City Council - Regular Meeting

All right. Good evening. Welcome to the governing body meeting of February 3rd, 2026. I will ask [clears throat] Council Member David Banks has the invitation this evening. So, I will turn it over to him and if you are able, please rise. Thank you, Mayor. Good evening, everyone. And I'd like to do an introduction to the guy that I call my pastor, Pastor Curtisine Odum, Senior. He's born in Fort Cobb, Oklahoma, 1956, 37 years old. [laughter] Thank you.

He's married to First Lady Melanie ODM. They have 11 children. He came to Topeka homeless, struggling with vices of life. He now holds a master's in in theology and is a pastor of In God's Church. That's over in Oakland. Um he follows his his called and advocacy for those who struggle with addiction, mental health, homelessness, serving as vice chair to the Topeka Jump in the past, and is also the dean of Faith Bible College here in Topeka. I'd like to introduce you to my pastor, uh, Curtis ODM. If you'll come to the podium, PLEASE [applause]

just take over, pastor, like you.

Praise God. Little fancy. I don't have all this. [laughter] Amen. Can we pray? Father, I thank you first of all for being such a good and gracious God to us. You love us with an everlasting love and you take care of us and I'm so grateful. Your word tells us that if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways. Then will I hear from heaven. Then will I forgive their sins and then will I heal their land. Father, our land needs you. Our people needs you. We need your power. We need your wisdom. We need your touch. We need your guidance. And Lord, I am so thankful that you give me this opportunity to come and pray with our leaders of this great city. I thank you, Father, that they have chosen to dedicate themselves to the help that's so much needed today for this great city and for these people. Father, I thank you that they have volunteered their efforts and their times. And Lord, I just ask that you would give them all of the power necessary to do the job that you called them to do. give them the joy in their hearts that's necessary to do the job that you have called them to do. And Lord, I pray that you give them the wisdom and the great counsel that's necessary to do the job that you've called them to do. And we'll be so careful to give your name all the praise and all the glory. Now Lord, lead us and guide us through this evening. Lead us and guide us, Father, along the way.

Give us a heart to serve you, Father, with all the effort, with all the power that we can muster. And we'll be so careful to tell all that you are the one who give us what we need in order to provide the services that the people need and desire. So I thank you, Father, cuz you are truly good to us. I praise you and I give your name the glory and praise in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen.

I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

All right. No, that's the clerk to take role. Mayor Duncan here. Council members Hillard here. Valdivia Okala, Ortiz here, Banks here, Kell here, Miller here, Bradberry here, and Hoer here.

Okay, we have eight present. See, just so everyone knows, even as mayor, I don't have a person who does that for me. Right. So, uh, Randy Bales, you, you and anyone else you would like to bring up here, come on down. One proclamation this evening. Thank you. Good to see you. It is this is for Optimus Day. All right. So, we'll talk a little bit about it and I'll turn the mic over. So, be ready. One of you be ready. Whereas volunteers working with young people who are our joy of today and our hope for tomorrow are exuberant representatives of the potential to be reached and dreams to come true. They are also unbounded in their enthusiasm to use their own talent, skills, and hard work to make a difference in others lives. And whereas members of Optimus International will celebrate Optimus Day throughout the world the first Thursday of every February to promote their efforts in helping and recognizing the young people that make a difference in their communities and who will encourage a greater exchange of ideas between young people and adults. And whereas there are 2,000 Optimus clubs with more than 40,000 members in Optimist International and Optimist members throughout the world that carry out more than 6,500 service projects that serve 6 million young people a year. Now therefore, I, Spencer L. Duncan, mayor of Topeka, Kansas, do hereby proclaim the first Thursday in February as Optimus Day.

All right.

Thank you. Excuse me. Uh, thank you. Good evening. On behalf of the 30 Optimus clubs across the state of Kansas, including the three Optimus clubs that serve the greater Topeka community. I want to thank the mayor and city of Topeka for this proclamation. On Thursday, we won't just celebrate Optimus Day, but we will celebrate the incredible power of a positive outlook. Um, want to thank the members of Topeka Optimus Club and Topeka Sunrise Optimus Club that came with me this evening. Uh, President Rod Obermeer from Topeka Optimist Club and President Tim McCoy, Rod's wife Susie. Uh we appreciate the the time or opportunity to have the proclamation provided to us and we will look forward to having it again.

Thank you very much. [applause]

Cheers or whoever is All right. With that, clerk, I will let you turn over for the consent agenda. A are the minutes of the regular meeting of January 2020 26 and there are no applications.

Do I got a motion by council member Kell and I believe a second from council member Ortiz and we'll ask the clerk to take a vote. Council member Miller. Yes. Come on. And then council member Ortiz.

Okay, we have eight. Yes, the motion carries. All right, with that we move on to action items. I'll ask clerk to read action item A. A is a public hearing to consider the advisability of creating a community improvement district and an ordinance introduced by city manager Dr. Robert Perez establishing a California crossing community improvement district and leving a CD sale tax of 1 and 1/2% within the CD. All right, city manager. Thank you, madam, members of the governing body, practicing copy, deputy city manager will lead us to this item. [snorts]

Thank you, city manager. as Dan's pulling up the presentation. I have a brief PowerPoint presentation that will apply to both items 4 A and 4B. And we'll just go through it together and then we'll take the the items separately. Here we go.

[clears throat]

There we go. Five minutes. Five minutes. No. All right, guess we're waiting.

Well, while Dan's pulling that up, why don't I go ahead and get started on the presentation relative to California Crossing. So, in the developer submitted a CD application, has requested a 1.5% CID on that improvement district. The application was received and the financial analysis were done in November of 2025. In December on the 16th, we ran in front of the city council a resolution setting the public hearing for this evening. And so tonight we will have the public hearing for the establishment of the CI and then uh we will have the action on the ordinance that will approve and establish this the CD and the development agreement is the second item. So California Crossing is located on the southeast corner of 29th in California. Uh those of you who are um from Topeka know that this particular uh shopping center has been in disrepair for uh some period of time now and it is desperately in need of renovation and rejuvenation and the developers asked for a CI to help with those CI eligible costs. The project will consist of the improvements for the new supermarket uh super marcado in wester familia. In addition, there are 12 other potent leasable spaces within that development. And so the total development cost or total development costs which are CI eligible is approximately $6 million. Uh because the developer to date has only obtained the tenant for the uh

supermarket, um we are limiting the reimburseable cost to the approximately $1 million that were needed for doing the tenant upgrades, the air conditioning, as well as the parking lot sidewalk improvements to be able to bring that tenant in. Now, as the developer is able to obtain other tenants to take come into this property, he has the ability to seek an amendment to increase the amount of the CI eligible costs up to the maximum total amount, which is the $6 million, but all of the all of it is being funded solely out of the one and a half% CI. So tonight we're going to open the public hearing, take comment on it, close the public hearing, and then we'll seek adoption and staff's recommendation is to approve the ordinance establishing the CI [snorts] as well as to approve the development agreement. And so item 4 A, which is the item in front of us, is the public hearing and the ordinance approving the establishment of the 1.5% CAD. Again, staff is recommending approval. Gladly stand for any questions and I believe there is a conferee signed up on this item.

Yep. So, thank you, Braxton. Um, after the public hearing, we'll have a chance to ask questions and have further conversation as a governing body. So, with that, at this time, I will open the public hearing and ask if there is anyone present who would like to speak to the matter. I know we have one individual signed up, Mr. Henry McCclure. Hello, your honor. Thank you for the opportunity. Congratulations. Good to see you doing a good job. Saw you on WIBBW. So, um, why put a cap on it? What does it matter? And also, why not 2%. It's a going rate. Think about it. Classman got 2% at Wheatfield. You know, overall if you look at Topeka from 10,000 ft California crossing, you know, at [snorts] 29th in Fairline, you probably got a better opportunity. But if at 29th in Fairline, he qualifies for a 2% C, we ought to qualify at California Crossing. But also too, what you have to think, the guy I worked for in the real estate business is his name was May Seagull, Dana K. And H Anderson's partner, he said, "You got to have a long memory." So, think over the years how California Crossing didn't qualify to I mean, people wouldn't want to come there. I mean, I personally, it took two years to get a permit for Pizza Hut, but this stuff gets out and about. And so to give the guy that owns it a better shot, why not why not help the guy? Yeah, he doesn't live in Topeka. So what? But

help the guy that's had to I don't think he's delinquent on real estate taxes. you know, give him that. The other fella, the other fella uh owes what? $8 million and he got 2%. So, why don't we just like create an even playing field? Give a guy a shot. If you had to develop California Crossing in the market, it's tough. You know, the brokers all talk about what goes on here in Topeka. I met with a broker today in Cal uh from Kansas City and you know it's interesting when you hear their perception of our of our town. So let's uh let's give California Crossing its turn. Let's do everything we can to welcome new people. So, um I'm asking that uh leveler heads. There's no there's no reason whatsoever to cap, you know, if every time he has to come in to get it raised up. Well, you can look at it deal by deal, but there's also no reason not to go ahead and let the guy have 2%. You know, in order for us to get Chick-fil-A and what a burger to Topeka. We had to give away part of the incentive. We had to give part of the CD away. We had to start We had to give away part of the tiff proceeds away to get them just to come to town. So, I'm asking nicely as a real estate professional. It'd be a lot easier for me to make deals in

California Crossing if you uh if you give the uh developer and the owner every opportunity to do so. And I think it's time California [clears throat] Crossing get as equal consideration as the developer of wheat fields, especially when you consider the track records. So, thank you for the opportunity. Thank you, Mr. McCor. Excuse [clears throat] me. All right. Is there anyone else present who would like to come speak on this matter?

Hello, Danielle Twimlo. I live um not far from California Crossing. Um, so I'm really excited to see development um and improvement in that area. Um, it is long overdue as we we hear. Um, having more equitable use of our CIDs and our TIFFs and our preferably no TIFFs, but our HIDs um around our community will certainly help improve um the neighborhood. Although I do want to bring up one more time that we are at a missed opportunity again by not readressing um some of the terms within our incentive policy as other cities do that could help the community um around these areas that could help streamline revenue to um go towards affordable housing or other sources but also secure um the responsibility of these developers to hire locally and what that looks like. Um I am requesting that um the council take this up in one of the committees whether it be policy and finance or even public health and safety um to be looking at how other cities are utilizing um these kinds of incentives to better the community that they're going in. Um, and we have we're giving these out a lot a lot of our um every every single week we have we have multiple ones and we're at a missed opportunity to um improve our community. So, I'm really excited it's coming on this side of town um [clears throat] and well needed um but we're missing an opportunity that I hope we take up in committee. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. All right. Is there anyone else who would like to speak to this matter? Please state your name.

Yes, sir. Good evening, mayor, council members. My name is Matt Goff. I'm an attorney with Barbara Emerson Law Firm and Lawrence. I represent the developer uh California Crossing LLC. Thank you for this opportunity. Um, California Crossing was constructed in the early 1970s and over the years has seen a number of anchor tenants come and go. Fleming Foods, Price Chopper, and Dillan's were once tenants in the space now occupied by the Super Marcato Naestra Familia, uh, which only recently opened for business. The addition of that tenant has been a wonderful addition to the center, but even with it, the center is still approximately 42% vacant. The purpose of this CD is to facilitate the revitalization of the entire center and attract new tenants. new tenants that will increase the sales tax revenue to the city of Topeka. Not only would the revitalization of the center create a monetary benefit to the city in the form of increased sales tax collections, it would also advance the goals of at least two adopted neighborhood plans. The Central Highland Park neighborhood plan was adopted in 2010 and it identified the now vacated Dylan's grocery store uh at the center as meeting a vital need for the area. but that grocery store is no longer there. The plan also noted significant retail leakage at 29th in California and noted that the commercial buildings in the area are aging and experiencing long periods of vacancy. The High Crest neighborhood plan was adopted in 2015. According to that plan, the corridors of 29th Street and California Street uh carry a s significant amount of traffic and an aesthetic improvement at the center would have a positive impact on the High Crest neighborhood. The application before you meets the established criteria set forth in the city CID policy and that's set forth in the application in your packet. This

approval will not decrease any taxes to the city uh nor is the city obligated to incur any costs or expenses of any kind. Um this proposal is for phase one of the project which is the improvements related to the new super marcato. Um hopefully the uh project will have new projects to bring before you. Uh as as was discussed, the development agreement has a cap on it today and to increase it, we'll have to come back to this body and ask for an increase. Uh it'll take a lot of work to make the tenant improvements needed for the center to realize its potential. and the applicant is hopeful and optimistic that it will soon be able to request the approval of the next phase of improvements. So, on behalf of the applicant, thank you for your support of the project. I'm pleased to stand for any questions that you may have.

