career and am proud to still have him on Team Topeka!”

The CFO, formerly known as the Director of Finance and Administrative Services, leads a 24-member team responsible for overseeing the city’s budgeting, financial reporting, payroll, accounts payable, accounts receivable, debt management, grant management, and procurement.

“I am honored and grateful City Manager Wade selected me to serve the City of Topeka and all its community members in this capacity,” said Mawyin. “The Finance Department provides critical support to the entire city, and the staff is filled with talented individuals. I am excited to be joining such a talented and dedicated team.”

Mawyin’s first day is January 23.

The City of Topeka announced Tuesday that it hired Randi Stahl to serve as its next Chief Information Officer (CIO).

Stahl has served in a variety of leadership roles in the community including technology-based experience, risk management, project management, and more. She obtained both her MBA and bachelor’s degree from Baker University. Stahl serves on the Technology Advisory Committee for the Seaman School District, and is a volunteer for Shawnee County 4-H and the Shawnee County Fair Board.

“Randi is an experienced leader, having served in diverse roles throughout her career. I’m thrilled to bring Randi on board, so we at the city can take our IT services to the next level, including the implementation of a new city website, better integrating systems, and much more,” said City Manager Stephen Wade.

The CIO, formerly known as the Information Technology (IT) Director, leads a 21-member team responsible for all telecommunications, computing and business system functions for the city.

“I am humbled at the opportunity to become the CIO for the city I have called home for my entire life. As a lifelong Topekan, I look forward to leading the city government’s Information Technology Department as we modernize systems to support our great citizens and staff,” said Stahl.

Stahl’s first day is February 13.

The City of Topeka announced Friday that it hired Pamela Foster to serve as its next Director of Human Resources.

“I am thrilled to have Pamela join our team,” said Interim City Manager Richard U. Nienstedt. “She will bring a multitude of experience to the City of Topeka and will be a great asset to our staff.”

Foster holds an MBA and Doctor of Philosophy from Kansas State University. She brings 20 plus years of human resources experience to the city and holds certifications as a senior professional from the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) and the Human Resources Certification Institute (HRCI).

Foster said, “I’m very excited to be chosen to serve as the city’s next Director of Human Resources and I look forward to furthering the City of Topeka’s development of a superior workforce and continuing to meet the city’s goals effectively and efficiently.”

Foster comes to the city after serving as Washburn University’s Director of Equal Opportunity, Title IX Coordinator and ADA Coordinator and teaching Organizational Behavior for the School of Business at Washburn University.

Foster’s first day will be April 1st.

The City of Topeka announced Wednesday that Steve Groen will serve as the city’s next Public Works Director.

Groen holds a BA in Business Administration-Financial Management from the University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, MN. He has 40 years’ experience in the industry, having started as a seasonal concrete worker in college before working a variety of utility and street construction positions. Groen was promoted to Hennepin County Construction Division Manager in 2021. He currently serves as the Highway Superintendent for Minnehaha County Highway Department in Sioux Falls, SD.

“I am thrilled to have Steve join us,” said City Manager Dr. Robert Perez. “He will bring a multitude of experience to the City of Topeka and will be a great asset to our team.”

Assistant City Manager Braxton Copley, who oversees infrastructure and development departments and is currently serving as interim public works director, said “I am pleased to add Steve to my management team. He has many years of public works experience over a broad range of service areas.”

“I look forward to serving as the City of Topeka’s next public works director,” Groen said. “The recruitment of engineering staff will be a priority, as well as continuing work on improvements to the city’s streets, traffic control devices, and facilities.”

Groen’s first day will be December 9th.