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.
The City of Topeka and GO Topeka are joining forces to equip small business owners with the tools they need to succeed with the 2024 Supplier Diversity Workshop.
The Supplier Diversity Workshop will take place on November 13, 2024, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Bishop Professional Development Center, 3601 SW 31st St. The workshop is designed to empower small business owners by providing valuable insights into how to successfully do business with the government.
In addition to covering the essential steps for securing government contracts, the workshop will also include several panels that will cover topics such as: legal compliance, sound accounting practices, comprehensive insurance coverage, key elements for how to sustain and grow a business, and much more.
“We recognize that running a business requires a holistic approach,” said Leigha Boling, division director of procurement and grant management for the City of Topeka. “This workshop is a way that we can help connect small, minority and disadvantaged business owners with the right resources and contacts for success.”
Individuals interested in attending the Supplier Diversity Workshop should pre-register online. Breakfast and lunch will be provided for attendees. There will also be translation services available for Spanish speakers. Individuals needing translation services can find the registration form in Spanish on the city’s website.
This event is a condensed version of the Supplier Diversity Expo that was hosted by the city earlier this year. The expo and workshop were both made free to attend due to a grant received from the National League of Cities (NLC) as a part of the City of Topeka’s participation in the City Inclusive Entrepreneurship (CIE) program.
With severe storms forecasted to impact the Topeka area on Wednesday, the City of Topeka is prepared to respond to potential storm damage and is mobilizing resources to assist with storm debris clean-up.
To report downed city-owned trees, blocked streets or sidewalks from tree debris, or traffic light issues, residents are encouraged to contact the City of Topeka Call Center at 785-368-3111 or report through the SeeClickFix app or webpage. Crews will prioritize moving debris to the side of the road to reopen traffic access as swiftly as possible.
The City of Topeka will focus on clearing city-owned trees and ensuring roadways remain accessible. Should severe storm damage affect large portions of the city, the City Manager will determine if the city will initiate a city-wide storm damage pickup. If city-wide pickup is not implemented, property owners are responsible for removing and disposing of their own tree limbs and other debris. Stay tuned for further updates as the City of Topeka continues to monitor the storm. Please follow the City of Topeka on social media or visit the city’s website for the latest information.
The City of Topeka has announced the four finalists for the Topeka police chief position.
(Simon Happer withdrew his application on 11/04/24) W. Simon Happer currently serves as the deputy police chief for the Overland Park Police Department in Overland Park, Kansas. Lieutenant Colonel Happer has 34 years of law enforcement experience and 19 years of senior police leadership including serving as the interim police chief for the Overland Park Police Department. Happer received his Master of Public Administration from the University of Kansas. Happer has worked with his command staff to develop new strategies to address staffing issues including several proposals which focus on retention of current employees, recruitment of candidates from colleges, the military and high schools, as well as our commitment to the 30 by 30 campaign. Happer says he hopes to reduce crime rates, increase traffic safety and improve morale, while building trust with a diverse population hungry for transparency and collaboration.
Russ Klumpp currently serves as a Major for the Topeka Police Department. Klumpp has 19 years of leadership and executive experience. He works in the Criminal Investigations and Field Operation units. Klumpp was appointed by Governor Laura Kelly as a member of the Kansas 988 committee to help reduce suicide rates. He received his Ph.D. in social psychology from Walden University. Klumpp says he plans to emphasize strong community relationships, a commitment to meaningful and open communication, police department accountability, improved care and procedural integrity for employees, advancements in the provision of police services, and increasing officer morale.
(Jose Salcido withdrew his application on 10/31/24) Jose Salcido has more than 27 years of law enforcement experience, most recently serving as the Director of Campus Security at Friends University in Wichita, Kansas. Salcido holds a Master of Military Arts and Sciences from the United States Air Force Air Academy and has a human resources certification. Salcido served in the United States Air Force for 25 years before retiring as a Major. During his time with the Wichita Police Department (WPD), he led a department of investigators overseeing all criminal investigations and helped to develop various crime prevention strategies in partnership with the community.
Chris Vallejo has 30 years of experience in law enforcement, having served in various roles during his tenure with the Austin Texas Police Department (APD). Vallejo holds a Master of Criminal Justice from Texas State University. During his time as Commander in Training at the APD, Vallejo helped to develop inclusive and diverse training programs and implemented recruitment strategies that resulted in the most diverse cadet class in APD history. He also pioneered the creation of a Chief Data Officer position that aimed to integrate community-based initiatives to foster to trust and collaboration between the APD, elected officials and the community. Vallejo currently serves as a National Policing Institute Executive Fellow, regularly collaborating with Police Chiefs nationwide and advising on strategies to
address evolving challenges in U.S. law enforcement.
To give residents an opportunity to meet the finalists, the city will host a public meet and greet on Wednesday, November 6, at Hotel Topeka, located at 1717 SW Topeka Blvd. The event will take place from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. and will provide community members the chance to interact with the candidates and ask questions.
Following the public event, there will be a special meeting of the Governing Body at 6 p.m. on Thursday, November 7, to discuss the police chief candidates, with the goal of selecting the next leader of the Topeka Police Department. They will meet in executive session
The City of Topeka Utilities Department has completed the Lead Service Line Inventory (LSLI) required by U.S. EPA’s Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR) for its water systems.
Under the Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR), water systems are required to make their initial inventories publicly accessible. The inventory map is available on the City of Topeka Utilities webpage under “Topeka’s LCRI Compliance”.
Through completing a historical records review, conducting surveys and performing field checks, the City determined there are 291 lead service lines in its distribution system, 810 galvanized lines requiring replacement (GRR), and 3,112 lines that are made of unknown material. These numbers include both
city-owned and customer-owned service lines. The remaining 53,592 service lines in the distribution system are identified as non-lead.
“We are proud to be part of the national effort to better protect communities from exposure to lead in drinking water,” said Utilities Director Sylvia Davis.
City of Topeka Utilities prepared the LSLI for submittal to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) and US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Over the next three years, Utilities plans to continue work to identify the remaining unknown service lines. Simultaneously, plans will begin to replace the City’s lead service lines and the GRR.
About the LCRI The EPA first established the Lead and Copper Rule in 1991 to reduce exposure to lead and copper in water. These contaminants primarily enter drinking water through corrosion of service lines, fixtures, or plumbing. EPA published Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR) in 2021 and proposed Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) in 2023 to strengthen key elements of the LCRR. The final rule was approved on October 8, 2024.
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 has officially closed the application process for the position of police chief. A total of 18 applicants applied for the role. The recruiting firm SGR will now begin the process of narrowing the pool down to four or five finalists.
To give residents an opportunity to meet the finalists, the city will host a public meet and greet on Wednesday, November 6, at the Emerald Ballroom in Hotel Topeka, located at 1717 SW Topeka Blvd.
The event will take place from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. and will provide community members the chance to interact with the candidates and ask questions.
“We are excited to meet with the finalists and engage with the community as we select our next police
chief,” said City Manager Dr. Robert Perez. “It’s important that the candidates reflect our values and will work towards the goals outlined in our public input sessions. We invite all members of the community to participate and share their thoughts during this important time.”
Following the public event, there will be a special meeting of the Governing Body at 6 p.m. on Thursday,
November 7, to discuss the police chief candidates, with the goal of selecting the next leader of the Topeka Police Department. They will meet in executive session.
The city will continue to provide updates on the search as the process moves forward.
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.