Thank you, Mr. Goff. All right, I'm going to ask one more time, so please be listening. Is there anyone else who would like to speak on this matter? All right. If not, it doesn't appear that there are, then I'm going to close this hearing. The public hearing is now closed and I will open it up to the governing body for questions, comments, and anything else you got. Council member Kell. Um, I agree with Mr. Mccclure on the aspect of, you know,

in certain areas of town, yes, let's let's kind of give what we given them before, but to me the there is the lower half of the socioeconomic status in these neighborhoods and to burden them with even a little even a half percent more is can be very burdensome. when you're on a fixed income, when you're uh limited budget, when you might be on food assistance, you know, that every little bit matters. [snorts] And so even even that half percent to me, we can't do that to a neighborhood like that. Um that area is in need of going somewhere and it is it is starting to head that direction. But I think the other thing we need to start looking at is we need to start holding the these property owners accountable and some of these developers and uh even the realtors just let the place sit there and dilapate for no reason uh over years. You'll see sit there and watch the same building just start falling apart more and more and more. nothing happening except for for sale or for lease sign out in front of it and then they finally get rid of it or they come to us and themselves and want want some type of incentive instead of doing something then when it's going to cost them a lot less to do it because things haven't fallen apart. Uh, so we need to really start looking and not letting things get to the point where people need to come to us and say, "Okay, hey, if this thing's kind of falling apart so much, we need some help to get it going." Uh, but I I think my main point, like I said, we need to keep it at the 1.5, not even look at raising it because of of the socioeconomic status of the neighborhood. Thank you,

Council Member Banks. Thank you, mayor. Uh, I just want to make a comment to, uh, the gentleman that's representing the developer. Um, having been elected to that district, District 4, and seeing some of the things that are happening right now, it's really exciting. It creates optimism for a family uh a district that we feel have been we've been overlooked for so long is really a a feather in our cap that someone has decided that we're worthy of the C because I think that there is a greater economic impact that can take place once we start to realize that how important that center can be uh to our city. So, I would commend the developer for taking a look. I commend the city for the CI uh proposal and look forward to representing this district uh for a while. And again, I appreciate the the knowledge that someone has taken the time to invest in our district and certainly it it's not just our district that it makes a difference in, it makes a difference in our city. So, thank you. Thank you, Mr. Mayor,

any other comments or questions? Council member Ortiz.

Thank you. I'll piggyback off that. Um, this is long overdue. And it's exciting. And they have a good um I'll call it a buffet in there. Go in there and and try that food. City manager, he told me to go in and try it. I went in and came out with four or five plates. I mean, it it it's been very awesome to see how um they've just turned that corner around. Um even even the parking lot was just terrible. And so um no, it's not my district, but it is my neighbor and me and David work hand in hand together. Um so I'm I'm going to support this and I'm I'm excited to see more opportunities coming that way. Um, and if you haven't been in there, you need to go in there because there's a wide variety of of of um different kind of food in there. Um, from homemade tortillas to Mexican candy. And so, um, I will support this. And, uh, to the developer, I want to thank him because I believe this is his largest store, um, am I correct, in in the state. Um, I thought that's what was said. Um but um [clears throat]

unfortunately I couldn't confirm that for you but it's I thought we were told right David in the state that this was his largest store. He's got a store witch and Kansas City David was that right? Yeah. So so we we that's something to be proud of and more people will want to want to come around that area. Thank you. Thank you. Any other questions or comments on this? All right. And with that, we have a motion from Council Member Banks and a second from Council Member Kell. So, if there's nothing else, then I would ask the clerk to take a vote. Council member Miller. Nothing, ma'am. Thank you.

Yes or no? Yes or no? [laughter] It's on the California crossing. Did I have a comment? I was like, no. Yes. on this. I absolutely want [laughter] to see this government come and finish it. Okay, we have eight. Yes, the motion carries. All right, with that we will move on to action item B. I would ask the clerk to read. Okay. B is approval of a development agreement between the city of Topeka and California Crossing LLC. All right, city manager. Thank you, mayor, members of the governing body. Braxton Copley, deputy city manager will lead us through this item.

Thank you. Item 2A is the development agreement. This agreement has been negotiated between the count our city's council and council for the developer. Uh this establishes the maximum reimburseable amount for this phase at $1 million. It does allow for the opportunity through amendment to increase that cost as they bring online other phases and there are 12 additional potential phases for this project. Staff again recommends approval of the development agreement that will basically be the terms and conditions between the parties relative to this uh how the C functions.

All right. Thank you. Uh, we do have one individual signed up to speak, Mr. Henry Mccclure. Your honor, it's not too late. All you got to do is make an amendment right now to increase it to 2% and there's no reason to have a cap on the future developments. You know what's going to happen? the disparaging treatment of people eventually it's going to catch up and for what you did at at and and trust me I I think Jim Clausman's a good guy you know deep down he's not evil but he's just going to take advantage of you tell you guys decide to stop letting him take advantage of you but here's a here's a group that's got properties all over the country they're they're nice fellas. They're um they want to do deals. They want to do more deals. But over the years, there's just never been a reason to come to Topeka. But also too, I want you to remember the grocery store that's there. They have an alternate store that's like Hy and they might want to bring that to the market too based on the sales at California Crossing. And also too, when it comes to the demographics of 29th in California, they're actually pretty good. There's a there's a lot of money in southwest uh or southeast Shauny County. You what we need to do is to keep people from driving over to Lawrence and shopping at the Hi Ve over there. So, it's a be Yes, it is a beautiful store.

But um give some consideration to the market and the market that we've created. Think about it. You've spent $125 million over 25 years to make our community better. There's no harm, no foul in the ex, you know, making it 2%. It's it's great that it's coming, but uh and we're lucky to have them. So, thank you for the chance to talk to y'all. Any comments or questions from the governing body? Council member Hiller.

Thank you, Mayor. I just want to to shout out to the developers as well as the city. Um, that grocery store, the size, the the variety, the appearance is is really great. It's an anchor for Southeast Topeka as well as a gem for our whole city. Um, I appreciate that. I also appreciate the work that everybody went into to negotiating the agreement uh with the examples of the prior speaker. I mean, we already had an existing shopping center built. Yes. Needed some updating and needed the parking lot redone and so on. But you know that other one that's being referenced was in involve demo and going to dirt and going underneath the ground and really starting from ground up. I also appreciate capping the search charge of the SID as much as possible for the buyers that are attending to come into that store as well as others. And so um just appreciate the project overall and happy to support it.

All right. I don't see anyone else asking to speak. So if that's the case, if anyone wants to make a motion, you are free to do so. We have a motion from council member Bradberry. Anyone like second from council member Hiller. Any last comments or questions? All right, with that I will ask clerk to take a vote. Council member Miller. Yes. Okay, we have eight. Yes, the motion carries. Thank you. With that, we will move on to action item C. I will ask the clerk to read.

C is an ordinance introduced by the city manager, Dr. Robert Perez, concerning parking in a city-owned and operated parking infrastructure amending sections 1060390 of the Topic Municipal Code. All right. City Manager. Thank you, mayor, members of the governing body. Braxton CPPley, deputy city manager, will lead us through this item.

Thank you, governing body. I have a presentation that I'll go through that's going to cover the next five items. This would be items 4 C through 4G. And this relates to project view. Thank you. So, quick overview of the district. Um, in June, we estab passed the governing body passed the resolution for the first phase for the establishment of the RHID. And what that that does is basically cues it up for the department of commerce to do their review uh to approve the uh formation of the of the district. At that point then the developers submitted detailed project plan including their financials. We did the financial analysis at which point in December we went ahead and ran the resolution setting the public hearing for this evening as required under state law to actually form the district and to approve the project plan as well as our RHID resolution requires any um subsidiary action that requires approval of the governing body needs to be on at the same time and the same evening as the project plan and the development agreement. And that would include the parking agreements and the um property sale agreement uh as well as the city code amendment that uh will be on tonight in succession for your approval. [snorts] So the location of the project is between Jackson and Bamb 6th and 7th. It's outlined in green. This consists of a couple of existing buildings and some surface parking lots.

that are currently owned by the Jay-Hawk Towers. The overall uh scope of the project is 192 dwelling units. This will be market rate and will consist of some studio, onebedroom as well as two-bedroom apartments and this will be a class A property. Um what triggered this of course is you have to be able to point to the uh housing study and that we have a need for housing that is not being currently met to justify the use of the RHID. Our housing study identified a need for up to 420 new housing units per year and that's across all market segments from lowincome um workforce housing and market rate housing. Our RHID policy, as I've alluded to, requires a number of of items, and this would be detailed project information from the developer relative to the the scope of the project and their financials. Uh developer needs to cover through a funding agreement, all of the costs that we incur for outside council and our financial advisor to uh negotiate agreements and do the review. uh they cannot have any delinquent taxes, assessments, utilities, zoning or other code issues. Meets needs to meet the city's but for requirement. In other words, that the incentive will be necessary to make the project viable at a market rate of return and not over incentivize the project. And then there needs to be financial and contractual guarantees to ensure that the project gets completed. The some of the details on this project are a total estimated project cost of approximately 51 million. The expected RHEID reimbursement for the RHID

eligible costs over the 25-year period is approximately $5.8 million. An economic development grant by the city of $ 1.5 million to be repaid annually by the developer and that will be backed by the RHID. uh property acquisition of the four J-Hawk parcels as well as the other uh five parcels that are owned by third parties uh for $1.15 million and then the uh base grant from the Kansas Department of Commerce in the amount of 5.7. So much time was spent negotiating the terms of the development agreement. Property acquisition will include the Flirty and Collins team purchasing all nine parcels, assembling those into a single site. Then that will be conveyed upon issuance of the full building permit to the city of Topeka. The city of Topeka will then own that for the 25-y year life of the RHID. will effectively lease that parcel back to the um to the developer for that 25-year period. At the end of the 25-year period, when the RHID has been satisfied, city's been fully reimbursed for the economic development grant, uh assuming the there is no default under the agreement and the property has been maintained in the condition that it was at the time of completion of construction, city will convey that parcel back to the developer. um uh parking in uh RHID administrative fee. Basically, the city is going to be administering this RHID for which it will be entitled to an administrative fee which will be the greater of 2% of the tax increment or $7,500 uh per year. the uh parking will each of those agreements will come in front of

you, but basically we're looking at 150 stalls for Jay-Hawk for 25 years and then we're looking at 192 stalls for the uh Flity and Collins project um for a 35-year period which is concurrent with their uh financing and uh a guarantee under the agreement that there is a minimum project cost of $50 million. in the cap of their developer fees at 4.75% cap on the RHID reimburseable expenses and this will be a reimburseable pay as you go RHID so they have to pay their taxes they have to incur the expenses and then we'll seek reimbursement out of the property taxes for the RHID eligible expenses. So, what we have tonight is we're going to have the the public hearing consideration of the RHID ordinance and the project plan. We're going to have the property purchase agreement uh for the Flian Collins uh single purpose entity which is the Topeka FC1 uh the parking lease agreements with Jay-Hawk and Topeka FC1 as well as the development agreement. And with that, uh, happily stand for any questions when appropriate, sir.

All right. So, here's what we're going to do. All right. So, these are obviously all connected, but D, E, F, and G are much more connected. C is a is just a general ordinance change that's been brought on by those others, but it just would allow us to do that not just with this project, but moving forward with any parking garage rates because we passed the the original ordinance. Didn't give us as a council any flexibility to make changes to those rates if we wanted to come back and have that conversation. So, what I'd like to do first is just discuss C, take our vote on that, then we'll have the conversation about everything else that's connected. We have two people signed up for public comment. So I may allow them to go ahead and make their public comment. And then I will let you know that we have David Wingerson who's the developer, Robert Flity with Flity and Collins Properties, Brandon Bogen with Flity and Collins Properties, and Kevin Burman with Hoffer Welker Architecture who are also here if you'd like to ask them any direct questions. So sound like a plan. Make sense to everybody? All right. So, we are on action item C relating to the ordinance that would give us the ability to come back and and consider rates within the parking garages. So, I have any questions or comments related to action item C?

Can I offer just one yes comment point? So, the existing code basically established a range of $40 to $120 for parking stall rates. Obviously, the the parking leases that are going to be presented to you tonight include an initial period of time in which there will be no um fee charged for those and hence the need to give the governing body the ability to grant an exception to the range of rates to be able so that these parking lease agreements would comport with our revised ordinance relative to the parking. Thank you, sir.

Yep. All right. So, if there are no comments or questions as it relates to this action item, if there is a motion, now would be the time to uh put that forward if you have it. How do I make there? I will move to approve. Do we have a second? Seconded by council member Banks. There's no other comments or questions. I will ask the clerk to take role. Mayor, [clears throat] you do not vote. Oh, well, I don't vote. So then I can't make a motion, can I? So there we go. So never mind. I take it back. Okay.

So you guys get to figure this one out. Motion. All right. Council member Banks he will move to approve. Okay. And we will let the second from Council Member Ortiz stand if she's okay with that. Oh, I mean Oh, who who hit the second? Oh, was it Council Member Banks? Sorry. I'm trying to uh There you're unlit now. Your picture lit up over here. [laughter] So, who made the motion? Council member Banks has moved to approve. So, we're still looking for a second. Who wants to second? Okay, I'll second that. Pick one.

Banks and Hoorth is fine. Um, you got I'm gonna go ahead and allow you to cast the vote here. Let's see. Okay, hold that thought. I got it to work this time. Okay, so Banks is making the motion. Huffer is going to second. The mayor does not vote. Now you can vote. Council member Miller, what is your vote? Yes.

Okay. All right. and council member Ortiz. Okay, we have six yes with council member Kell voting no and the mayor does not vote. So the motion carries.

All right, with that we will move on to action item D. If the clerk will read. All right. D is approval of a lease agreement between the city of Topeka and Jay-Hawk Tower Partners LLC for the lease of parking spaces in the city-owned and operated public parking garages located at 635 Jackson Street, commonly known as the Uptown or Parking Garage and 512 Southwest Jackson Street, commonly known as 512 Garage. All right, city manager.

