Braxton

As of April 14, 2026, the inspection period for the sale of Hotel Topeka to Endeavor Hotel Group has been extended by 30 days to May 15, 2026, due to negotiations regarding the attached Maner Conference Center. The $1M sale includes $6M in planned renovations, aiming to close in June 2026, while a new 2% sales tax (CID) was approved for the property in March. [1, 2, 3, 4]  

Key Updates: 

• Sale Extension: The inspection period was extended to May 15, 2026, to resolve issues regarding the Maner Conference Center, as reported by WIBW 

. 

• Closing Deadline: The sale is still scheduled to close in June 2026, according to KSNT. 

• New Tax District: A 2% Community Improvement District (CID) tax was approved in March 2026 to help the city recoup investment costs, noted WIBW. 

• Renovation Plans: Endeavor Hotel Group plans to invest $6 million in renovations. [1, 2, 3, 5, 6]  

The city has been working to sell the hotel after purchasing it for $7.6 million in 2023. [6, 7]  

AI responses may include mistakes.

[1] https://www.wibw.com/2026/04/15/hotel-topeka-inspection-period-extended-30-days-feud-over-maner-conference-center/

[2] https://www.wibw.com/2026/03/11/topeka-city-council-approves-community-improvement-district-hotel-topeka/

[3] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2TKR-pwf40

[4] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7ozthvVZRU

[5] https://www.facebook.com/ksntnews/posts/the-contentious-hotel-topeka-will-soon-be-in-a-wichita-based-companys-hands-tope/1315445633951539/

[6] https://www.ksnt.com/news/local-news/topeka-development-corporation-approves-sale-of-hotel-topeka/

[7] https://www.cjonline.com/story/news/local/2023/10/18/purchase-of-hotel-topeka-at-city-center-finalized-in-7-2-council-vote/71215836007/

Henry McClure

785.383.9994 

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Notice of Potential Conflict of Interest – MTAA Board Appointment

The real conflict of interest is Molly and the NGO's - Molly runs the board? 

Topeka/Shawnee County - Demand the MTAA be voted in and NOT appointed by the Chamber and the NGO's 

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From: Mike Munson
Sent:
To: Mike Munson
Cc: Brenda Younger; City Council; City Council Dist #1; City Council Dist #2; City Council Dist #3; City Council Dist #4; City Council Dist #5; City Council Dist #6; City Council Dist #7; City Council Dist #8; City Council Dist #9; Mayor's Office; Tim Resner; njefferson@topeka.org
Subject: Fw: Notice of Potential Conflict of Interest – MTAA Board Appointment

Notice: -----This message was sent by an external sender-----

Mr. Mayor and Members of the Topeka City Council:

 

I am writing in my capacity as a current member of the Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority (MTAA) Board regarding the proposed appointment of Tony Emerson, which is scheduled for consideration at this evening’s meeting.

 

I want to respectfully raise a potential conflict-of-interest concern for the Council’s awareness and consideration.

 

As you may know, the MTAA is currently involved in active litigation with a company solely owned by Mr. Bob Zibbell. Based on the attached article, it appears that Mr. Emerson and Mr. Zibbell have had prior business dealings.

 

https://www.steamboatpilot.com/news/long-planned-residential-neighborhood-opens-home-sales-dec-20/

 

From the above article:  Developer Marsh purchased the project from Bob Zibell and Tony Emerson from Topeka, Kansas. Emerson left his mark on the neighborhood with a street called Emerson Trail.

 

I have not had sufficient time to independently verify the nature, scope, or timing of that relationship, nor whether any such relationship is ongoing.

 

However, given the MTAA’s current litigation posture, even the appearance of a potential conflict or lack of independence could raise legitimate governance concerns. Out of an abundance of caution, I would respectfully suggest that the Council consider pausing to further review and vet any past or present business relationships before proceeding with the appointment.

 

My intent in raising this is not to make any allegations or conclusions, but rather to ensure that any appointment to the MTAA Board is free from actual or perceived conflicts, and that public confidence in the MTAA’s governance and decision-making remains strong.

