Fwd: Citizen Advisory Council (CAC)

Henry McClure  
785.383.9994
sent from mobile 📱
time kills deals

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Valley Park <valleyparkniatopeka@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, Nov 13, 2025, 12:35 PM
Subject: Citizen Advisory Council (CAC)
To: <mcre13@gmail.com>

Hi Henry, 

Please consider using your talents to assist the CAC membership when it comes to addressing housing and economic development. There is value in having an experienced person, like yourself, providing neighborhood leaders with suggestions on how to move forward with promoting their neighborhoods, addressing affordable housing, and improving economic development. CAC membership votes on programs that use Community Development Block Grants. The membership needs people who can work toward changing the current outcomes of such programs. There needs to be improved measures for each housing program as well as the scoring rubric of the DREAMS projects. What are your thoughts to help change the status quo?

Mayor Padilla never filled all three at-large positions to be appointed by the mayor despite requests to do so. See Topeka Municipal Code 2.25.040 for more details. One at-large member must come from a low to moderate income (LMI) area not represented by a certified Neighborhood Improvement Association. Two at-large members must come from disciplines such as construction trades, architecture, appraising, real estate sales, public finance, mortgage lending, legal, real estate development, residential property management, commercial banking, construction material suppliers, fundraising, neighborhood planning, zoning, engineering, health or education.

There is a NIA representative position on the Land Bank Board of Trustees and the current person, ShaMecha King Simms, is stepping down at the end of 2025. Today, I sent out a soliciting email to the CAC membership and NIA President and Vice Presidents in an attempt to fill the position prior to 2026.

Sandra Batts is the representative on the Topeka Housing Authority Review Committee.

Susan W. McClacherty

2024-2025 Citizen Advisory Council Chair