Thank you, mayor, members of the governing body. Braxton CPPley, deputy city manager, will lead us through this item. Thank you, city manager. So, this lease agreement provides for 150 stalls to the J-Hawk partners. Um, as pointed out in the PowerPoint presentation, four of those parking lots that is going to be the site of future project view are currently parking lots that provide parking for the Jay-Hawk Towers. So, as a condition of the sale of the lots, the uh owners of Jay-Hawk Towers need to provide for ongoing parking um for the tenants in that building. Obviously, that building is is fully leased up. It provides a significant benefit to the city of Topeka to have many state agencies occupying that. So it's important for the city's just microcosm overall to be able to ensure the long-term success of that. This particular agreement would be 100 stalls in the uptowner and 50 stalls in 512 Jackson or the nearest the closest parking garage to that because the 512 Jackson currently is overs subscribed. Um, and then the first 10 years of the agreement would be for free. And then starting in year 10 would be for $40 per per stall per month, subject to a 3% inflationary kicker every 5 years. The total revenue that will be generated by this lease agreement over that 25-year period would be 1.1 million. And as pointed out in the materials, the revenue that is foregone um based on a $74, which is the current market rate for a parking stall lease would be $2.2 million. Again, there the negotiations for this started out uh very far apart in terms of the initial

request was was for 540 stalls at either free or deeply discounted rate for 40 years. and where we ended up was at this at this point. Um, any of these negotiations are always a very difficult one in terms of how do we arrive at an agreement that works for all of the parties. So, with all of that said, staff would ask for approval of this parking lease agreement. All right. Uh, we do have one individual signed up for public comment, so we'll do that first. Mr. Henry Mccclure. [clears throat]

Thank you, your honor. I think this is an important deal and I think it's going to be great for downtown, but I'd like to plant a seed. And um I liked your WIBBW comment. you were talking about your shortfall and how you're going to make up for it. So, here's one thing I want you to think about as mayor. So, look at all the revenue from all the parking that you've got today and put that into one payment. Sell all the parking garages and then lease them back. And we can create a lease based on the revenue say like at 80% and then your rent your rent payment to the uh the owner of the property it's triple net and um is that Marcus clapping at me? Thank you. We're getting your attention. Whatever.

Negative, sir. Well then, don't talk. Let's go. Let's continue.

So, um, some of the people on this council were talking about worrying about losing control. Well, you can write a lease that puts you in total control. You put all the properties on the tax role. They start paying real estate taxes. And then you figure out a maintenance agreement in the lease. You figure out a district. this these guys need this lease for a really good project. I'm not picking on the project or this lease. I'm trying to get you guys to focus on how to create revenue, pay off debt. So, thank you for the opportunity. I'm going to and also I might have signed up for some other ones. This will this will be my last comment on this this project for the record, but you're going to have to start figuring out new ways to bring income into this community. You're going to have to start figuring out new ways to treat people appropriately to where they want to make investments because there's a certain point in time that the uh usual suspects will stop. I don't care how much money you have. When you've got money prop projects that are just losers, they close them down. They move on. So, this is a very easy deal. You don't need to hire a consultant from outside of town. You got a real estate guy that can help you write the lease. This is a really, really common thing in uh investments. So they look the government of Topeka, I don't know what your bond rating is today, and I don't even know what your bond rates are. I I'd sure like to know, but it's a it's a no-brainer for a guy that's got to invest a hundred million.

You know, people, that's the neat thing about what's going on is there are people out there that need to place millions upon millions of dollars and hopefully your bond rating will get you a a lease rate and make a lease that you can live with. New information, new data. Thanks for your time. Thank you, Mr. Mccclure.

All right, Council Member Kell. This one's kind of to me doesn't doesn't work for us, especially since we've had the issues with having a solvent parking fund. U especially when it comes to the the um Jhawk Towers that they're taking twothirds of the pie for the next 25 years. Um I it's flip-flop maybe there's there's a chance there but to me this benefits one group and it's the one group that's kind of been holding up this whole entire project and holding up the city on this on this deal and it's just something I cannot even think about coming close to agreeing with that long term this is going to hurt longer u with the the parking fund. I made the comment earlier, we need to look probably possibly at half our parking garages we own and sell them. Um because they cost us more than than it seems like it's it's reasonable to to keep. uh we need to see what's viable and go that route and just let someone else take it over and let someone else um make these deals because this deal to me at least the one the one of these two is not anywhere near uh good for the city or its citizens. Thank you,

Council Member Heler.

Thank you. I have really struggled with this um [clears throat] on the parking side. I will aside from the numbers that were provided earlier when we first started the downtown revitalization though, uh the the magic number we had for how many housing units we needed to to get downtown to where it could be a self-sufficient going concern was 900 more housing units. With the addition of this um project where it is, but also the numbers based on what we've already done to date, we will be twothirds of the way to that goal. This project is a gamecher for us. Market rate, the location, the look, the quality, everything about it is is what we need for downtown. I've struggled with the parking part. spent some time asking questions about the balance and why. Honestly, we kept the parking garages because otherwise, if somebody else owned them, we wouldn't have any control over negotiating these deals at all. Um, and protecting the the possibility of some of these developments. Um, I am concerned about how long the rates are, but the staff and the developers have worked really hard to negotiate this deal as as as close as they can. Um, one of the things that's there is that people who are currently using these spaces have leases that still have 10 to 20 years on them. And so to keep them, keep those organizations and keep those tenants downtown is is important to us as well. We're trying to build and get ahead, not lose. Um, a comfort to me is that, um, even though I would personally like to have seen a little bit more stepping in the in the

rates that are in there, by the time these leases are renegotiated, which again will be 10 to 25 year leases, people will be able to look ahead at the end of that 25 year range and be expecting to see um, more either less or responsibility ility for helping cover the parking expenses or that the tenants themselves will need to pick it up. So, I I will support this and and all the pieces along the way. We're going to have to figure out how to how to make the whole package work, but it will be the game changer for downtown. Thank you.

You anyone else? I'll just say uh as I've looked at this project um parking is an issue for us in terms of how we're going to continue to fund some garages and the parking system. We know that. We've seen that as we've looked at the budget. We've had that conversation. Um so it's easy to get caught up in that piece of it for very logical reasons. Staff will tell you that I continue to have what I'm sure from their perspective is, oh my gosh, this guy has some ideas. He certainly does when it comes to how we should be maybe taking a look at how we we structure parking and pay for it long term. And they're healthy conversations. We're going to continue to have them. But the next step of that for me as I've looked at all this is is the next level bigger picture, right? There's more of an economic impact to us than just whatever these parking rates are. There's sales tax dollars that will be brought in over time to downtown. This will certainly as we add another 200 plus units of market rate housing uh continue to help us invest in downtown. We know there are some individuals downtown who have property who are waiting for this kind of development. As we've got 200 plus on one end coming online. We will then have another 200 plus on another end. We're going to have 500 new housing units within the next threeish year, three to four years in downtown. As to Councilwoman Hiller's point, that's a gamecher and that's new revenue that comes in not to just everybody who has a business downtown, but to the city of Topeka that goes back into our general fund. And so I've tried to very hard look at it from that perspective too, not just from the issues we're having with the parking department. And I would much rather have this development. And to Mr. Copley's point, this is not something that was negotiated last week. It is quite literally years of conversations and negotiations. And so this is where we're at. And so I I will also I do get to vote on this one in case you want this one. I do know. I checked. [laughter] So I I will I support this and I will be voting for it. Um and those are some of

my reasons as to why. Council member Kell.

And I I see your point about it helping downtown, but I we we need to look at what's helping downtown now because we've had what three or four businesses between what uh 10th and sixth have shut down in the last couple years. We have two or three that are actively vocal about closing the doors here in the next month or two. um and to sit there and then look at our parking fund and sit there and say, "Okay, we're going to start charging for stalls, do this, do that, and it's hurting our business if we don't have people that are willing to do do business downtown, have a business downtown. uh there's no point in sitting there doing all these other things to try to drive downtown because if we don't have anything downtown for to to drive them to then there's nothing we're really doing to help downtown. So we need to be looking more I think at the business side of downtown. let let the development come on its own and try to get those businesses going because if there's nothing downtown business-wise, then what are we driving people to? Anyone else have any comments, questions on We're still just on D, so we can still keep talking about this, but we'll we'll take Yes.

I'll just fill in a little bit. I represent district 1 for those who don't know and and um downtown is is in that district. I've been sitting with the downtown merchants and the DTI folks. We we are at a a third plateau in terms of the businesses. And so what we need and what what people are working on is to to finalize exact with the best of intentions. each time the city council moves forward with the parking plan, somebody says something, so we stop. And the incremental um part of the and the start and stop and the uncertainty of where it's going is is hurting those businesses. Um so people are actively working on that. That's something that we really um just be aware of it if you don't want to be in the middle of it, but we we really need to get it settled not just for immediate but for longer term so everybody knows and the prospective and the businesses that are there know what's going to be and the prospective businesses know. It's very a great concern. If if it's that uncertain, why would you open a business downtown? So, we're having those conversations. We need to keep moving and and all of us especially keep looking at that big picture. having those those extra people there will make a difference. I just wanted you all to know that we're really working on the the the merchants end of it and the the parking the day-to-day parking end of it as well right now. Thank you.

All right, we have a motion to approve from myself. Mayor is a point of order. Oh, I'm sorry, Mr. There are four additional people signed up to speak on item 4D. I can share with you the list of clerk. I have them. Did they did each of you actually want to give a fourm minute talk or were you just here for questions? And hello Mr. Wingerson, Mr. Flity, Mr. Boen, Mr. Burman. [laughter] No, it's okay. Um, [laughter] I think it probably Can you please identify yourself?

Oh, David Wingerson Flity and Collins property is a developer on this project. With me is uh Robert Flity, our president and CEO. We also have Brandon Boen, our vice president of um development operations, and then uh Kevin Burman with Hayford Welker Architects or u the architect on his project. So, we're all here. Um in terms of this specific agenda item, um I I think it's important to note that there all of these agenda items are intertwined. So, I don't know if it's beneficial for us to give a a small presentation to start with. Um, we kind of have an updated presentation to show you what this project is going to look like. Um, but in response to to downtown businesses, residential housing supports downtown businesses. Um, so, you know, we're going to deliver 275 to 300 residents that are going to be living and working, hopefully working in downtown Topeka, uh, 247, which will help that business community. So, so I understand your concern as as people try to to leave the area. Um, but this is a project that will support your downtown and that's our vision. So, I'll just add that little comment to this section and if there's any other questions, be happy to come back up and answer them.

Thank you very much. Thank you.

All right. Anyone else from the group would like to come say anything before we Mr. Mayor, Council, Robert Flity with Flareity and Collins. Um, we're based out of Indianapolis. We, uh, employ 450 people across our construction, property management, and development organizations. Kansas City is our second satellite office and our efforts in Topeka are representative of of the growth that we've experienced in that market. And we're a unique developer in the fact that we pride ourselves and our track record points to almost every project of the last 25 years has been of a public private nature. So we hang our hats on being a partner for communities in achieving big goals frankly and and a very common denominator has been locations that have been underinvested for whatever reason. You haven't seen the activity, but there are ambitions across all representations of stakeholders and we can look to ourselves as a patient partner that knows everybody to engage to bring to the table and to achieve ambitious uh projects and uh this is a great example of that and we're really excited about it. And in terms of the the parking is and this is there's layers to getting something like this um forward, but there are central business districts all across the country that [clears throat] relied on their businesses flourishing due to office activity. And they have been struggling for years now with a pullback in office attendance. And because these are singleuse districts that when that attendance level in office drops, they do not have the housing stock to rely on to supplement

that activity for local businesses. And uh I think many many communities smaller and larger are making very intentional shifts to focus towards mixeduse districts and what that can bring to business activity at all times of the day too. And uh this is a this is a large scale project. It would bring a lot of bodies on the street and it's something that we're really excited about. And uh I I would wager to say that local business owners could get excited about the vision that we're proposing here and the activity that could come with it. So I'll leave it at that, but thank you for having us.

Thank you. All right. The two of you, either one of you want to make any comments. All right. With that, we have a motion for myself and a second from Council Member Hiller. We're just on this issue. We're not voting on all the rest just yet. So, if you have any other comments at this time, that is it. Or else I will ask for a vote. Council member Hill. Yes. Yeah. Okay.

Okay. We have seven yes with council member Kell voting no. The motion carries. All right. We will move on to action item E. We'll ask the clerk to read. E is approval of a memorandum of understanding between the city of Topeka and Topeka FC1 LLC for the lease of 192 parking spaces in the city owned and operated public parking garage located at 635 Jackson Street Topeka Kansas 66603 commonly referred to as the Uptowner parking garage which contains parking spaces and office workspace. [clears throat]

City manager. Thank you, members of the governing body. Braxton CPY, deputy city manager, will lead us to this item.

Thank you, mayor. To be brief, this is the parking agreement between the city and the singlepurpose entity created by Flity and Collins as the owner of this particular property. This agreement covers 192 stalls. The first five years of that, which will be the lease up and stabilization of the property, would be no cost. And then for years six through 35, there would be a $40 a month per per stall per month charge that would be subject to a 3% kicker every five years for the remainder of that 35-year term. The total amount of revenue expected to be generated over that 35-year term is $2.98 million. The amount of revenue foregone based on a $74 per stall per month rate would be $2.9 million. Staff, again, this was a uh this is a multiaceted. All of these pieces fit together. And there was a substantial amount of negotiation back and forth to be able to land at this point. Just to put this into context, the starting point was the developer asking for $10 per month per stall in terms of the amount of of rent. So again, any of these negotiations are going to be extremely complex. Um, and it all has to fit together with all of the all the pieces working together. Staff would request approval of this lease agreement as well.