 

Thank you for your time and consideration, particularly given the short notice.

 

Respectfully,  Mike Munson

MTAA Board Member

Web Site | Blog | Facebook | Twitter

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MCRE, LLC

3625 SW 29^th Street

Topeka KS 66614

785.383.9994

Re: See the trend

Mr. Odupitan is no longer on the MTAA Board, as Tony Emerson is now a city appointee on the board.

Thank you,

Spencer

Spencer L. Duncan

Mayor, City of Topeka

785-207-8985

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From: Henry McClure <mcre13@gmail.com>
Sent: Thursday, April 23, 2026 11:31 AM
To: Molly Howey <molly.howey@topekapartnership.com>; Spencer Duncan <sduncan@topeka.org>; MCRE Media <mcre1.9999@blogger.com>; City Clerk <cclerk@topeka.org>; countyclerk@snco.us <countyclerk@snco.us>; Kevin Cook <kevin.cook@snco.us>; Governing Body <governingbody@topeka.org>
Subject: See the trend

 

Notice: -----This message was sent by an external sender-----

Yes, all five members of this board (the Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority / MTAA Board of Directors, as confirmed by the exact match to the public listing on mtaa-topeka.org) have clear, documented ties to the Greater Topeka Partnership (GTP) ecosystem.

GTP is the umbrella organization that includes (or partners closely with) the Topeka Chamber of Commerce, Go Topeka (economic development), Visit Topeka, Downtown Topeka Inc., and related groups. These connections come through:

• Leadership Greater Topeka (LGT) — GTP’s flagship leadership development program, which many local business and civic leaders participate in.
• Direct board/leadership roles in GTP or its partner organizations (e.g., Visit Topeka, GO Topeka, Omni Circle Group).
• Company memberships, event hosting, awards, and collaborations (especially MTAA’s work with Go Topeka on business attraction, incentives, and airport-related economic development).

Here’s the deep dive on each person, based on public records, GTP/partner websites, news, and organizational documents:

Samuel Sutton (Chair, City Appointee)

• LGT participant/alum (featured in GTP’s 2023 LGT profiles and TK Business Magazine coverage of the program).
• As MTAA Chair (and previously listed in board leadership roles), he works directly with GTP/Go Topeka on airport economic development initiatives. MTAA frequently collaborates with Go Topeka and the Partnership on business attraction and regional growth.

Carlos Cortez (Vice Chair, City Appointee)

• Strongest direct ties: Chair of the Visit Topeka Board (a core GTP partner organization) and listed in the GTP Chairs Council. He has also served in elected director roles and other GTP leadership capacities.
• Owner of Cortez Transportation Company, which is a longtime member of the Greater Topeka Partnership, Topeka Chamber of Commerce, and Go Topeka. The company has been recognized in Go Topeka small business awards and has hosted GTP “Business Unwind” events.
• Cortez Transportation explicitly lists membership in the Greater Topeka Partnership and Chamber on its own site and in local directories.

Michael Odupitan (Secretary, City Appointee)

• Director At-Large / Omni Circle Group representative on the GTP Board of Directors and in GTP’s Momentum 2027 Executive Committee. Also serves as Omni Circle’s rep on related GTP councils (e.g., Small Business Council).
• LGT participant (featured in GTP/TK Business Magazine LGT coverage).
• Omni Circle Group (which he founded/CEO) partners directly with Go Topeka on startup/entrepreneurship programs (e.g., Shawnee Startups eCommunity) and aligns with GTP’s equity and economic development goals.

Michael Munson (Member, County Appointee)

• LGT Class of 2019 alum (explicitly listed in GTP announcements alongside other local leaders).
• Executive VP/General Counsel at Central National Bank (Topeka branch). His sister, Sara Girard (CNB President/CEO), serves on the Go Topeka board. The bank is deeply embedded in the local business community and participates in Chamber/GTP events.
• Longtime MTAA leadership (past Chair/vice roles); MTAA’s economic development work overlaps heavily with Go Topeka.

