Weekly Report

The City of Topeka has announced the five finalists for the Topeka City Manager position.

Jeffrey Dingman currently serves as the Deputy City Administrator for the City of Fort Smith, Arkansas. Dingman has more than 20 years of government leadership experience and holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Kansas. He has been a Credentialed Manager through the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) since 2006. Dingman has also previously served in similar administration roles in the City of Baldwin City, Kansas and Sebastian County, Arkansas. Throughout his career, he has worked to develop short- and long-range strategic plans for communities of varying populations and has managed city budgets ranging from $13-160 million.

Alan Howze is an experienced public sector executive focused on building strong, financially sustainable communities and delivering high-quality public services. Howze has more than 20 years of professional government experience and is currently serving as the Assistant Administrator for the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas. He holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Virginia and a Bachelor of Science in Economics and Anthropology from James Madison University. Throughout his career, Howze has worked in government on the local, state and federal levels and has a background in information technology and communications.

William Jones has over 24 years of local government management experience. He is currently the City Administrator for the City of Mequon, Wisconsin and previously served in similar roles for the Village of Glencoe, Illinois and the City of Highland Park, Illinois. Jones obtained his Master of Public Administration from Indiana University and is a Credentialed Manager with the International City/County Management Association, Certified Public Finance Officer from the Government Finance Officers Association, and a Certified Labor Relations Professional from the National Public Employer Labor Relations Association. In his current role, Jones has helped expand the tax base, assisted with debt issues, developed an asset management plan, revised an ethics ordinance, restructured organizational staffing, hired a new police chief, initiated a full-time staffing model for Fire and EMS and enhanced health and safety in schools via a new water source and an additional school resource officer.

Robert Perez serves as an Assistant City Manager of Infrastructure for the City of Dallas, Texas. Perez has gained over 20 years of municipal government experience while working for the City of Dallas and the City of San Antonio and holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Education with a concentration in organizational leadership, a Master of Public Administration, and a Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in political science. Perez’s background is in Public Works, and he has published several academic articles ranging in topics from the relationship between data and infrastructure as well as innovation in local government. In his current role, Perez provides executive leadership to the City of Dallas’ Department of Public Works, Transportation, Bond and Construction Management, Equipment and Fleet Services and Building Services. 

Abbe Yacoben is currently the Chief Financial Officer of Washoe County, Nevada, serving the Board of County Commissioners for the last year and a half. She has nearly 20 years of municipal government leadership experience, and has held roles in Arizona, Illinois and her home state of Maine. Yacoben holds a Master of Public Policy with a finance concentration from the University of Chicago, and she is a Certified Public Finance Officer. In her current role, Yacoben leads Washoe County Commissioners in their strategic planning process and benchmarking as well as human resources initiatives in the county. Yacoben is passionate about and skilled at leadership, teambuilding, open communication, working with different public groups and ensuring the City’s initiatives truly improve the quality of life for all residents and stakeholders.

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.

Last week, we celebrated the retirement of Maria Anderson. Anderson has served the city in a variety of roles, most recently as the Community Engagement Program Coordinator and Digital Navigator. Thanks for your service, Maria and enjoy your retirement!

• City of Topeka crews filled 913 potholes last week. 25,691 potholes have been filled so far in 2024.

• Crews are still working on mill & overlaying the transverse cracks on Cambridge, Misty Harbor Ave and Misty Harbor Dr.

• Traffic Reminder: As road work is taking place near SW Washburn and 21st Street, please follow the marked detours and follow set speed limits. Traffic enforcement officers will be monitoring the area. The safety of our staff and citizens is always our first priority.

Work is wrapping up on NW Tyler Street between Paramore and Beverly. Traffic can now travel both directions as crews finish work on the completely reconstructed street. This project also included the addition of new curb and gutter, a sidewalk on the west side, and an underground stormwater system.

Work on the KDOT Shared Use Path project on the east side of NW Tyler is scheduled to resume on Monday, April 8.

City crews are currently sweeping in Area 4, which is from is SW Huntoon St. to SW 21 ^st  St., between SW Fairlawn Rd. and S Kansas Ave. After completing Area 4, crews will move to Area 1. Area 1 is from I-70 to SW 6 ^th  Ave., between SW Topeka Blvd. and SW MacVicar Ave. 

Watch for the Street Sweeping sign posted at each end of your block the day before asking you to move your vehicle. This will allow crews to provide the best sweeping service. To view your Area, visit our searchable map on the city’s website:  https://www.topeka.org/streetmaintenance/street-sweeping-program/  

To view more information on each of the open bid opportunities listed below, visit the  City’s ePro website . For more information on City purchasing, visit the  procurement website .

