Governing Body — Topeka, KS
Date: 2025-01-07

City Council Chambers 214 SE 8th St.
 2nd Floor Topeka, KS 66603
 https://www.topeka.org




 Governing Body Agenda
 January 7, 2025
 6:00 PM

 Meeting Canceled Due to Inclement Weather
All agenda items and public speakers will be rescheduled for the
 January 14, 2025, Governing Body 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
 City Manager: Dr. Robert M. Perez


 Due to inclement weather conditions the meeting will be VIRTUAL. We encourage the public to view the meeting
 online at https://www.topeka.org/communications/live-stream/ or at https://www.facebook.com/cityoftopeka/. If you do
 not have access to a viewing option and would like to attend the meeting in-person, the City Council Chambers
 located at 214 SE 8th Street, 2nd Floor, Topeka, Kansas, will be open to the public.
 Addressing the Governing Body: Public comment for the meeting will be available via Zoom or in-person. Individuals
 must contact the City Clerk's Office at 785-368-3940 or via email at cclerk@topeka.org by no later than 5:00 p.m. on the
 date of the meeting, after which the City Clerk's Office will provide Zoom link information and protocols prior to the
 meeting.

 Written public comment may also be considered to the extent it is personally submitted at the meeting or to the City
 Clerk's Office located at 215 SE 7th Street, Room 012B, Topeka, Kansas, 66603 or via email at cclerk@topeka.org on or
 before the date of the meeting for attachment to the meeting minutes.
 If you need any accommodations for the meeting, please contact the City ADA Coordinator at 785-368-4470. Kansas
 Relay Service at 800-766-3777. Please provide a 48 Hour Notice if possible. Assistive listening devices are available for
 use in the community forum.

 Agendas are available by 5:00 p.m. on Thursday in the City Clerk's Office, 215 SE 7th Street, Room 012B, Topeka,
 Kansas, 66603 or on the City's website at https://www.topeka.org.
CALL TO ORDER:
INVOCATION:
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE:
1. ROLL CALL:
2. PRESENTATIONS:
 Joint Economic Development Organization Update
3. CONSENT AGENDA:
 A. MINUTES of the regular meeting of December 17, 2024
 B. APPLICATIONS:

4. ACTION ITEMS:
 A. Election of Deputy Mayor

 ELECTION of Deputy Mayor to serve a one-year term pursuant to Topeka Municipal Code
 Section A2-26(c).

 Voting Requirement: Action requires at least six (6) votes of the Governing Body.

 (The Deputy Mayor shall serve in the absence or temporary disability of the Mayor for a one-year
 term ending in January 2026.)

5. PUBLIC COMMENT:
 Public comment for the meeting will be available via Zoom or in-person.
 Individuals must contact the City Clerk's Office at 785-368-3940 or via email at
 cclerk@topeka.org by no later than 5:00 p.m. on the date of the meeting, after
 which the City Clerk's Office will provide Zoom link information and protocols
 prior to the meeting. Written public comment may also be considered to the
 extent it is personally submitted at the meeting or to the City Clerk's Office
 located at 215 SE 7th Street, Room 012B, Topeka, Kansas, 66603 or via email at
 cclerk@topeka.org on or before the date of the meeting for attachment to the
 meeting minutes. View the meeting online at
 https://www.topeka.org/communications/live-stream/ or at
 https://www.facebook.com/cityoftopeka/.
6. ANNOUNCEMENTS:
7. EXECUTIVE SESSION:
 Executive Sessions are closed meetings held in accordance with the provisions of the Kansas
 Open Meetings Act.

 (Executive sessions will be scheduled as needed and may include topics such as personnel
 matters, considerations of acquisition of property for public purposes, potential or pending litigation
 in which the city has an interest, employer-employee negotiations and any other matter provided for
 in K.S.A. 75-4319.)
8. ADJOURNMENT:
 City of Topeka
 Council Action Form
 Council Chambers
 214 SE 8th Street
 Topeka, Kansas 66603
 www.topeka.org
 January 7, 2025


DATE: January 7, 2025
CONTACT PERSON: Amanda Stanley, City DOCUMENT #:
 Attorney
SECOND PARTY/SUBJECT: PROJECT #:
CATEGORY/SUBCATEGORY
CIP PROJECT: No
ACTION OF COUNCIL: JOURNAL #:
 PAGE #:

DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION:
 Joint Economic Development Organization Update
VOTING REQUIREMENTS:
POLICY ISSUE:
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
BACKGROUND:
BUDGETARY IMPACT:
SOURCE OF FUNDING:

ATTACHMENTS:
Description
JEDO Presentation
Overview of JEDO
The Joint Economic Development Organization
| Overview of JEDO 2


2|History of JEDO
3|Voting Rights
4|Selection of Members
5|Rotation between City and County
6|Meeting Times
7|Funds Allocation
History 3



• Established by Interlocal Agreement between
  Shawnee County and the City of Topeka in 2001
• JEDO Board is comprised of 13 members
• JEDO is funded through the half cent county wide
  retailers sales tax established by the inter-local
  agreement and is to be used for economic
  development.
Who gets to Vote? 4