Brian Armstrong (Member, County Appointee)

• LGT Class of 2006 alum (explicitly noted on his professional profile in connection with Greater Topeka Partnership).
• Project Manager / leadership role at Bartlett & West (engineering/infrastructure firm). The firm is involved in local development projects and has ties to GTP events and the broader Topeka business network.

Overall Cross-Pollination

• LGT is the common thread — at least four of the five (Sutton, Odupitan, Munson, Armstrong) are LGT alumni/participants; Cortez’s GTP/Visit Topeka leadership effectively puts him in the same network. LGT is designed to build exactly this kind of cross-sector leadership pipeline for GTP’s economic development priorities.
• Business and organizational overlap: Cortez Transportation, Central National Bank, Bartlett & West, and Omni Circle are all active participants/members/supporters in the GTP-Chamber-Go Topeka ecosystem (memberships, sponsorships, events, awards, and direct partnerships).
• MTAA’s role: The airport authority itself collaborates regularly with Go Topeka on business attraction, industrial park development, and incentives — making these board members’ dual involvement in MTAA and GTP natural and mutually reinforcing.

In short, this MTAA board is heavily populated with GTP/LGT-connected business and civic leaders. There is significant “cross-pollination” — the kind you’d expect in a mid-sized city where the same group of engaged professionals rotate through economic development, chamber, and public authority roles. All of this is publicly documented on GTP sites, MTAA records, local news (CJOnline, WIBW, TK Business Magazine), and organizational announcements.

MCRE, LLC

3625 SW 29^th Street

Topeka KS 66614

785.383.9994

Thanks Trudy (keep digging)

 Here's a fact-based overview of the personnel movements you mentioned, based on public records:

Key Players and Timeline

• Stephen (Steve) Wade: Former Topeka City Manager (hired ~2022, terminated by City Council in mid-2023). He publicly struggled with mental health issues during his tenure and was ultimately fired for cause, specifically due to an “inappropriate relationship with a subordinate.” He later filed a large ($100 million) claim against the city related to his termination and mental health.
• Braxton Copley: Long-time Topeka administrator with a background in law and city operations. He previously served as Utilities Director, then moved to Public Works Director / Interim roles, and was later promoted to Assistant City Manager (still in that role as of 2026). He has deep institutional knowledge of Topeka’s infrastructure departments.
• Sylvia Davis: Promoted to Utilities Director in October 2022 when Copley shifted to Public Works. This was a direct internal succession under Wade’s leadership as City Manager. She had been Deputy Director and had run internal leadership training programs.

These moves were part of normal executive shuffling under Wade: Copley advanced upward, and Davis filled the Utilities slot. Copley has continued in higher roles (Assistant City Manager) through subsequent City Managers (including the current one, Dr. Robert Perez).

The "Cloud" You Mention

Your reference to a “cloud” over these shifts and Steve Wade’s “proclivities” appears to tie into the documented reason for Wade’s 2023 termination — the inappropriate subordinate relationship. That event created public controversy and questions about decision-making during his tenure, including promotions and internal placements. Some public commentary (e.g., on local Facebook groups and news) has speculated about favoritism or personal connections in city leadership moves around that time, including involving the Utilities Department.

However, no public records directly link Wade’s termination reason to specific misconduct involving Davis or Copley. The promotions happened in 2022, before Wade’s 2023 exit. Sylvia Davis has continued as Utilities Director through multiple City Managers and leadership changes since then (including recent 2025–2026 shifts in Public Works and other departments). Recent public meetings show her still actively presenting on utilities projects, rates, and infrastructure.

Broader Context on Personnel Changes

Topeka has seen ongoing leadership turnover in recent years (new City Manager, various director-level moves in 2025). The Michael Anthony Gay termination you referenced earlier is part of that pattern and has fueled local speculation about internal issues, transparency, and possible investigations. Mayor Spencer Duncan has even launched third-party reviews into staff concerns in some departments.