Thank you. questions or comments from the governing body on this item. Is there anything that Mr. Wingerson, Flity, Boen, or Burman would like to add at this time as you're signed up for public comment? Okay, great. Nothing. All right. Well, then I will wait. I Yeah, I get to vote. Then I will make a I will move to approve. Do I have a second? My screen's out, so Oh. just throw something. We have a second from council member Ortiz. If there's no other comments, I'll ask the clerk to take a vote. Council member Miller. [clears throat]

I don't see him anymore. And Council Member Hiller, your vote. Yes. Council member Miller. Dan, was council member Miller still there? I don't see him on my screen anymore. I don't think so. Okay, I'll come back on. Okay, we have six yes with council member Kell voting no. The motion carries.

All right, we will move on to action item F. I will ask the clerk to read. [clears throat] F is authorizing the execution of a real estate purchase agreement between the city of Topeka and Topeka FC1 LLC for the conveyance of real estate by warranty deed. The property involved includes the parcels commonly known as track 1 209 southwest 6th Avenue, track 220 southwest 6th Avenue, track 3 615 Southwest Jackson Street, and track 4 619 Southwest Jackson Street. Each of which is legally described in the agreement. All right, city manager.

Thank you, mayor, members of the governing body. Braxton CPPley, deputy city manager, will lead us through this item.

Thank you, city manager. So, in in some I'll just go over the material terms of this. There's nine lots total, four of which are Jay-Hawk partners owned. The other five are owned by other third parties. Purchase price 1.15 million. Clarity and Collins will obtain and purchase all nine of the lots over the course of the next several months. Only at such time as they are ready to um have the full building permit issued will the city then pull the trigger and do the purchase and then we'll lease that property back for the 25-year term. Um, and then at the e expiration of that term, we'll then convey the fee to the polarity and Collins subject to the conditions that I went over already in the PowerPoint presentation. Um, staff would again ask for approval of this particular item.

All right. Any questions, comments or other from the governing body? No. Once again, I will ask if uh Mr. Wingerton, Flity, Bogen, or Burman have any comments on this specific item. No. All right. [clears throat] All right. Well, with that, oh, Councilwoman Ortiz beat me to it. Council has moved to approve, seconded by Dave, Council Member Banks. There's no other comments. I will ask the clerk to take a vote. Council member Miller. Yes. Thank you.

Then we have Council Member Ortiz and Council Member Banks. Did you got three choices there? Okay, we have seven yes with council member Kell voting no. The motion carries. All right. And with that, we will move on to action item G. I'll ask the clerk to read.

G is a public hearing to consider the establishment of the project view reinvestment housing incentive district, RHID, and the adoption of the plan and an ordinance introduced by city manager Dr. Robert Perez establishing an RHID for project View District and adopting a plan for the development of housing and public facilities in the RHID and a development agreement between Topeka FC1 LLC and Indiana Limited Liability Company and the city of Topeka for the project RHID. All right, city manager. Thank you, mayor, members of the governing body. Braxton CPPley, deputy city manager will lead us through this item.

Thank you, city manager. Again, to be brief, this is the public hearing. There will be two action items that come out of this. One will be approval of the ordinance adopting the project plan and establishing the RHID district. The second will be the approval of the development agreement. Um, as I had gone over in the PowerPoint, key terms of the development agreement include all of the disperate pieces that we've talked about. So that's the $ 1.5 million Ecodo grant that will be repaid by the developer and will be secured by RHID. It includes the $ 1.15 million purchase of the real estate, a 35-year lease agreement with Topeka FC1, the 25-year lease agreement with Jay-Hawk Partners, the DOC Department of Commerce grant of the 5.7 million, RHID cap of the 5.8, 8. And again, this is set up as a pay as you go RHID. Gladly stand for any questions when appropriate. And I know the developer did put together a brief PowerPoint and this may be the appropriate time for him to share that in terms of uh some of the highlights of the project.

I guess this would probably be it before we have the hearing. Yes. So, whoever has that brief presentation, come on down. Damn. Hey, Spencer.

All right. This is uh this has been a long time coming, so we're we're happy to be at this point. I think I when did we meet council member Hiller? 2020 maybe. So I I think our first visit to Topeka, Kansas when we started exploring uh uh in the in the market was 2019. So so we're happy to to get to this point. Um this is a a complex project which which we're used to doing and we're used to completing. Um obviously we wouldn't be standing here today if we did not believe in this project. So, um, with that, I'll kind of give a a brief overview of what this project is, what it's going to look like. Um, so introducing, uh, the hutch. So, that's the the project name. We we've officially named the project. Um, this project, well, before we get into the project, I'll let Robert do a little overview of the company. I touched on it on my my last uh speaking appearance, but we're a unique developer in that these are the sorts of opportunities that we seek out and it's based on relationships, right? We're not just, you know, putting in a spreadsheet on where we think the highest growth is going to be and then raising a bunch of money to do that. We go where there's a shared vision to achieve something big and and transformational. We're very used to being one of the first movers in a community in terms of largecale multif family development. So, this is in our wheelhouse. We're used to longer timelines, too. It's nothing we're not used to. Um, but we also see uh the impact that this can have and we feel the excitement as well, too. and and that's why, you know, this is such a great fit for our team and why we've been uh active for for years now and why we uh we hope to be active a long time to come. A unique thing about us is that we're long-term holders. So, that's relatively rare in the real estate industry. A lot of the times it's

developers are looking to exit early and that's what works for their investors. But for us, we come in, we self-manage, we hire our own people, and we plan to be in the community for decades to come. And so that's our vision, and and that really is reflected in the product that we deliver in terms of a level of quality. We won't want something that's deteriorating within 5 years because we're going to be dealing with it down the line as well, too. So, uh, we pride ourselves on that and, uh, we believe that this will be no different. So, I'll kick it back to David here.

Thank you. So, the Hutch, this is a $50 million development um downtown Topeka. It's four-story residential product. We'll have some first floor residential units. Um it's 192 total units with 2500 ft² of commercial space. We'll have roughly 6,000 square ft of unique market amenity space for the residents. Uh with a goal of starting uh construction by the end of the third quarter of this year. So, uh, after potential approvals for today, we would be looking to push full steam ahead as quickly as possible. Um, and and getting some dirt moving as soon as we can so you guys can see some activity downtown. Um, community amenities. So, this is a a general list of amenities that that we will have at the project. Uh, resort style heated pool within a courtyard. Um, we're going to have outdoor patios with grilling stations, lounge space, dog park, and pet spa. It's, you know, residents pet amenities are a big thing these days, uh, believe it or not. So, we will have a specific area where you can take your dog to give your dog, if you want to try a cat, I guess you can try a cat as well. Uh, you can give them a bath in that that room so you're not doing it in your actual unit and making a mess. Um, co-working space is important in all of our developments. So, we plan co-working space so that residents don't have to feel like they have to live in their units. um they they we invite them to interact and and really truly become a part of a community. Um so that's the vision here. We'll have a unique coffee bar and lounge, which I'll explain a little bit better in a second. Uh state-of-the-art fitness and yoga studio inclusive of what we call a recovery room and sauna. Um the recovery room is just a place they can go and relax before they get or after they get out of the sauna. Um, and one of the things that that has been a uh something that has been requested has been a rooftop amenity deck. So on the fourth floor, we are planning a rooftop uh what we call a reserve kitchen. So it's a place where residents can go or our staff can go and

host parties or events that'll overlook um the capital building and it'll include an observation deck, an outdoor observation deck. Um in terms of unit amenities, we do wood style flooring, cabinetry. We will have private patios and balconies um on on the majority of the units that face the exterior. So there'll be good exterior view for this project. Uh we will have a few units that are going to include updated finishes or upgraded finishes, excuse me. Um so that will include things like upgraded appliance package, upgraded countertops, cabinetry, lighting, uh things like that. So the downtown impact, I kind of mentioned this a little bit earlier. Uh the majority of our product uh has about a 1.2 2 to 1.5 per unit uh resident ratio. And so that's where we're coming up with this 275 to 300 residents. So we fully expect there to be 275 to 300 residents that are going to be living downtown supporting downtown businesses 24/7. Um this will be the first major project in downtown Topeka. Um so we're excited about delivering that that resident base to the area. In terms of site planning, we'll get into the fun stuff here. Um, so the upper left corner you can kind of see where the amenities will be located. Um, sixth is kind of plan north, Van Beern is plan left, and then Jackson is plan right, if that makes any sense to anybody. Um, so you can see the the main residential entry is going to be on that sixth and Van Beern. Um, we'll have the 2500 square f feet of retail is going to be along Van Beer and extending that kind of commercial corridor and hoping to make further improvements down the line in the future if possible. Um, the the bottom right hand corner that kind of shows you a basic unit layout plan um for the fourth floor as well as that amenity and observation deck. Overall, this is a better detailed plan of what the amenities are going to look like on

that first floor. So, as you walk into the into this building, if you turn right, that's the unique market coffee resident lounge. Um, there may be a way to to activate that space with the commercial tenant. Um, so there may be direct access to a commercial tenant, depends on the commercial user. Um, so we're working through that right now. Um, you'll have a leasing office that'll host a manager as well as some some work room and some space for them. And as you keep walking through the corridor, you you'll eventually hit what we call the courtyard amenities or the outdoor amenities. Um, so everything is interconnected within this development. Here are some basic elevations of what this project is going to look like. Um, we'll get past those. And this is that that prime entry, right? So, this is your residential entry. On the right hand side, you can kind of see where that that commercial tenant is going to live. And then this is the Jackson Street side. So, one of the unique things, um, I forgot to mention it in the site plan, but we do have a second, um, courtyard, exterior courtyard. So that's more of an outdoor living library more or less. It's a little bit more passive. It's quieter. So people residents who want to want to go and use that courtyard to read a book that may not have as much action as the the main courtyard. It'll be a little bit of a quieter zone for them to use. And then this is the interior uh courtyard. So we're still developing this plan. Um but interior or courtyard amenities will include heated saltwater pool. You can see your outdoor grilling stations there. This one has a dog park that we've got to refine a little bit. Um, but you can kind of get a sense and a feel for what this building is going to look like.

So, with that, I'll open it to any questions. All right. Uh, Council Member Kell uh on the retail space, do you have any idea what any like what you're looking at for that that space?

Yeah, we're we're open to retail users. A lot of the times commercial tenants want to see the space before um they'll sign something up. You know, our vision is to have someone that that activates that street front. So, you know, would I love a coffee shop to be there? Yes. Is it something that's a little bit more unique than just throwing a coffee shop in the 2500 ft of commercial space? We'd be open to multiple ideas, but something that activates that street front. Um, that's an amenity to residents as well is something that we'd be looking for. Well, and as you said earlier, one of you said, uh, you kind of like to partner with your community. Correct.

Our big thing right there is grocery and um, if you go to good example, Kansas City, right next to Power and Light, you got Constantinos constantly busy. Yeah. Uh, always people in there. So, to me, the the prime retail for that space right there is is a grocery store. You don't have to be I'm not sure if you're familiar with Constantinos. But you don't need all the hot and cold, but just actual grocery there. I think would be a benefit for your residents,

but also a benefit for for the next five, six, seven, eight blocks around uh for for people. And it it'd be, I think, something that would have a lot of impact uh in that area. Yeah. Compared to a coffee shop, which we have a ton of those in Topeka, right? So,

yeah. And and if I may, we own a Whole Foods or not own, we have a Whole Foods in Indianapolis. We also have a Kroger in Indianapolis. Um now those are large square foot stores. Um if we could figure out a way to do a grocery or or some sort of grab-and-go tenant like that, we we've found that those are great amenities for residents as well. Um so I don't disagree with you in any any regard. What I'll what I'll add is um our philosophy when it comes to retail is that these projects the income that we could potentially generate in a maximum retail uh rent scenario is not what is making this a successful project. Our lenders will not necessarily give us credit on the retail income. It's it's the multif family apartment units that actually drive the viability. So when we take a step back and look at our plan of action for retail space in almost every project we deliver, it's really all about it being a complement to our residents and being an additional amenity, right? And so it's not going to be about who's willing to pay us the most rent. It's what's going to be the best tenant to improve our community, our project, and make it more attractive to residents as well as the surrounding. And a ger, there's absolutely no doubt it would be uh a large difference maker. Grocerers are, and we've got some of the the deepest experience. We delivered the only two downtown grocerers to Indianapolis, and we're working on a few others at other larger um cities in the Midwest. They are they command the most control and they are extremely particular about where they want to go and as much as we would like to push them in the directions of you know join our our vision here they know where they want to be quicker than we can tell them

and uh they really are it's a challenge right and and we'll explore every avenue but uh the fact of the matter is you know a lot of the times what's viable is is some of the smaller scale users, but uh it's never something we rule out. And to me, uh right there, that spot, you're looking maybe three to five miles to the closest grocery store. Yeah.

Uh there. So, to me, it's like I said, it's a great benefit for your residents, but it's also a great benefit for the people in the neighborhood in around the surrounding area. So, to me, that' be that'd be the biggest push uh I I would see for a retail spot. that be most beneficial for yourselves and also the surrounding. Thank you. All right. Any other questions for them before we open up the public hearing? Council member Hoer. Okay. Any questions? All right. Well, thank you very much. Appreciate it. As everyone knows, if you want follow-ups, they're very easy to get in touch with. So, make sure you reach out with them. Thank you.

With that, this is a public hearing. I'm going to open the public hearing and ask if there is anyone present who would like to speak to the matter. I do have one individual signed up and that is Andrew Hol. I truly appreciate the opportunity, but in the interest of time, I'm going to respectfully decline. Thank you.