• The three Shawnee County Commissioners;
• City of Topeka Mayor;
• Deputy Mayor; and
• Two City Council members
• If the Deputy Mayor or other voting City Council member
  cannot be present at a meeting, an alternate may be selected
  by the absent member with full voting rights. The alternate shall
  be a City Council member of the absent member's choice;
  provided, however, that such alternate may only serve after
  providing the JEDO Chairperson a written proxy from the absent
  member
Nonvoting members are the remaining six Council members
When are the Councilpersons selected? 5



• At the third governing body meeting each January after
  the election of the deputy mayor.
Rotating Chairperson and Administration 6


• The City and County rotate the position of JEDO
  Chairperson with the Mayor serving in odd-numbered years
  pursuant to City of Topeka Resolution No. 7623 and the
  Chairperson of the County Commission serving in even-
  numbered years commencing on January 1 of the
  respective year.
• The City and the County also rotate the administrative
  duties with the City providing those services in odd-
  numbered years and the County doing so in even-
  numbered years.
When does JEDO Meet? 7



• 2nd Wednesday of February, May, September, and
  December
• Meetings are open to the public and televised
• Public comment is allowed on each actionable agenda
  item and at the end of each meeting. Citizens are given
  four minutes to speak and comments must relate to
  topics directly relevant to JEDO business.
How are Funds Spent? 8


(1) $5 million annually for economic development priorities of
JEDO administered through GoTopeka

(2) Remaining split for Infrastructure
 • Fifty-Two Percent (52%) to County for specific projects and
 • Forty-Eight Percent (48%) to the City for specific projects
 • JEDO may alter the distribution formula, or reduce the amount of
 funds allocated for any particular improvement or project. Each
 year, at JEDO's May meeting, the County and the City shall
 distribute an updated priority list, accompanied by a project
 status update, as a matter of information only.
 City of Topeka
 Council Action Form
 Council Chambers
 214 SE 8th Street
 Topeka, Kansas 66603
 www.topeka.org
 January 7, 2025


DATE: January 7, 2025
CONTACT PERSON: Amanda Stanley, City  DOCUMENT #:
 Attorney
SECOND PARTY/SUBJECT: Deputy Mayor Election PROJECT #:
 2025
CATEGORY/SUBCATEGORY 006 Communication / 005 Other
CIP PROJECT: No
ACTION OF COUNCIL: JOURNAL #:
 PAGE #:

DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION:

ELECTION of Deputy Mayor to serve a one-year term pursuant to Topeka Municipal Code Section A2-
26(c).

Voting Requirement: Action requires at least six (6) votes of the Governing Body.

(The Deputy Mayor shall serve in the absence or temporary disability of the Mayor for a one-year term ending
in January 2026.)

VOTING REQUIREMENTS:
Action requires at least six (6) votes of the Governing Body.
POLICY ISSUE:
Pursuant to Topeka Municipal Code Section A2-26(c) the Deputy Mayor will serve in the absence or temporary
disability of the Mayor.

The Deputy Mayor shall serve until January 2026. Pursuant to Governing Body Rules and Procedures 4.1(b) In
the absence of the mayor, the deputy mayor shall preside. Anytime there is a need for an election of a Deputy
Mayor, Councilmembers who have served the longest period of time and have not previously served as Deputy
Mayor will automatically be nominated. Councilmember Kell will automatically be nominated for Deputy Mayor.

STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the Governing Body move to nominate and elect a Deputy Mayor.
BACKGROUND:
The City's charter ordinance requires election of a Deputy Mayor at the first governing body meeting in January.
The Deputy Mayor serves for a one-year term and in the absence or temporary disability of the Mayor. Rule
4.1(b) of the Governing Body Rules provides that Council Members who have served the longest period of time
and have not previously served as Deputy Mayor will automatically be nominated. In addition to automatic
nominations, additional councilmembers can still be nominated until the nomination is closed by motion. The Rule
only requires that the longest serving who has not served be automatically nominated not that they automatically
become the Deputy Mayor.

Councilmember Kell is eligible to be nominated. If he refuses, then Councilmember Hoferer would be eligible,
followed by Councilmember Banks and Councilmember Miller.

The Deputy Mayor shall appoint the members to each standing committee for Policy and Finance, Public
Infrastructure, Public Health and Safety, Social Service Grants and Transient Guest Tax, as well as any special
committees. Below is a list of Deputy Mayors that have served over the past several years:

2024 - Christina Valdivia-Alcala
2023 - Neil Dobler
2022 - Spencer Duncan
2021 - Mike Padilla
2020 - Tony Emerson
2019 - Sandra Clear
2018 - Brendan Jensen
2017 - Jeff Coen
2016 - Michelle De La Isla
2015 - Karen Hiller
2014 - Denise Everhart
2013 - Sylvia Ortiz

BUDGETARY IMPACT:
There is no budgetary impact to the City.
SOURCE OF FUNDING:
Not Applicable.

