Governing Body — Topeka, KS
Date: 2024-04-08

Sunflower Foundation 5860 SW 6th
 Avenue Topeka KS 66606
 https://www.topeka.org




 Governing Body Agenda
 April 8, 2024
 8:15 AM

 SPECIAL MEETING

 Mayor: Michael A. Padilla
 Councilmembers
Karen A. Hiller District No. 1 Marcus D.L. Miller District No. 6
Christina Valdivia-Alcala District No. 2 Neil Dobler District No. 7
Sylvia E. Ortiz District No. 3 Spencer Duncan District No. 8
David Banks District No. 4 Michelle Hoferer District No. 9
Brett D. Kell District No. 5
 Interim City Manager: Richard U. Nienstedt


A SPECIAL MEETING of the Governing Body has been called by Mayor Michael Padilla to conduct city manager
interviews. The meeting will not be televised due to technical difficulties and there will be no public comment
allowed at the meeting.

WRITTEN PUBLIC COMMENT may be personally submitted or mailed to the City Clerk's Office located at 215 SE 7th
Street, Room 166, Topeka, Kansas, 66603 or submitted via email at cclerk@topeka.org on or before the date of the
meeting for attachment to the meeting minutes.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has adopted use of the 711 dialing code for access to
Telecommunications Relay Services (TRS). TRS permits persons with a hearing or speech disability to use the
telephone system via a text telephone (TTY) or other device to call persons with or without such disabilities. To reach
the City Clerk's office using the TRS, please dial 711.

Agendas are available by 5:00 p.m. on Thursday in the City Clerk's Office, 215 SE 7th Street, Room 166, Topeka,
Kansas, 66603 or on the City's website at https://www.topeka.org.
CALL TO ORDER:
1. ROLL CALL:
2. EXECUTIVE SESSION:
 Executive Sessions are closed meetings held in accordance with the provisions of the Kansas
 Open Meetings Act.

 The Governing Body will recess into Executive Session for a period of time not to exceed nine (9)
 hours to interview five (5) candidates for city manager as allowed under KSA 75-4319(b)(1). The
 following individuals will be present to aid in the discussion: Members of the Governing Body; City
 Attorney, Amanda Stanley; and the five candidates for City Manager.

 The open meeting will resume at the completion of the executive session.
3. ADJOURNMENT:
 City of Topeka
 Council Action Form
 Council Chambers
 214 SE 8th Street
 Topeka, Kansas 66603
 www.topeka.org
 April 8, 2024


DATE: April 8, 2024
CONTACT PERSON: DOCUMENT #:
SECOND PARTY/SUBJECT: PROJECT #:
CATEGORY/SUBCATEGORY
CIP PROJECT: No
ACTION OF COUNCIL: JOURNAL #:
 PAGE #:

DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION:

The Governing Body will recess into Executive Session for a period of time not to exceed nine (9) hours to
interview five (5) candidates for city manager as allowed under KSA 75-4319(b)(1). The following individuals will
be present to aid in the discussion: Members of the Governing Body; City Attorney, Amanda Stanley; and the
five candidates for City Manager.

The open meeting will resume at the completion of the executive session.
VOTING REQUIREMENTS:
POLICY ISSUE:
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
BACKGROUND:
BUDGETARY IMPACT:
SOURCE OF FUNDING:

ATTACHMENTS:
Description
Press Release March 28, 2024
Special Meeting Notice (Revised) - April 8, 2024
 City Communications
 City Hall, 215 SE 7th Street Tel: 785-368-0991
 Topeka, KS 66603 www.topeka.org



For Immediate Release
Contact for further information: Taylor Bugg, Interim Communications Co-Director,
citycommunications@topeka.org
March 28, 2024

Governing Body to hold City Manager finalist interviews, public meet and greet
TOPEKA, Kan. – Five finalists have been selected to interview for the Topeka City Manager position.