All right. Is there anyone else present who would like to speak to the matter? All right, last chance. Is there anyone else present who would like to speak to the matter? This is your chance. Jump up. All right, with that, I'm going to close this public hearing. Now, does any members of the governing body have any additional questions, comments, anything else you'd like to add at this time? All right. Well, then I am going to move to approve.

Uh, we have a second from council member Hiller. Our screen must be working. Then as a as a point of order, there are two separate action items. So, the motion to approve should be like the motion to approve the ordinance and then we could have a motion to approve the development agreement. I'll defer to the city attorney, but I think that repeat that because I only have this listed as one item. Two. Oh, well, not on my sheet. Do you want do you want the ordinance and development agreement separate motions or one motion? He would like two separate motions. All right. Well, I will move to approve the ordinance. Counciloman Hillary is your second stand for that. Okay. So, we're on the ordinance, not the development agreement. Okay.

There's no other comments at this time. I will ask the clerk to take a vote. Okay. Amendments. Council member Miller Stone. Council member Miller. Yes. All right. And this is on the ordinance. [clears throat] Okay. We have eight. Yes. The motion carries. And then I will need to add real quickly. Um, all right. Then we'll move on to the development agreement. Yeah, hold on. Just Yeah, you're good.

Okay. All right. Any questions, comments on the development agreement? I will move to approve. Seconded by Council Member Bradberry. All right. With that, I'll ask clerk to take a vote. All right. It's ready to go. Council member Council Member Miller. Yes.

Okay. We have eight. Yes. The motion carries. All right. We have one more action item this evening which is the selection of our next council member. Prior to that though, we need to make a few adjustments and do a couple very quick things. So, we're taking a fivem minute recess. And when I say 5 minutes, I mean 5 minutes. Stretch your legs. We're going to make sure you have your make sure you have your paperwork in front of you for that process. We're going to make sure we have all our members here who are going to be interviewed in five minutes. So, I'm going to start with you're here not We're coming back.

All right, we are back from our recess. We are rounding up my council here to make sure we can get this process started. We are going to move on to action item H. I will ask the clerk to read.

H is selection of council member to fill the unexpired term of council district number eight. All right. So, here's how this is going to work. And if I'm incorrect in anything, I encourage the city attorney or the city clerk to redirect me and correct me. Um, so tonight we have three candidates. We will be interviewing those candidates the order in which we received their applications. Each candidate will be called to the table here to to sit and and respond to our questions while the other two candidates are outside of the room. Each council member plus myself have one question we will each we will ask each individual. We will be asking them each the same question. Um I don't there is a time. Oh each candidate will be provided up to four minutes to provide an opening statement and two minutes to answer each question. I do have a question from council member Valdivia Alkala. So I will ask that question and identify when it that's her question that I'm asking. But I do want everyone to know that there is a question this evening from every member of the governing body um that will be that will be heard. So I think with that I left anything out.

The only thing that I would add is we will be asking the questions and the the mayor will start first and then we will go district order. Yeah, we're just going to go in our straight district order. So, deputy mayor, I think you have organized our process still a little bit here. So, I guess with that, we'll bring in the first candidate, Mr. Chris Phelps.

Hello, Mr. Phelps. You can sit at the table or you can stand at the podium. I will leave that choice up to you. I'll stand. Thank you. Thank you very much for being here. We very much appreciate it. As all of us sitting up here know, it takes a lot to put yourself out there and so we're very thankful that there's people in this community when we have these openings who are willing to step up. So, thank you very much. Thank you.

I will just give you a quick rundown of our process. Um, we'll give you four minutes to make some opening comments and then each of us will ask a question starting with myself and then we will just go in district order and everyone will ask you one question and at that conclusion we will dismiss you I guess and then we will have the same exact process with the other two candidates and everyone is being asked the same question. So nobody nobody's being asked anything different during this process. So with that if everybody is ready we will allow you to have your opening statement.

Perfect. Thank you. So, my name is Chris Phelps. Um, and the reason reason why I'm representing District 8 or want to represent D State is because I I care deeply about uh the city about about the district, the neighborhood that I live in. I was born and raised in Topeka. I was born in 1970 here in Topeka. And um with the exception of uh going to college down in Texas for uh well, I was down in Texas for six years. I did spend all six years in in Waco, but I I was or in college, but I was down there. But with the exception of that, I I spent all my life here in Topeka. I've developed a love for it. Um and I enjoy Topeka. I what it stands for and everything that it represents here in Topeka as well. Um I bring um experience in leadership. I've u represented my my church at one point in time in the uh as a trustee at the church as as leader there. I went to school at college for business management. Served in many different um management type roles. I am a professional um 30 years of professional of sales that has gotten me to where I'm at successfully um doing what I do and and dealing with people and and learning how to how to deal with people with that as well. Um if elected, my focus is going to be on listening first and acting second. I think that's very important to do is to find out what uh constituents are are wanting to have uh done and how that how that I can help and bring that that message here to the u the city council as a group as well with that. Um I want my my constituents and the residents voices to be heard and be be I want to be very transparent in what we're doing with that and about decisions working with the city staff and fellow my fellow city council members as well with that. Um, I take pride in I want I want the neighbor um people in Topeka to be able to take pride and be in the neighborhood that they're in. And um you I want to be part of that voice for them as well. Um I'm

running because I believe in solutions, not politics. Uh in actions, not just words, excuse me. [clears throat] And in the council, I want to work for the benefit of every resident. And I hope to earn your trust and your vote as we continue to make district 8 and all a great place to live and work. and uh to raise a family here in Topeka. Thank you. Thank you very much. All right, I will ask the first question. Mr. Phillips, explain how you handle conflict and how you envision working with District 8 constituents.

That is a great question. So, I feel that um conflict is is first of all not a bad thing to have. What conflict does is it it creates conversation and when we have conversation then then we can get things going because because we have things people able to to know what's going on and move one direction or another with that. Um but with that said you disagreements um you know much like we have in our own families we have to we have to know how to fight fight correctly and fight politely and fight um um and fights fight's a word that I'm that I'm using. he's not really fighting, but you kind of get your own your your way or hearing the ways of other people as well with that. So, focusing again, focusing first on listening uh to the to the constituents would be the the first thing that I would do. And like I said, I've I've got over 30 years of professional sales. And what's first with with sales that that is all about conflict management. It's um with with whatever widget I' I've been selling right now, I I sell uh Medicare u Medicare insurance and with Medicare insurance people, you I have have something and it's about figuring out what what can I help to offer with that and get somebody to to understand what I'm trying to get my message through with that.

Thank you, Council Member Hiller. Um welcome. My question uh relates to redevelopment. A priority right now for Topeka is redevelopment, both residential and commercial. Could you please name two or three things you think we could do to address that compelling priority?

Absolutely. I was I'm excited to hear about redevelopment and and just kind of revitalizing the the areas of Topeka to make things happen. And so that's a very exciting, you know, issue and topic. So, the first thing I would think is is to be able to streamline uh zoning and permitting and inspections to get get things to move at a uh at a rapid rate so that uh so people can um can see movement with it. And um the other thing is is to pair financial incentives with and have clear community uh goals with that. So use targeted goals uh or tools like tax abatements and gap uh financing and and revolving loans to uh to get the uh the revitalization kickstarted and going and and and keep it going and and and um so while one while we're revitalizing one thing the another location is not suffering as well. So to kind of have a a mix with with that spinning spinning plates as as well.

Thank you. All right. Thank you. All right. So, Council Member Belivkala is currently out on medical leave, District 2, but I know she's watching. And so, I'm going to be asking the question that she submitted. Do you believe you have the capacity to cast votes that may go against the status quo and the majority of the council, but are what you believe is best for those you serve and within the ability of the city of Topeka to make happen.

So, the short answer to that is absolutely. Um the the longer answer to that that goes with that is that um I believe that that uh we all have our own set of value systems and um my value system is uh is Christian oriented. Um but I also you develop those value systems that go with the constituents as well. And so based on on what my my constituents have in my in my district 8 as well as my own value system, if I if I feel that I um have have something that I need to say and I will be able to speak very intelligently with that and and maintain my my professionalism, but yet also u be able to um oppose and speak um against what goes against status quo with that as well. Great. Thank you, Council Member Ortiz.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Good evening. Um, since District 8 does not have neighborhood improvement association meetings, how do you plan to involve residents in the decision making process?

I'm sorry. to so yes um even though we uh district does not have that I do believe that um you know creating creating that would be one thing but also making myself very very available through all all avenues of communication whether it's um phone text u email social media I'm very active in in in the social media world as well uh with that and and make make myself very very available you know with day and night um I do um I do work a lot but that doesn't keep me from doing things that are important. And I think that's going to be the um the thing and so and so the um the answer really is going to be just regular accessible communication is going to be how to make that happen.

Thank you. Thank you, Council Member Banks. Good evening, Mr. Phelps. Uh thank you for joining us tonight. As you know, Topeka has many exempt properties with shifts to property tax burden to businesses, property, businesses, and property owners such as a state, federal, county, and city building, not forprofit, hospitals, etc. What ideas do you have for expanding our tax base?

So, I think the tax base needs to have a balanced approach uh with it. And so, you know, the first thing I was thinking of when when I saw that question is that um the most, you know, the most effective would be a long-term strategy of growing the number and the value of taxable properties to to help um you know, the ones that are not taxable with that uh with that as well. The second would be is we should focus economic development like we were talking about just about you re revitalization and growth and developing economic development that brings in private and taxable investments particularly in sectors of manufacturing logistics healthc care services and things like that professional services to um to create the uh the balance of of of the non-t taxable with the taxable.

Thank you. Thank you, Council Member Kell. Thank you for being here. Thank you. If you could fix one problem in Spa, what would that problem be and how would you go about fixing it?

So, I think that um the the biggest problem that I see here in Topeka and I think that everything kind of stems around it is uh going to be the lack of safe and stable affordable housing. Um I think that, you know, that's that's the um the cornerstone to it. um when we when people are are having the fight orflight responses that that then they um it causes them to have issues and that's where that's where you have crime um you know violent crimes and things like that is because of people's just unstable lifestyle and so if we can fix the um and give people safe and affordable housing I think that's the cornerstone of of making that happen and so um to address that be removing barriers of housing development um you know kind of like what we were talking about today during the council ing and and creating more housing um that's going to be affordable in in different sectors of the city.

Great. Thank you. Council member Miller is online. If he's in a position to ask his question, he will. If he's not, I will ask the question. So, we will first see if he's available. I am not in a position. I'm not in a position to ask to ask that. Please. Then I will ask it. And he is listening. All right. So, this is from Council Member Miller, District 6. The general public can never be underestimated with their knowledge of how things work, but they also don't always have the ability to see past their own experiences. When dealing with constituents, will you be able to take a person's thoughts and opinions with an open mind without making public statements that are one-sided and/or intentionally ill informed?

Yes. So the qu that that question is kind of very interesting because it parallels with what I currently do uh selling uh Medicare insurance. Um I talk to hundreds of people uh a month with with this and each one of those people that I talk with they all have an opinion of what insurance is and what it is not and and my job is to help them understand that and and also by by doing that it's keeping it very professional without um what's the words here with help them see past their own experiences of what they had with that and that's the same same thing I envision working with with constituents in in district 8 as well is to to help them uh keep their past experiences and and understand what they are but also to re redirect those folks to to uh what could be and what they might be missing. Um in the conversations I have with my daughter um we call it blind spots and kind of showing showing what the blind spots is that they that they might be seeing that are with their past experiences with that. And so um and and then and then kind of helping them understand that those blind spots will bring those out to light with that and and help them um understand that we've got a better better way of doing it and help see that past experience with that.

Great. Thank you, Council Member Bradberry. Thank you. Um what information do you believe the public is entitled to by default? And under what circumstances, if any, do you believe withholding information from residents is justified?

So I I believe that uh the public is entitled to having uh information given to them. I don't believe that everything that anything should be withheld. Uh with the exceptions of there there are, you know, ongoing investigations that go on in place. You know, if you you we're talking you talk criminal activity and such like that obviously cannot be given out, you know, immediately. But with that said, there should be a reason being given to the public of why you can't why why we can't disclose this information. We shouldn't just hold it hold our cards to our to our chest and say we're not giving that out. We should be able to you if we are withholding information, there needs to be a legitimate reason for that and to say this is why we're this is why we're withholding that information with that. Um, but I do think that it's going to that it's that withholding information is going to be a narrow thing. um really kind of based on what Kansas law dictates that we that we need to withhold.

Deputy Mayor Hoer [clears throat and cough] brings each of us bring a unique set of skills to the council. For example, I am a professional engineer. I was a member of the planning commission and I am a small business owner. Another example, Councilman Banks was a fireman and he is a small business owner. Now, what skills and experience and background do you possess that make you a good candidate and how would you utilize those skills for the benefit of the council as a whole?

Great. So, um with with that, my my experience comes, you know, first of all, like like I said, I've I've held um you know, leadership roles in in church. I'm currently standing as a um on on the board of directors of the Kansas City Kansas State Skydiving Club um with board of directors there. Um and so I I know how to deal with uh people in leadership roles with that. I've also um managed corporations. I've I've been um was a manager of RadioShack back when Radio Shack existed as well as different management roles in um different uh communication um with when I was working with Burge Communications. um uh there as well. Um and so and probably most importantly the position that I what I hold most is that I'm a uh I'm a family man. Um, and so my experiences is not only do I have possess the leadership roles that that required to to develop and and and drive to PA forward, but I live right here in the I live I live in the city and um I have the um my family's best interest at heart which which expands out to um my constitu constituents families at heart as well.

Thank you.