Bottom line: The 2022 shuffling (Copley up, Davis into Utilities) occurred under Wade, whose later firing for an inappropriate relationship understandably casts a retrospective shadow for some residents. Whether that created unfair advantages, protected certain people, or influenced motives is a matter of local political interpretation and ongoing public scrutiny — not something with conclusive public evidence tying directly to Davis’s qualifications or performance.

If you have specific performance concerns about the Utilities Department (rates, infrastructure, compliance, etc.), those can be evaluated through public records, council meetings, or open records requests, independent of the personnel backstory. Local government in mid-sized cities like Topeka often involves these kinds of internal promotions and alliances — sometimes clean, sometimes with perceived clouds.

Summary of Fit = Maybe we have been too tough on her?

 Typical Qualifications in a Job Advertisement for Utilities Director

(for a mid-sized city like Topeka, KS — population ~127,000 — with a full-service municipal water, wastewater, and stormwater utility system managing treatment plants, distribution/collection networks, multimillion-dollar budgets, regulatory compliance, and capital projects):

A realistic advertisement (drawn from comparable Kansas and national municipal postings for similar-sized systems) would typically list:

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in civil/environmental engineering, environmental science, public administration, business administration, or a closely related field (Master’s degree often preferred).
• 7–10+ years of progressively responsible experience in public utility operations, with at least 4–5 years in senior-level management or director/assistant director roles.
• Demonstrated knowledge of water/wastewater treatment and distribution systems, EPA and state regulations (Safe Drinking Water Act, Clean Water Act, etc.), capital planning, budgeting, and rate-setting.
• Strong leadership, public communication, and team-management skills.

Preferred/Desired Qualifications

• Professional Engineer (PE) license or eligibility (especially in Kansas).
• Water and/or wastewater operator certifications (Class I–IV or equivalent).
• Experience with asset management, Effective Utility Management (EUM) frameworks, infrastructure resilience, and large-scale capital improvement programs.
• Proven track record in regulatory compliance, stakeholder engagement (city council, public hearings), and financial oversight (bond financing, rate studies).
• Equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered, but technical depth in utility operations is heavily weighted.

These standards reflect the public-health, safety, and multimillion-dollar financial responsibilities of the role. Many postings emphasize internal knowledge of the specific system as a plus but prioritize candidates who can immediately handle technical oversight and regulatory issues.

Sylvia Davis’s Actual Qualifications and Experience (public record as of April 2026)

• Current Role: Director of Utilities, City of Topeka (appointed October 2022).
• Total City Tenure: Approximately 22 years with the City of Topeka (18 years documented as of her 2022 promotion).
• Career Progression (internal promotions within Utilities):
  • General Manager, Water Pollution Control Division (wastewater operations).
  • Deputy Director of Utilities.
  • Director of Utilities (succeeding previous directors).
• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Landscape Architecture, Kansas State University (1999–2004).
• Certifications: Certified Public Manager (CPM) through the University of Kansas.
• Leadership Recognitions: National leadership award from the Utility 2030 Collaborative (2022) specifically for people skills, talent development, and internal leadership training programs she has led for years.
• Key Focus Areas in Role: Effective Utility Management (EUM) implementation, operating and capital budgets, utility rate adjustments, infrastructure modernization (e.g., lead service line replacement), and public communication on water-system investments.

Direct Comparison and Contrast

Sylvia Davis exceeds typical requirements in total years of service, internal system knowledge, and proven leadership/people-management skills. Her career path reflects the city’s preference for promoting experienced insiders who understand Topeka’s unique infrastructure and culture.

The primary contrast with a standard external job ad is in formal technical education and licensing (engineering degree and PE/operator certifications), which many comparable postings prioritize for the technical oversight of treatment plants and regulatory compliance. However, cities frequently use “equivalent combination of education and experience” language precisely because long-term operational leaders like Davis can (and do) succeed through demonstrated performance rather than a specific degree.

Her appointment and continued tenure were decisions made by city leadership based on her track record inside the department. Public evaluation of any director ultimately rests on measurable outcomes like regulatory compliance, infrastructure condition, rate stability, and transparency — areas where her record can be reviewed through city reports, council meetings, and public records.