The City of Topeka’s Governing Body has worked with Strategic Government Resources (SGR) for the last
several months on the search for a new City Manager. SGR led the recruitment campaign for the Topeka
City Manager position. 42 candidates applied for the position. In February, the Governing Body
narrowed that list down to a group of 14 semi-finalists for closer examination. After an in-depth review
and follow-up with the 14 semi-finalists, SGR will be bringing in five finalists to interview with the
Governing Body. None of the finalists are internal candidates.

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.

Background information about the finalists will be provided next week.
 City Clerk Brenda Younger, M.M.C.
 City Hall, 215 SE 7th Street, Room 166 785-368-3940
 Topeka, KS 66603 Email: byounger@topeka.org
 www.topeka.org



 Special Meeting Notice – Executive Session
A special meeting of the Governing Body has been called by Mayor Michael Padilla to conduct city
manager interviews. The meeting will not be televised due to technical difficulties and there will be no
public comment allowed at the meeting. Written comments may be submitted via email to
cclerk@topeka.org or delivered in-person to the City Clerk’s Office located at 215 SE 7th Street, Room
166, Topeka, Kansas.
DATE: APRIL 8, 2024
TIME: 8:15 A.M.
LOCATION: Sunflower Foundation
 5860 SW 6th Avenue
 Topeka KS 66606

AGENDA: (1) Call to Order
 (2) Roll Call
 (3) Executive Session
 (4) Adjournment

SUBJECT: Executive Session for a period of time not to exceed 9 hours to interview five (5)
candidates for city manager as allowed under KSA 75-4319(b)(1). The following individuals will be
present to aid in the discussion: Members of the Governing Body; City Attorney, Amanda Stanley;
and the five candidates for City Manager.

The open meeting will resume at the completion of the executive session.


Contact: Brenda Younger, City Clerk
 785-368-3940 or 785-368-3941
 cclerk@topeka.org

Governing Body Minutes – April 8, 2024

 SUNFLOWER FOUNDATION, 5860 SW 6th Avenue, Topeka, Kansas, Tuesday, April

 8, 2024. The Governing Body members of the City of Topeka met in special session at 8:15

 A.M. with the following Councilmembers present: Councilmembers Hiller, Valdivia-Alcala,

 Ortiz, Banks, Kell, Miller, Dobler, Duncan and Hoferer -9; Mayor Padilla presided -1.

 The special meeting was not televised due to technical difficulties and no public

 comment was allowed at the meeting. Written comments could be submitted via email to

 cclerk@topeka.org or delivered in-person to the City Clerk’s Office located at 215 SE 7th

 Street, Room 166, Topeka, Kansas.

 AFTER THE MEETING was called to order, Mayor Padilla announced the special meeting

was called to conduct city manager interviews.

 Marsha Reed, Senior Vice President, Strategic Government Resources, provided opening

comments and instructions regarding the interview process for Governing Body members and the

Community Panel Members.

 Mayor Padilla asked the City Attorney to site the parameters of the executive session.

 Amanda Stanley, City Attorney, stated the motion would be to recess into Executive

Session for a period of time not to exceed nine (9) hours to interview five (5) candidates for city

manager as allowed under KSA 75-4319(b)(1). The following individuals will be present to aid in

the discussion: Members of the Governing Body, City Attorney, Amanda Stanley; and the five

candidates for City Manager: Jeffrey Dingman, Alan Howze, William Jones, Robert Perez, and

Abbe Yacoben. The open meeting will resume in the Sunflower Board Room.

 Councilmember Kell moved to recess into executive session for a time period not to exceed

9 hours as stated by the City Attorney. The motion was seconded by Councilmember Duncan.

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 Mayor Padilla asked all those in favor of recessing into executive session to indicate so

verbally by saying “yea” and those opposing to indicate so verbally by saying “no.” After the voice

vote occurred, Mayor Padilla announced the motion carried. Councilmember Ortiz voted “no.”

(9-1-0)

 Following an 8-hour and 1-minute time period, the meeting reconvened into open session

 and Mayor Padilla announced no action was taken during the executive session.

 NO FURTHER BUSINESS appearing the meeting adjourned at 4:31 p.m.




 (SEAL)
 Brenda Younger City Clerk




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