Thank you. Well, we're out of council members, so that means you've been asked all the questions. Uh, this isn't on my list, but I guess this is why I'm mayor. I will give every candidate since now on here four minutes if you'd like it of that time to anything you'd like to tell us after you've now answered all the questions or anything you'd like to wrap up with. I just want to say thank you for this opportunity. Um, I've been in several different interviews. I've never been in a panel this big or with this caliber of folks. So, I I very nerve-wracking. I certainly appreciate the the um uh the opportunity to do do this and it's been an exciting journey. Um I ran for city council at one point against um mayor and um and that was a great experience as well. Um so I'm I'm learning as as I go and I and I thank you for your opportunity and thanks again for the uh the votes.

Thank you very much. I guess before I dismiss you, I'll make sure there's nothing I missed. Great. Again, thank you very much. And just so you know, the process is we're going to do all the interviews. Then we'll discuss whether we take a vote this evening or defer it in a week. So, okay. Appreciate it. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Next up will be Mr. Jeff Cohen. I believe I should look at that before I make things up. I'm pretty sure that's right.

Okay. Good evening, Mr. Cohen. Like to take the podium there or stand at the podium. Don't take it. But thank you very much for being here. You've sat in these seats, but nonetheless, um, as I tell everybody, it takes a lot to even put yourself out there, go through this process, or go through any of these processes. So, we're very glad there's people in this community willing to step up and and take advantage of these opportunities. So, thank you. Um, the way this process is going to work this evening is you'll have four minutes to say whatever it is you'd like to tell us to open up. We will then each ask you a question starting with myself and then we're going to go in count in order of districts. Um, and you have two minutes to answer each question and then we'll give you a little bit of time at the end to say anything else you'd like to tell us before the process is over.

Okay. So, all right. With that, the floor is yours.

I'd like to say this is a lot different being on this side of the podium. Um I do have some prepared remarks and thank you governing body. Um it's a lot different being on site of this podium. Um and thank you fellow candidates and everyone present here tonight. My name is Jeff Cohen and I'm running to finish this term in District 8 because I believe Topeka deserves a practical principled leader that puts residents first. I am a former council member of this seat, a small business owner, and a longtime resident of district 8. There was a 13 vote difference in that election. My very first brush with city politics was dramatic. In the spring of 2015, while campaigning campaigning for this seat, a reporter caught the chamber of commerce in a closed-door meeting with their preferred candidates. I wasn't invited. The moment they were spotted, everyone bolted out the back door and down the fire escape. That was my welcome to city politics, and it wasn't warm. Early conversations after that um were very uncomfortable. Yet, I stayed at the table, found common ground where I could, and earned respect across the aisle. And my colleagues chose me as deputy mayor, the first in our elected class. That experience taught me the core truth that conflict isn't solved by avoiding or always winning. It's handled by showing up consistently, being direct yet respectful, keeping the focus on what's best for Topeka. I've already served a full term on this council, so I don't arrive as a newscomer as a newcomer drinking from a

fire hose. By trade, I'm a computer consultant and small business owner, which keeps me grounded in real world costs, taxes, and efficiency. But it's the hand-on city council experience that lets me contribute from day one. Reading and passing budgets, hiring a new city manager, and chairing committees, and pushing priorities that matter. What matters most to District 8 is I've walked this district door too multiple times and the message has always been clear and consistent. Fix our streets and infrastructure and ease the tax burden on working families and retirees. When I was on this council, I met with the city manager and said we needed more money for street repairs. Does anybody remember what the response was? Nobody has ever asked that question before. I couldn't believe it. So I said, "How about a million dollars?" And he came back with two million, the Cohen 2 million. And we passed that every budget year through the rest of my term. On taxes, I'm straightforward. Topeka has definitely h a de a heavy tax load as being a capital city, but we should lower taxes and be disciplined on our core spending like streets and public safety and real organic growth will happen. I've shown that I'll stand alone when necessary and voted no on enforceable rules um on uninforceable rules, questionable land purchases and projects that didn't justify the taxpayer risk. As the chair of the social and service grants committee, I discovered corruption and called it out even when it wasn't popular. for district 8. What lacks active neighborhood associations? I may

borrow a page from Mayor Duncan's playbook and have open office hours. That seemed to work pretty good on transparency. The public deserves to know what happens with their money. Finish. Are you almost done? Were you almost done? I'm fine. Okay. All right. Well, then start with my question first. explain how you handle conflict and how you envision working with District 8 constituents.

Thank you, Mayor Duncan. I'll start with conflict because my first experience in city politics was soaked in it. If you would allow me to take you back to the spring of 2015 when I was campaigning for this very seat, a local reporter broke a story about a closed-d dooror meeting between the Chamber of Commerce and their preferred city council candidates. The moment the reporter was discovered outside, everyone ran out the back door and down the fire escape. That was my introduction into city politics, and it wasn't exactly warming. I must have been naive because as a small business owner, I couldn't understand why my local chamber of commerce wasn't supporting me. Once elected, those conversations were uncomfortable, but we did find common ground. I've learned that um conflict isn't solved by avoiding it or winning every argument. But I do want to be more productive instead of reactive in my district because I've walked this district multiple times. And the messages have always been consistent. Fix our streets, infrastructure, and find ways to ease the tax burden. I can show you where I've acted decisively where needed when families were encouountering nude individuals walking down Shunga Trail and I didn't want to wait for someone else to fix it and as the father of very young daughters at the time I stepped up and helped draft and passed the nudity ordinance that we have today and talking about cracks and stuff like that was so embarrassing I couldn't believe we had to do that but Topeka did not have a nudity ordinance that's the kind of repres presentation I want to bring listening closely to what District 8 is actually saying and getting the work done on priorities that matter the most. Safer, smoother streets, stronger infrastructure, and a

real relief from rising taxes. Thank you, Council Member Hiller. Let me finish my note here. Um, thanks. Good to see you, Jeff. Um, a priority right now for Topeka is redevelopment, both residential and commercial. Please name two or three things you think we could do to address that compelling priority.

Thank you, Councilwoman. When I served on the council, the major push to revelop the downtown was already underway. And I'll be candid and at the time I didn't see the full vision. And when nearly every building owner seemed to sue the city because the new construction caused their basement to start leaking, it reinforced my skepticism. But a few years later, I acknowledged there is progress there. And I wasn't expecting you to say that today that there are some issues down there. And I was planning to say things were going great. Um, but it does appear that the plaza is attracting things and um, it does feel more alive than it did before. Looking ahead, here's the here's the things that I would focus on. Focus on filling vacant buildings and activating existing spaces. Um, instead of building new, let's just fix what we have. Maybe encourage people to move into those properties. Streamline permitting. shift away from heavy uh reliance on these uh these benefits, CIDs and TIFFs or whatever is the default tool because I've never been fully convinced that developers who are extremely wealthy need large public subsidies to make these projects work. We should uh use them sparingly and we need to prioritize what's already broken. Our streets, sidewalks, water lines, and drainage systems need serious attention. Residents and businesses won't visit or invest in areas where the basics are failing. Redevelopment should strengthen the whole community. This approach would be practical, fiscally responsible, and centered on what actually improves the quality of life for Topekans.

Thank you. Council member Vald Divial Alkala is currently out on medical leave, but she is paying attention and watching, and I do have a question from her, and I will read this question, but it is from council member Valdivia. Do you believe you have the capacity to cast votes that may go against the status quo and the majority of the council, but are what you believe is best for those you serve and within the ability of the city of Topeka to make happen? Thank you, Councilwoman. Um, this is actually one of my favorites. The short answer is yes. I have the capability and I've already proven it. And as a councilman, I never compromised my core values just to fit in with the majority or the end crowd. I'm a husband, a father, and most importantly, a Christian, and I use those lenses to make my decisions, not for political convenience. If you look at my voting record, you'll see that I voted no a lot. But I voted yes a lot, too. Especially when I believed the proposal was right or wrong for Topeka. I voted against the ordinance for banning bikes on Kansas Avenue sidewalks and thought it was uninforceable and unnecessary. And on my way to this very meeting, I followed somebody riding a bike down the sidewalk. I voted against the city purchasing H Heartland Park, which didn't earn me any favors my very first day here um on the council. Um I didn't believe it was smart for or sustainable for use taxpayer dollars. And it turns out I was right. I brought up uh term limits for city council members. That wasn't very popular either. Um it didn't pass.

I was uh also not shy about uh pointing out the issues with the social service grants committee. I uncovered serious irregularities. Pressure was being applied to elected officials because some because some well-connected applicants scored poorly on their applications and weren't going to qualify for this year's grants under the nor normal scoring process. Former mayor Da Isa confirmed this during a council me meeting and that pressure was applied and I called it out then and it wasn't popular and sadly in 2019 the person at the center of this situation was elected mayor.

All right, Council Member Ortiz. Hi Jeff. Hello Councilwoman. I won't hold it against you for the term limits. I remember. Um, since district 8 does not have neighborhood improvement association meetings, how do you plan to involve residents in the decision making process in our city and I want you not to use his playback. I want to hear what you're going to do. Thank you, Councilwoman. Approved question.

District 8 doesn't have an active neighborhood association. Um, I actually tried to start one the we had a neighborhood association and I tried to turn it into an NIA. My whole neighborhood doesn't have sidewalks and all of our kids walk down the street in the snow to the bus stop. Luckily, they're grown now. But our kids in our neighborhood now are walking down the street and the snow is still there. on my street on Bernett Road. Um, yeah, open office hour sounds good, sounds like a great idea. Um, but I've also learned from experience what works and what doesn't work. years ago when we had a neighbor association in our area, typically the same six to eight people showed up every month. And I listened closely to them and their concerns were clear. Their property taxes were too high. Um, and the speeding vehicles on Shunga Drive. And if you remember, they called that H Heartland Park West. And I tried to do something about it. Um, we do have a speed limit sign there right next to the fire station. and I asked it to be moved maybe 100 ft down the road. When you turn the corner on Fereralon right there in front of that fire station, you you don't see the 30 mph or the speed limit sign there and by the time you've negotiated the turn, the sign is already passed and it didn't happen. They they did it a survey or whatever and it wasn't warranted. So, I don't know if I have enough time to talk about the rest of the things, but um maybe use modern tools that are available to the council

now. Um I since I haven't been around in a few years, maybe you have things that are available that weren't available back then. Thank you. Excuse me, [clears throat] sir. Council member Banks. Thank you, Mayor. Good evening. Thank you, Dan. Good evening, Mr. Cohen. Thank you. Hello, sir.

As you know, Topeka has many exempt properties which shifts the tax the property tax burden to businesses and property owners such as state, federal, county, and city building, not for profits, hospitals, etc., etc. What ideas do you have for expanding our tax base? Thank you, Councilman. Your right is the state capital. Topeka carries a heavy load of tax exempt property, state offices, federal buildings, county facilities, city buildings, hospitals, many others. Um, and that puts the burden on homeowners and small businesses and commercial property owners. And it's a structural challenge of the capital city. I mean, this it is what it is. And here's where I differ with some on the usual approaches, though. I don't believe the best answer is to keep searching for new ways to tax more out of people or more things. I don't view our residents as and and existing businesses as a tax base to be minded. Instead, I believe the healthiest, most sustainable way to strengthen our finances is to lower taxes across the board and make Topeka a more tra attractive place to live, work, and raise a family. My main ideas are straightforward. Look for ways to lower current spending. It was me who asked about those parking meters along Monroe and Madison and hundreds of parking meters were retired and we were paying maintenance on all of those. There are ways to cut spending. We just have to look for them. We need to aggressively reduce sales taxes and property taxes. High taxes are one of the biggest complaints I heard doortodoor in District 8. Lowering them

would put more money back in our pockets. When taxes are reasonable, people and businesses naturally want to move here and expand here. We would need to keep offering We wouldn't need to keep offering large incentives and grants or even paying people to move to Topeka. That was a very bad ad ad campaign. Seems like a very misuse of our our funding our funds here. Thank you, Council Member Kell.

Thank you for being here. Um, if you could fix one problem in Topeka, what would that problem be and how would you go about fixing it?

Thank you, council member. If I could fix one thing in Topeka right now, it would be this. making street and infrastructure repairs a true sustained priority. Again, anyone who's knocked on doors in the city has heard and seen it firsthand. Our streets are crumbling. They're frustrating drivers and damaging vehicles. And WIBBW reported that Topeka is one of the worst cities nationally for potholes. I mean, that's an embarrassment. When I was the on the council, I didn't just complain about it. I sat down with the city manager and told him straight, "We need more money for street repairs." Does anyone remember his response? Nobody has ever asked that question before. I pushed for a million dollars in new funding, and I know a million dollars isn't going to do very much, but he came back with $2 million. And this co-en 2 million got renewed every year for the rest of my term. I grew up just south of 29th in Fereralon. And in those 10 years, our neighborhood streets got milled and overlaid twice. I remember watching them as a kid and then as a teenager when I I had to park my car out by Fereralon. I've been at this house for 19 years and the Mill and Overlay crew have never been down my street. That is not fair and it is not fair to the city. It's not fair to our district. It's not fair fair to my neighborhood. If you send me back to the council, here's what I'll do. I'll revive that funding. Maybe even ask for some more. I'll get we'll get proactive and not reactive and shift from maybe p from patching potholes to preventative maintenance. Mill and overlay where it's

needed. Gosh, have you guys driven on that road next to Brewster Place chips a tooth driving down that road. 29th Street. Thank you. All right. So, Council Member Miller is online. I have his question, but I'll give him the opportunity if he's in a position to ask it himself and then if not, I will ask it, but he is listening and watching. Council member Miller. Nope. All right. So, this is the question from Council Member Miller. Like I said, I think you can see him. He is he is listening. The general public can never be underestimated with their knowledge of how things work, but they also don't always have the ability to see past their own experiences. When dealing with constituents, will you be able to take a person's thoughts and opinions with an open mind without making public statements that are one-sided and/or intentionally ill informed?