1. Formal bid for securing contracts to provide emergency labor, materials, and equipment for site restorations of underground utilities repairs for the Utility Repair and Inspection Unit, URI
2. Formal bid for securing contracts to provide emergency labor, materials, and equipment for underground utility water main repairs for the Utility Repair and Inspection Unit, URI
3. Formal bid for securing contracts to provide emergency labor, materials, and equipment for wastewater and storm water utility repairs for the Utility Repair and Inspection Unit, URI
4. Formal construction bid for a storm water and ditch improvements in the area between NE Kaw St. and NE Sumner St. under projects T-501097.02 and T-501108.01
5. Formal construction bid for the street improvement project on NW Elm Row Ave, from Spangles to NW Topeka Blvd, project T-841097.05, 841097.17, 501105.08
6. Formal construction bid for a street improvement project, which includes ultrathin bonded asphalt surface (UBAS) at citywide locations, project T-841103.03
7. Formal construction bid for the street maintenance project, which includes mill and overlay in the SW quadrant of Topeka, project T-841105.06
8. Formal construction bid for the water main replacement at the Westboro Subdivision, SW Gage Blvd to Oakley and Huntoon, to 17th Street T-281250.02
9. Informal Bid for procuring Schneider Electric PLC parts and support for the Utilities Department SCADA Division under project T-281238.01
10. Informal construction bid for replacing windows at fire stations 1, 2, 8, and 11 under project T-131079.11
11. Request for proposals for professional engineering services for the street improvements in the Historic Holliday Park Neighborhood, project T-601160.01
12. Request for proposals for selecting a contractor for electrical rehabilitation and installation services of the Quincy Pump Station, project T-501012.15
13. Request for proposals for supplying the Topeka Police Department with honor guard uniforms
14. Request for proposal for supplying the Topeka Police Department with an unmanned aerial vehicle

Materials and reference guide now available in  English  and  Spanish .

• City staff and elected officials had a totally awesome time at the  Greater Topeka Partnership  Annual Meeting! We're excited for the revitalization of  West Ridge Mall  and the future of Topeka.  #TotallyTopeka 

• In case you missed it, the  Kansas Turnpike Authority  announced last week that it will transition to cashless tolling starting JULY 1, 2024. That means, no more waiting in line to pay a toll! Watch the announcement  here  and learn more at  DriveKS.com 

• The new Topeka Fire recruits got to learn and experience rappelling with the help of the crew at Station 11.

• April is Animal Cruelty Prevention Month. TPD  shared a post  from the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) with an update to the Kansas cruelty case TPD worked in partnership with HSUS in January. 

• TPD Citizens Academy participants in their sixth week heard from the Community Outreach Bureau, the Behavioral Health Unit and Animal Control.

• ANIMAL CONTROL REPORTING CHANGE: If you need to report information to Animal Control, you will experience minor changes in the reporting process.

• The next entry-level firefighter exam is scheduled for April 26, 2024. Learn more at:   https://www.topeka.org/hr/fire-department-careers/ 

• The next entry-level police officer exam is scheduled for May 3, 2024. Learn more at:   https://www.topeka.org/tpdrecruiting 

• Monday, April 8 - 8:15 a.m. - Governing Body Special Meeting Executive Session, City Manager Interviews - Sunflower Foundation, 5820 SW 6th Ave

• Monday, April 8 - 5:30 p.m. - Topeka City Manager Candidates Public Meet and Greet - Hotel Topeka, 1717 SW Topeka Blvd

• Tuesday, April 9 - 5 p.m. - Topeka Development Corporation Board of Directors Meeting - City Council Chambers, 214 SE 8th Ave -  Watch live 

• Tuesday, April 9 - 6 p.m. - Governing Body Meeting - City Council Chambers, 214 SE 8th Ave -  Watch live 

• Monday, April 15 - 6 p.m. - Topeka Planning Commission Meeting - City Council Chambers, 214 SE 8th Ave -  Watch live 

• Tuesday, April 16 - 6 p.m. - Governing Body Meeting - City Council Chambers, 214 SE 8th Ave -  Watch live 

• The city's Homelessness Initiative Core and Auxiliary Team is meeting a few times throughout the next few weeks. Visit the city's  Public Meeting Calendar  for details.

The Weekly Report is a weekly communication for city staff and the community. The report is developed by the City Communications Division and the City Manager's Office.

We have a variety of open positions ranging from entry-level to executive management.

The City of Topeka is proud to offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes health and dental insurance, generous paid vacation and sick leave, an on-site wellness clinic and fitness center and much more!

Ready to join our team? View a full list of current openings and apply at  www.topeka.org/careers .

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