ATTACHMENTS:
Description
TMC A2-26 Meetings - Deputy Mayor
Appx. A, Sec. A2-26 Meetings – Deputy Mayor | Topeka Municipal Code Page 1 of 1




Sec. A2-26. Meetings – Deputy Mayor.

(a) The governing body shall establish, by ordinance, a meeting schedule for each calendar year, with a minimum
of two meetings each month.

(b) The governing body shall elect a Councilmember to serve as deputy mayor in the absence or temporary
disability of the mayor.

(c) A deputy mayor shall be elected at the first governing body meeting in January to serve for a one year term.
(C.O. 122 § 1, 2-8-22.)




The Topeka Municipal Code is current through Ordinance 20384, passed November 1, 2022.

Disclaimer: The City Clerk’s Office has the official version of the Topeka Municipal Code. Users should contact the
City Clerk’s Office for ordinances passed subsequent to the ordinance cited above.

City Website: www.topeka.org
Code Publishing Company




 The Topeka Municipal Code is current through Ordinance 20384, passed November 1, 2022.
 City of Topeka
 Council Action Form
 Council Chambers
 214 SE 8th Street
 Topeka, Kansas 66603
 www.topeka.org
 January 7, 2025


DATE: January 7, 2025
CONTACT PERSON: DOCUMENT #:
SECOND PARTY/SUBJECT: Public Comment PROJECT #:
 Protocol
CATEGORY/SUBCATEGORY
CIP PROJECT: No
ACTION OF COUNCIL: JOURNAL #:
 PAGE #:

DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION:
PUBLIC COMMENT PROTOCOL
VOTING REQUIREMENTS:
POLICY ISSUE:
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
BACKGROUND:
Governing Body Rule 5.5

(c) Public Comment on a specific agenda item: Comments from members of the public concerning a
specific agenda item will be heard at the time the item is considered. Persons will be limited to addressing the
governing body one (1) time on a particular matter unless otherwise allowed by a vote of six (6) or more members
of the governing body.

(d) General public comment: Requests by members of the public to speak during the public comment portion
of a regular governing body meeting will be placed on the agenda on a "first-come, first-served" basis. The
request should state the name of the individual(s) desiring to be heard. Each such individual shall be limited to
addressing the governing body one (1) time and his or her comments shall be limited to topics directly relevant to
business of the governing body; provided however, that comments pertaining to personnel and litigation matters
shall not be allowed.

Procedures for Addressing the Governing Body
In accordance with Governing Body Rules 5.6 and 5.7, the following protocols for public comment apply:
 Each person shall state his or her name and city of residence in an audible tone for the record.
 All remarks shall be addressed to the Governing Body as a whole -- not to any individual member.
 In order to provide additional time for as many individuals as possible to address the Governing Body, each
 individual signed up to speak will need to complete his or her comments within four minutes.

The following behavior will not be tolerated from any speaker:

 Uttering fighting words
 Slander
 Speeches invasive of the privacy of individuals (no mention of names) Unreasonably Loud Speech
 Repetitious Speech or Debate
 Speeches so disruptive of proceedings that the legislative process is substantially interrupted

Any speaker who engages in this type of behavior will be warned once by the presiding office (Mayor). If the
behavior continues, the speaker will be ordered to cease his or her behavior. If the speaker persists in interfering
with the ability of the Governing Body to carry out its function, he or she will be removed from the City Council
Chambers or Zoom meeting room.

Members of the public, Governing Body and staff are expected to treat one another with respect at all times.
Zoom Meeting Protocol

 Make sure your Zoom name, email and/or phone number matches what was submitted to the City Clerk
 when you signed up for public comment. Any misnamed or unauthorized users will not be admitted to
 Zoom.
 Please keep your mic muted and your camera off until you are called by the Mayor to give your comment.
 If you are cut off during your comment time due to an internet connection or technical issue, you will need
 to submit your comments in writing to the City Clerk atcclerk@topeka.orgor 215 SE 7thStreet, Room
 012B, Topeka, KS 66603 for attachment to the minutes.
 If you break any of the public comment rules, you will receive one warning from the Mayor. If you continue
 any prohibited behavior, you will be removed from the Zoom meeting room and will not be allowed to rejoin.
 Public comment is limited to four minutes. You may receive an extension at the discretion of the Governing
 Body. The timer will be visible to you in the ‘City of Topeka Admin’ window on the Zoom app. Call-in users
 will hear one beep when a minute is remaining and then another beep when time has expired.
 Please do not share the Zoom login information with anyone. Any unauthorized users will not be admitted to
 the Zoom meeting room.
BUDGETARY IMPACT:
SOURCE OF FUNDING:

City Manager’s Office Brenda Younger, M.M.C.
 City Hall, 215 SE 7th Street, Room 166 Email: cclerk@topeka.org
 Topeka, KS 66603 785-368-3940
 www.topeka.org


The January 7, 2025, Governing Body meeting was canceled due to inclement weather. All
agenda items were rescheduled for the Governing Body meeting on Tuesday, January 14, 2025.

Brenda Younger
City Clerk