Thank you, Councilman. I've always believed that listening to constituents is one of the most important parts of this job. The public often brings real world perspectives that staff or elected officials might miss and I value that. At the same time, I understand that everyone's view is shaped by their own experiences and believe my role is to listen carefully, ask questions, and consider the bigger picture before deciding what's best for this community. During my four years on the council, I fla I faced plenty of criticism, some of it sharp and personal. People said things that were tough to hear, and I won't pretend it was easy, but I learned early on that reacting emotionally or firing back rarely helps. And it's not my na in my nature to lash out or seek confrontation. I tend to let things slide and respond when needed with facts and respect. That said though, I won't be bullied and there are vocal groups in Topeka who disagree with me strongly and that's fine. Disagreement is part of democracy. What matters is that I keep my door open, listen to the concerns, even from people who don't like me and make decisions based on what I believe is right for District 8 and the city as a whole. If you elect me to finish this term, you'll get the same approach I've always had. Open ears, a calm demeanor, and a commitment to doing the job with integrity, even when it's thankless.

Excuse me, Council Member Bradberry. Good evening. What information do you believe the public is entitled to by default? And under what circumstances, if any, do you believe withholding information from residents is justified?

Thank you, Councilwoman. Um, I'll start from a very simple principle. The public is entitled to know what the city does with their money and on their behalf. Transparency should be the default with budgets, contracts, and meeting minutes, project plans, policy decisions, how tax dollars are spent. But residents have every right to see the reasoning and the trade-offs and the outcomes just as open government builds trust. Secretly er secrecy erodess trust. And that said, there are a few narrow legitimate reasons to withhold information. The main one is to protect an active ongoing investigation. Whether it's law enforcement, personnel, legal proceedings. Releasing details too early can compromise evidence, endanger people, or disrupt the fair process. Once the investigation or case concludes that information should be made public unless there's a clear specific reason not to. During a city manager search, it's reasonable to keep a candidate names confidential until the finalists are selected. That protects privacy and especially applicants that don't want their current employers to know they're looking around. um on police body camera footage or similar things like that in an active criminal or use of force case. I defer to our police chief and the um legal process because keeping that material private until charges are resolved. It's important. Um, but I'm not here to imply the city's hiding things, but I do believe residents deserve clear answers when questions arrive, and they deserve

officials who treat transparency as serious business.

Thank you, Deputy Mayor Hoer. Okay. Each of us bring a unique set of skills to the council. For example, I'm a professional engineer. I was a member of the planning commission and I am a small business owner. Another example is council member Banks. He's a retired um firefighter and he has a small business owner. What skills and experience and background do you possess that make you a good candidate and how would you utilize those skills for the benefit of the council as a whole?

Thank you, Councilwoman. By trade, I'm a computer guy. I run a technology consulting business out of my home and I've spent 30 years solving complex computer problems and delivering results on time and on budget. But what really sets me apart for this role is four years of direct hands-on experience inside city hall. I've already served a full term on this council, so I don't arrive as a newcomer trying to figure out where the light switches and bathrooms are. I remember in 2015 when all of us new members described the job as drinking from a fire hose. Remember that? I don't have to go through that again. I can hit the ground running on day one. Here's what that experience gave me and how I would put it to work for the council and the city. It's budget expertise. Since um we were elected in the spring, I've actually participated in five budget sessions. Um I know that those are not the most favorite things to do. Um but it's something that I've done. We've hired um as deputy mayor, we hired a new council assistant, helped hire a new city manager. Um I understand what it takes to evaluate candidates and build consensus. And then the institutional knowledge and I know the city's processes and some of the personalities, although it seems that some of them have changed here recently, but I can be up to speed faster. The council works best when it has a mix of fresh eyes and seasoned judgment. My background gives the body both. If you return me to the council, you'll get someone who can contribute immediately, help the whole body function more efficiently, and keep the focus on where it belongs, on the people

of Topeka and the issues that matter most to them. All right, that was the last question. Um, with that, if every applicant give you up to four minutes to just conclude and tell us anything else you'd like to to express to us this evening. I didn't know we had a conclusion. I made a I audible with the last one because it wasn't on my sheet. So, you don't have to use it, but it's it's an option in case there's anything you thought of as you were. I think I've said enough. Um, thank you for this opportunity, council. Uh, is it council or governing body? I think we changed it to governing body. Um, council members, governing body, thank you so much um for uh for listening to me tonight.

Um, and I sure would appreciate your support. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Tom. All right, that we'll bring in our last candidate, which is Marie McGee. I made the same analogy. Want to do it by myself? I made the same analogy. I'm coming. Sorry. Sorry. I'm coming.

That's all right. Thank you, Mr. McGee, for being here. We appreciate it. Um, we know that, you know, putting yourself out there in this sort of situation is never easy and it takes a lot of to do it and we're very appreciative that there's people in the community like yourself who's willing to take this opportunity and and go through this process. So, thank you very much. It does mean a lot not only to us, but I know to the citizens to pick us. So, with that, the process this evening is uh you'll have four minutes for an opening statement. Um, and then we will each ask a question beginning with myself and then we're going in order of our council districts 1 through nine. and then we'll give you a little opportunity to to wrap up at the end and then that will be the process. So, okay, with that, the floor is yours. All

righty. Thank you very much. Good evening, Mayor and Council. Uh, my name is Murray McGee. Um, I'd like to begin by correcting some errors in a recent interview, starting with the fact that I'm 61, not 55, but if I could turn back the heads of time, [laughter] you know, that might be a nice opportunity. Uh, I am the executive director of the information network of Kansas. That's a quasi governmental entity. Uh we're housed over in the Mill building downtown here. Uh our mission is to enable digital access to state and local government information and services. Um, we help state and local government digitize their licensing programs, uh, registration programs, create interactive websites, and then we do a lot of payment processing. Uh, overall we do about $600 million in business per year. So, high volume uh, and a lot of contracts. and that's what I'm overseeing all the moving parts for that on a daily basis. I am a certified public manager uh with distinction. I graduated from the University of Kansas CBM program back in 2016 and then I received the special dis distinction program designation uh in November of last year. Uh I have over 23 year 23 years of experience in state and local government as an employee. Uh prior to working for Inc. Uh it's what we call information network of

Kansas. Uh I was a city administrator and city of clerk in Mountain Ridge, Kansas, north of Witchah. Uh prior to that I was the economic development director and chamber director. uh did that for eight years. We were a fullervice community. Uh we provided water, sewer, um natural gas, electrical service. Um plus we ma maintain built and maintained our own streets and then I oversaw police department, EMS and rural fire. So we often wore a lot of hats. Uh most of my career I've served as an economic development director. Some areas community development director a lot of times that's been a dual role with chamber director. I've done so in Chinoot Boet Mitchell County and I worked in the tourism industry in Aterson. Um and while I was in Ottawa received the governor's tourism award back in 2002. Uh through all the years of my public service, I've worked hard to maintain the mill levy, assisted with housing programs. Matter of fact, in Mound Ridge, uh we were a we saw an increase of 12% in our population between the 2010 census and the 2020 census. And a lot of that was due to targeted housing development. We used rural housing incentive districts, housing tax credits, um primarily focused on mid-market or workforce housing, and then we had

uh a small number of low to moderate income houses that were also mixed in as part of our incentive districts. I've worked with councils as a resident uh as a city employee, as an administrator, uh for over 20 years. And it's those different perspectives that I come here and offer those experiences uh for the council. All right, Mr. McGee, that's your four minutes. So, okay,

we will move on to the questions. First one is from myself. Explain how you handle conflict and how you envision working with district 8 constituents.

Okay. Uh first of all, I like to encourage open dialogue. Uh if a constituent raises a concern or wants to discuss an issue, I believe in active listening, repeat the question back to them and assure that I understand their concern. or if they're needing assistance navigating the system or just knowing what the department to go to. I want to make sure I understand clearly what the issue is and then seek out the answers to their questions, help provide resources and support and if I don't find the answers right away, reassure them that I will get back to them. I think that's very important to always follow up. That's a big thing we do within my work environment. Uh, and I do that in my personal envir and personal life as well. So, I think good communication, active listening, and followup.

Thank you, Council Member Hiller. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you for being here. Um, a priority right now for Topeka is redevelopment, both residential and commercial. Please name two or three things you think we could do to address that compelling priority.

Personally, I've I've focused uh and found value in utilizing what you're doing. These special incentive uh districts to assist developers with upfront cost. Uh extension of utilities is something we were able to do. I think you could do that in working with your other utility partners that exist within the city here. Um, and of course that's after you get a confirmed uh development commitment and assistance with accessing state and federal programs. Uh, if you see from my resume that I included with my application, um, I was big on applying for grants and we received a lot of grants. So, we weren't just dependent upon our local tax dollars. There was money that was coming in from federal sources and state sources. And that helped with a lot of up upfront development cost, utility extensions, and things that developers need to get going.

All right. Thank you. So, Council Member Valdivia Alkala is currently out on medical leave, but I know she is watching and so she does have a question which I will ask on her behalf. Do you believe you have the capacity to cast votes that may go against the status quo and the majority of the council, but are what you believe is best for those you serve and within the ability of the city of Topeka to make happen?

Yes. First first thing I jotted down when I saw that is yes uh I do not believe in in being a rubber stamp. Uh I believe in dialogue input listening to others uh and gathering as much information as I can feedback from constituents and listening to my fellow council members as well. open dialogue and discussion takes you a long ways and I think those are important. Um but at the same time the position um you know this position wasn't didn't didn't come from a vote of the district. I still would do my very best to represent my district who are my neighbors. And I think getting their input, getting your input, and gathering information on my own is how good decision- making occurs.

All right, Council Member Ortiz.

Good evening. Since District 8 does not have a neighborhood improvement association meetings, how do you plan to involve residents in the decision-making process in our city?

Uh, I like what the what the mayor has done. Um, having a location at the Fair Plaza being accessible to the public. Uh, I'd like to duplicate that, encourage people to come visit. Um, I would also like to host public discussions and conversations on various topics as they come up. Uh, gather feedback from district 8 residents and I would also utilize social media and if it's allowed a digital newsletter. Uh I think by getting those using those tools getting information as much information out to people as possible helps in them formulating their opinion and helps them in providing me with their feedback. So exchange of information is key.

All right, Council Member Banks. Thank you, Mayor. Good evening, Miss McGee. Yes. Hi, how are you? Very good.

Thank you. Uh, Topeka has many exempt properties which shifts the property tax burden to businesses and property owners such as the state, federal, county, and city buildings, not forprofits, also hospitals, etc. What ideas do you have for expanding our tax base? Well, first of all, as I have mentioned before, additional housing development, additional commercial development that helps expand your your tax base, but I also we from experience here utilize a tax tool to help us. And especially when we had heavy service users, um we developed pilot agreements, payment in le of tax agreements and those were something that helped us. And while they were usually a small percentage of what the actual tax assessment would be, it started getting things back on the tax roles. And it was a mutually agreed upon agreement, usually with a 10-year term and with incremental increases already built in. And it was a it was an effective tool for us to use. Um, so, you know, pilot agreements or payment in le of taxes is is a tool.

Thank you, Council Member Kell. Thanks for being here, sir. Um, thank you. If you could fix one problem in Topeka, what would the what would that problem be and how would you go about fixing it?

Um just what we just mentioned broadening our tax base. Uh I think that that is a must. Um I would also encourage open dialogue or meetings with your taxing partners. They're taxing entities. uh the city, the county, the school district, the university, uh we all have the same constituents. We all have the same taxpayers that we're answering to.

And I think I've been in a community where each of those types of groups met quarterly. They each took turns hosting and the host usually set the agenda and it helped a lot in having those work sessions and having key staff present at those sessions so that they could hear the dialogue that was taking place as well. Uh I think that would really help in coordinating tax efforts. All right, Council Member Miller is online and listening. Uh, however, he is not in a position to ask his question, so I will ask it on his behalf, but he is there and paying attention.

Okay. Um, the general public can never be underestimated with their knowledge of how things work, but they also don't always have the ability to see past their own experiences. When dealing with constituents, will you be able to take a person's thoughts and opinions with an open mind without making public statements that are one-sided and/or intentionally ill informed?

Yes. I mean I I believe the most important part of communication is act again active listening uh hearing and making sure you understand a person's thoughts and opinions and understand how they came to their their position or their opinion. uh I you know get that background and uh we all have things you know we all look at things through a different lens um so I'm open to new ideas new suggestions give credit where credit's due and be an active listener and a participate in a two-way conversation and dialogue

you excuse me [clears throat] council member Bradberry.

Good evening. What information do you believe the public is entitled to by default and under what circumstances, if any, do you believe withholding information to residents from residents is justified? Uh I believe in following Kora KMA uh providing information on budget and spending as trans as in the most transparent way you can. sub cities. Now there's a website tool that you could show your current budget and then you can also show on a monthly basis basis or quarterly basis where your spending is is occurring. Uh in legal cases uh I would hope that the at the conclusion of an investigation things could be brought forth family members could see all evidence that is submitted to court after it's gone through the process. Um, also I would make note I would not want to share any information that violates someone's life or someone's personal safety. But the basis is Kora and Coma. Your final question comes from Deputy Mayor Hoer. Got to remember that. Okay. Each of us brings a unique set of skills to the council. For example, I am a professional engineer. I was a member of the planning commission and I'm a small business owner. In another case, council member Banks is a former uh or retired firefighter and he is a small business owner. So, what skills, experience, and background do you possess that make you

a good candidate? And how would you utilize those skills for the benefit as uh the uh council as a whole?

