Governing Body — Topeka, KS
Date: 2024-11-07

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




 Governing Body Agenda
 November 7, 2024
 6:00 PM

 SPECIAL MEETING - EXECUTIVE SESSION

 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


No public comment will be allowed at the meeting. View the meeting online at
https://www.topeka.org/communications/live-stream/ or at https://www.facebook.com/cityoftopeka/.

Written public comment may 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 166, Topeka,
Kansas, 66603 or on the City's website at https://www.topeka.org.
CALL TO ORDER:
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE:
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 time not to exceed 3 hours for
 consideration of police chief candidates 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 Manager Dr. Robert M.
 Perez; City Attorney Amanda Stanley; and anyone else the Governing Body finds useful.

 The open meeting will resume in the City Council Chambers 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
 November 7, 2024


DATE: November 7, 2024
CONTACT PERSON: Dr. Robert M. Perez, DOCUMENT #:
 City Manager
SECOND PARTY/SUBJECT: Topeka Police Chief PROJECT #:
 Interviews
CATEGORY/SUBCATEGORY
CIP PROJECT: No
ACTION OF COUNCIL: JOURNAL #:
 PAGE #:

DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION:

The Governing Body will recess into executive session for a time not to exceed 3 hours for consideration of police
chief candidates 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 Manager Dr. Robert M. Perez; City Attorney Amanda Stanley;
and anyone else the Governing Body finds useful.

The open meeting will resume in the City Council Chambers at the completion of the executive session.
VOTING REQUIREMENTS:
Not Applicable
POLICY ISSUE:
Executive sessions are allowed pursuant to K.S.A. 75-4319.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Not Applicable
BACKGROUND:
The City of Topeka received a total of 18 applicants for the police chief position. The recruiting firm SGR has
narrowed the pool down to four or five finalists. The City will host a public meet and greet to provide residents an
opportunity to meet and interact with the finalists on November 6, 2024.
BUDGETARY IMPACT:
Not Applicable
SOURCE OF FUNDING:
Not Applicable

ATTACHMENTS:
Description
Special Meeting Notice - November 7, 2024
Topeka Police Chief Finalists 11-03-24
 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 City Manager Dr. Robert M. Perez for
consideration of Police Chief candidates.
DATE: November 7, 2024
TIME: 6:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M.
LOCATION: City Council Chambers
 214 SE 8th Street, 2nd Floor
 Topeka KS 66603

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


SUBJECT: The Governing Body will recess into executive session for a time not to exceed 3 hours
for consideration of police chief candidates 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 Manager
Dr. Robert M. Perez; City Attorney Amanda Stanley; and anyone else the Governing Body finds
useful.


The open meeting will resume in the City Council Chambers at the completion of the executive
session.

Written public comment will be considered to the extent it is submitted via email to
cclerk@topeka.org or delivered in-person to the City Clerk’s Office located at 215 SE 7th Street, Room
012B, Topeka, Kansas. No public comment will be allowed at the meeting. View the meeting online
at https://www.topeka.org/communications/live-stream/ or at https://www.facebook.com/cityoftopeka/.


Contact: Brenda Younger, City Clerk
 785-368-3940 or 785-368-3941
 cclerk@topeka.org
 City Communications
 City Hall, 215 SE 7th Street Tel: 785-368-0991
 Topeka, KS 66603 www.topeka.org

Contact for further information: Dan Garrett, Director of Communications, dsgarrett@topeka.org

November 3, 2024

 City of Topeka Police Chief Finalists
 TOPEKA, Kan. – The City of Topeka will move forward with the interview process for the following two
 candidates: .


 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.


 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.

Governing Body Minutes – November 7, 2024

 CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS, Topeka, Kansas, Thursday, November 7, 2024. The

 Governing Body members of the City of Topeka met in special session at 6:00 P.M. with the

 following Councilmembers present: Councilmembers Hiller, Valdivia-Alcala, Ortiz, Banks,

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

 Public Comment was not permitted at the special meeting session; however, the meeting

 was open to the public. Written public comment was also considered to the extent it was

 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 November

 7, 2024, for attachment to the meeting minutes.

 THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE was recited by meeting participants.

 Councilmember Dobler moved to recess into executive session for a time not to exceed 3

hours for consideration of police chief candidates 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 Manager Dr. Robert M. Perez; City Attorney Amanda Stanley; and anyone else the

Governing Body finds useful. The motion was seconded by Councilmember Kell.

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

by verbally by saying “yea” and those opposing to indicate so verbally by saying “no.” The

motion carried on voice vote. Councilmember Ortiz voted “no.” (9-1-0)

 At the conclusion of the executive session, the meeting reconvened into open session and

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

 Councilmember Kell left the meeting.

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

45 minutes for consideration of police chief candidates 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 Manager Dr. Robert M. Perez; City Attorney Amanda Stanley; and anyone else the

Governing Body finds useful. The motion was seconded by Councilmember Miller.

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

by verbally by saying “yea” and those opposing to indicate so verbally by saying “no.” The

motion carried on voice vote. Councilmember Ortiz voted “no.” (9-1-0)

 At the conclusion of the executive session, 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 9:36 p.m.



 (SEAL) ___________________________
 Brenda Younger City Clerk




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