Um my experience is in you know government, local government. Uh municipal finance and governance, economic development. Um I was the head of our zoning and planning. I did code enforcement. Of course, I oversaw p our public sav safety departments. Uh and then also all of our public infrastructure uh development. Uh again, one of one part of that was also our we did our own street construction and maintenance. Uh and as I said in my opening statement, I want to share my experience and add that to the conversation. And I I think that would be I I want to be a resource.

Thank you. Thank you. All right, Mr. Speaky. That concludes the questions this evening. However, provided everybody a few minutes up to four minutes if you'd like it to anything you thought of as you were speaking or any sort of wrap up or thank you that you'd like to provide us, this is your opportunity.

Oh, okay. Uh I I guess I'll be brief. I won't take four minutes on this, but you know, it took a lot of time and consideration to think about this. My wife and I had a lot of conversations about it and she was like, "Do you really want to go back into this again?" And and in a way, I've I've I've been behind the scenes. I've seen how the sausage is made. I know the recipe. Um, so I understand that and and a lot of the constituents out there have a lot of information. They know a lot of things, but there's sometimes there's additional elements that they need to know. And getting them the whole picture sometimes helps change opinion, sometimes supports an opinion. But, you know, that's one of the things I think communicating with the public, getting their feedback, but also providing feedback and information to them as well is a valuable tool. And like I said, I would be honored to be a member of the council. Uh, but I'm I'm in it and I'm here just to offer myself as a resource. Thank you.

Great. Thank you very much. We appreciate your time this evening. All right. So, city council here, here here we go. All right. Here's going to be the process. However, this this individual's while we are a governing body, this individual is joining your city council. So, while I believe I have the power to make the decision, I'm I could I'm going to not who we're electing, but how we go about this process. I'm going to put it to you to kind of make this decision. So, a couple reminders. When we do when we do finally take a vote, the first vote will be on paper. Marcus will say his online, but a reminder, it's all open record so the public can know who you voted for. It's not to do that in a secretive way. It's just to do that in an efficient way at this point. But you have two options. We can take a vote this evening or we can defer and take a vote next week. So again, that's the decision I believe I have the power to make, but I want to put it to you to have that discussion and decide if you would like to vote. We'll take a break and we can vote this evening or we can vote first thing uh when we convene next Tuesday. So I put that out for conversation and feedback. Council member Ortiz,

since there's not a time limit, I'm time limit. I'm ready to vote. Council member Kell, I'm in agreeance with the council woman there. Okay. Council member Banks, I'd say vote tonight. Okay. It's okay to have a different opinion. All right. All right. What we're going to do is we are going to take a 10-minute break so we can make sure we get all the ballots prepared. And I mean 10 minutes, people. All right. So, please be back here at 9:00. I guess that's 11 minutes. There you go. I gave you an extra minute. So, we'll see you at 11 minutes and then we will go about the voting process.

All right, we are back. All right, so everybody should have a set of ballots. So, make sure you locate those before we get started here. If you can't, let us know. uh at the top, please make sure you write ballot number one. First thing I need to make sure is this is allowable, but I need to ask everyone's permission if everyone is okay with council member Miller voting via Zoom and electronically, not in person. I don't need an official vote. I just need to know if there's any objections to that. And if not, just need the record to reflect that. Um, all right. So each of you will vote for one person by ballot. Do not vote for more than one individual. Balloting ends anytime one applicant receives five votes. If no applicant receives five votes in the final ballot, additional ballots will be cast until one of the applicants receives five votes or we get stuck. The matter can be deferred until a certain date, a date certain, which can actually be no later than next week. So it'll be next week if that happens. And so we are also anyone wants to have conversations great. If we'd like to take a first ballot and then if we necessitates conversation we can do that. So with that did I cover it all?

I believe so. You got your ballot. You can fill it out if you would like. Make sure you sign it. Just a reminder to both the public and you. These aren't being done in secret. This will be and the clerk can hold it five times. She loves it. [laughter]

She loves it when you sh Let the clerk ask Council Member Miller for his vote. We'll do.

Mr. McGee just a moment. Okay. Council member Miller, what is your vote? Mr. McGee. Mr. McGee. Is that what you said? All right. Thank you. Yes, ma'am. Thank you. the

Yeah. Okay. Trying to put on district a little bit. Okay. So, Hiller is McGee. Ortiz is McGee. Bradberry is McGee. Hoer is McGee. Kill is McGee, Duncan is McGee, and Banks is McGee. [applause] So, we have eight votes for um Mr. McGee. So, he will serve as our next council district representative. 8.

So, what is the process now, Mr. City Attorney? Yeah. I know. Right. Oh, sure. So, the process moving forward is I'll let Mr. McGee come up and speak to that. Um, the swearing in ceremony will take place at the next council meeting, February [clears throat] 10th, but I think he has an announcement as far as when he would like to be sworn in. I hope it's not that you're already resigning. [laughter] No,

no, I I have a uh it was already on my calendar. I have a medical procedure scheduled for Friday. So, I wasn't sure if I will be back and ready on the 10th. So, I was asking if we could since you had the 17th already there, if we could do the oath on the 17th. Is there anything in our charter that indicates once we've made a decision that can [clears throat] There is nothing that would prohibit that. Um, the only thing I would ask is that Mr. McGee not act in any official capacity as a as actual member of this governing body until he is sworn in. But other than that, they're that's allowable. Okay. Okay.

Well, that's okay with everyone. Then we will plan to seat Mr. McGee on the February 17th meeting. That's right. I think we moved that to March. Well, congratulations. I think we welcome you. Uh we have a lot of work to do on this council as I think you know, but we we'll appreciate getting that seat refilled. And obviously I have a district 8 has a special place for me. So I'm be glad you you're filling that seat. So thank you for being here. Congratulations and we will see you in a few weeks, sir. All righty. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you. What's that? All right. Yes.

With that, we will move to public comment. At this time, I had a sheet with two people signed up and now I've lost it. Who has their sheet? Thank you. First I have uh Maria Nigro. Not back there. Maria, are you still here? She left. Okay, she left. All right. Next up, I have Mr. Henry Mccclure.

Can I over Thank you. All right. Thank you, Mr. McCor. Your honor, thank you again. I'd like to congratulate you on being the mayor of our community and um winning a fair election and doing a good job. You know, at the same time, I want to uh offer myself as a resource uh to the community. You know, I've done I mean, besides being a fourth generation kid that's kicked around here for a while, you know, I got out for 18 years and and saw the world. Um I've worked on $400 million worth of renovations in in different towns. and what I passed to you. I I was doing I'm trying to lighten the load and get some of my get my stuff up on um you know digitized electronic filing and I found the original go to uh where where I was actually listed as a developer and um it was interesting that whole project when they put out the call for shovel ready land and So, I've been dealing with go toa and the chamber for years and and and quite frankly as a citizen and that's what's nice about now from now on is I just get to come down as a citizen that's got an opinion. You know, I got a few votes for mayor, but I'm just a businessman trying to make a living in this city that I've been aced out

by GoPa. Go top goa is basically a commercial real estate developer. Think about it for a minute here. Any lead that comes in goes to go topa, you know. So, the hierarchy of the chamber and go topa run the town. You've got a city manager on the board to go to PA. That is wrong. I mean, the whole idea of having a city manager is that he doesn't have to get into politics. But now he's in it and he needs to be removed from the board of GoPa today. I mean, this is the guy this is a guy that's got a huge shortfall in his budget. And also, um, he should have moved that $9.5 million that you gave to a local millionaire to keep an NGO just in business. He should have been the guy screaming about, hey, I can't vote for that. I can't vote for that. I got to put that money in the streets, you know. So you guys that are um elected officials like uh counselor over the county counselor and and Kevin Cook, my dear friend Kevin Cook um you know they when does uh Go to Pika stop being a notfor-profit NGO and it's really just a government organization and the transparency you know we should you basically should have the go toa meetings in here. You know, I can't get who voted for the hotel or who voted for the AT&T. It's not transparent. Uh we're hiding. We [clears throat] look like um it would be easier if there were Somalians doing

the deal uh over at the AT&T building. But what we're doing is wrong and corrupt. And I get to say that as a citizen. I get to say it also as a real estate guy that knows how real estate works. You know, the gate uh go to or uh Cody can walk into any bank with that go to lease. He can pull $56 million out of that with his credit level and that's not what the original money was for. Thank you. Good luck. Do you need this back or can I keep this Henry app? No, I want you to keep it. It's very important that you see that I've been at this for a long time. That's what I'm saying. Just make sure. Thank you, Spencer. Yep.

You can come on the podcast and I'll I'll be nice [laughter] and I mean that. All right. With that, I had no one else signed up for public comment. So, we will move to announcements. City clerk.

Okay. Next week, February 10th, we have a Topeka Development Corporation board of directors meeting prior to the governing body meeting. It will be from 5 to 6:00. and held in the city council chambers. Agenda includes uh includes approval of the December 16 minutes, ratification of um officers to the board, selection of and development corporation board officers to include the president, vice president, secretary and treasurer, annual review of conflict of interest statement policy, authorized submission of petition to establish a CI for Hotel Topeka, and an update on the status for the sale of Hotel Topeka from Endeavor um hotel group. Um the governing body meeting includes uh we have one presentation for the Topeka Performing Arts Center. On the consent agenda, there will be three professional services contract one from JEO Consulting, SSB Engineering LLC and Cook Flat and Strobble. Then there will be seven resolutions coming out of the PI committee recommending approval. Action items include discussion with possible action of an ordinance for Apple developer authorization. The next item is a partial assignment development agreement for Sunflower Crossing CI and another partial assignment development agreement for Wanaker Hills C.

All right, city manager. Nothing tonight, sir. Thank you. All right, council member Banks.

Thank you, Mayor. Uh, I would just like to send some thoughts out to uh our firefighters that responded uh to the death of a of a 5-year-old this past this past week and uh I know how that can be for them. So, I just wanted to reach out, let them know that I feel for them as well as that family because I uh the child's dad works for me in my mowing company. And that's a heavy burden to bear for them to respond to a situation like that. It's bad enough when it's anyone, but when it's a child, I know they're going through some tough times right now. So, just wanted to send out some prayer for them. Thank you, Mr. Mayor.

Council member Kell. Um, just uh wanted to kind of reach talk about the uh zoo is having bingo on for Valentine's Day on 18 plus on uh Friday the 13th and then on Saturday it will be uh all ages the family edition. So that uh seems like a really fun event that's happening here at Topeka, our zoo, and it's one I'm going to attend. Uh just want to let everyone know so we can, you know, uh get as many people signed up as possible so these events continue to happen. Thank you. I believe Council Member Miller is signed off. Is that correct, Dan?

That is correct. Okay. Council member Bradberry, nothing tonight. Council member Hoer, nothing tonight. Council member Hiller,

I'm just looking around the room and looking the issues that we had tonight and what's been going on. I just wanted to say a thank you to everybody, the staff, the citizens that have come forward with thoughts and so on, the council, just it's been a lot of work lately, important things for the city and just thank you. Um, in in particular, also shout out to the public works department. They made the kind of judgment calls they have to always on the snow removal and when to treat and when not to and when to go out and when to leave it alone. And I think they did a great job. Um, so a shout out to them. And and last but not least, if people didn't know it, we lost former Councilman Bill Sheen this week. I wanted to send a shout out to Marca and the family um for for Bill's wonderful life and great service to family and to community. Thank you,

Council Member Ortiz.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I just wanted to welcome um Mr. Murray McGee and thank you for your service and I look forward to learning some things from you. Thank you. All right, just a just a few quick things. Um, I've been having a lot of meetings with staff. I've also been asking a lot of them. It's also the legislative season and so today we had some staff up there testifying. I know those are kind of extras to the regular day job a lot of them do. So, just a thank you when we throw those things at them that they jump in and participate and put themselves out there on the behalf of the city and and all of us, but all the city itself cuz this is my 21st year at the legislature and I know how brutal it can be at times. So, I I understand uh what what that means to have those folks go up there. So, thank you to all of them. Um I meant to say something last week, but um our while our Washurn men's basketball team is awesome being ranked number one, the cheer team took finished second in the nationals just a few weeks ago and so over in Orlando, Florida. So, I wanted to make sure that they also got a shout out over there at Washurn. And the last thing is, and I I know they've left after this, but um I really do appreciate that anybody applied for that District 8 position and went through this process tonight and stood up there and answered our questions in front of everybody. Um I know both those individuals. We've we've competed against each other as they I think they both alluded to in campaigns. I like them both very much. They're very good people who are doing a lot in this community and mean a lot to this community. And that that's a tough decision we have to make. That's what we're elected to do. But it's it's a unique situation when we are tasked with with appointing someone versus going through the process of of an election. So I hope to the people of District 8 we've made the right choice. Uh and I do want to say thank you to Mr. Phelps and to Mr. Cohen for for putting themselves out there. And I hope they can both continue to participate. And as I'm putting some stuff together that I've talked about in terms of engaging the community, I'm going to make sure that I do include them both in that process so

that they still have a voice up here um you know into the city. So, so with that, uh, thank you to them. I don't believe there's any executive session. Nope. So, that means we are done. I will adjourn the meeting.