Wednesday, June 4, 2025
Fwd: KORA
From: Henry McClure <mcre13@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, Jun 3, 2025 at 11:17 AM
Subject: Re: KORA
To: Molly Howey <molly.howey@topekapartnership.com>
Cc: Molly Howey (Go Topeka) <mhowey@gotopeka.com>, Molly Howey <mhowey@topekachamber.org>, City Clerk <cclerk@topeka.org>, countyclerk@snco.us <countyclerk@snco.us>, MCRE Media <mcre1.snco@blogger.com>, Stephanie Moran <stephanie.moran@topekapartnership.com>
When it is executed, we will make it available.
My work hours may differ from yours. Please don't feel obligated to reply outside of yours.
Molly Howey, CEcD
President, GO Topeka
C: 785.231.4707
719 S Kansas Ave., Suite 100, Topeka, KS 66603
From: Henry McClure <mcre13@gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, June 3, 2025 10:57:17 AM
To: Molly Howey <molly.howey@topekapartnership.com>; Molly Howey (Go Topeka) <mhowey@gotopeka.com>; Molly Howey <mhowey@topekachamber.org>; City Clerk <cclerk@topeka.org>; countyclerk@snco.us <countyclerk@snco.us>; MCRE Media <mcre1.snco@blogger.com>
Subject: KORACould you please provide me with a copy of the signed lease? Can this be a standing order?
H
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RE: Change is on the horizon
Good morning,
Thank you for your message. This message serves as confirmation that your email has been received by the council members.
Tonya L. Bailey
Sr. Executive Assistant to the City Council
City of Topeka
215 SE 7th St. Rm 255
785-368-3710
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From: Henry McClure <mcre13@gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, June 3, 2025 8:20 PM
To: Robert M. Perez <rmperez@topeka.org>; Governing Body <governingbody@topeka.org>; MCRE Media <mcre1.snco@blogger.com>; Quinn, Tomari <tquinn@cjonline.com>; Bill Riphahn <bill.riphahn@snco.us>; Kevin Cook <kevin.cook@snco.us>
Subject: Change is on the horizon
| Notice: -----This message was sent by an external sender----- |
Dear Topeka City Council and Residents,
As someone deeply invested in the future of our city, I write to you today with a vision for Topeka that prioritizes fiscal responsibility, the well-being of our workforce, and the efficiency of our governance. Our community is at a crossroads, and the decisions we make now will shape Topeka for generations to come.
First, we must reassess the allocation of public funds toward initiatives like the riverfront development. While such projects hold potential, they must be financially self-sustaining and demonstrate a clear benefit to our residents. We owe it to the people of Topeka to ensure that every dollar spent is an investment in our shared prosperity, not in fleeting aesthetics.
Second, the redevelopment of the AT&T building raises concerns about transparency and equity. We must ensure that all funding decisions are made with accountability, prioritizing projects that serve the public good over those that serve select interests. Our city deserves leadership that embraces openness and fairness in every initiative.
Equally important is the urgent need to address the treatment of city employees. Reports of low morale and workplace anxiety cannot be ignored. As leaders, we have a duty to create an environment that fosters respect, collaboration, and productivity. This begins with a thorough review of hiring practices and ensuring that those in leadership positions are there based on merit and dedication to Topeka's success.
Lastly, projects like the Iconic Footbridge require rigorous evaluation. If the vision for this project is to succeed, it must be backed by solid financial projections and supported by private enterprise wherever possible. Public resources should be reserved for endeavors that unequivocally benefit all residents and align with our long-term goals.
As we move forward, my commitment is to work alongside the council and the community to rebuild trust, embrace transparency, and prioritize initiatives that truly enrich Topeka. Together, we can lay the foundation for a city that thrives economically, socially, and culturally.
Let us rise to the challenge and make Topeka a beacon of progress and integrity.
Sincerely,
An Agent of change!
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Tuesday, June 3, 2025
Anyting good?
The Joint Economic Development Organization (JEDO), formed in 2001 by Topeka and Shawnee County, funnels a half-cent countywide sales tax into economic development initiatives, primarily through GO Topeka. Its mission is to spark growth, boost jobs, and strengthen the tax base, but its funding allocations have been a mixed bag of hits and misses, often leaning toward flashy misfires over substantive wins. Below is a biting evaluation of JEDO’s funding priorities, tied to the context of Topeka’s economic stagnation, the Choose Topeka program’s flops, and the broader failures of GO Topeka, with a sharp focus on what’s working, what’s not, and why. I’ll weave in relevant data from the provided web results while critically dissecting the allocation strategy.
- Harris Fabrication (2023): JEDO approved $190,000 for a $2.1 million expansion, creating 30 jobs at $48,000 average salaries, with a projected $175 million local impact over 10 years (117% ROI).
- Topeka Foundry & Iron Works (2022): An amended $10,000 incentive for a $5 million additional investment yielded a $210.5 million impact over 10 years (450% ROI).
- Southwest Publishing & Mailing (2024): $272,000 supported a $31 million expansion, adding 60 jobs with a $240 million impact (246% ROI).
- HME Inc. (2024): $2.136 million for expansion, creating 167 jobs and a $1.24 billion impact (171% ROI).
- Choose Topeka’s Paltry Impact:
- JEDO’s poured at least $393,250 into Choose Topeka by 2022, offering $5,000–$15,000 to lure 61 workers over three years. The $5 million impact is negligible against Topeka’s $6 billion economy, and 61 people (0.05% of 126,000 residents) won’t dent population stagnation. The program’s bureaucratic maze—employer matches, JEDO approvals, year-long waits—chokes its scale. Compared to Tulsa’s simpler $10,000 upfront model, it’s a clunky mess. JEDO’s betting on PR buzz (4.9 million media impressions) over substance, diverting funds from broader workforce development or tax-base fixes.
- Over-Reliance on Manufacturing Incentives:
- While manufacturing deals shine, JEDO’s heavy tilt toward them (e.g., $2.136 million for HME, $847,000 for Haas Metal in 2020) risks tunnel vision. Topeka’s economy needs diversification—tech, healthcare, or creative industries—but JEDO’s barely touched these. The 2015 Garner Economic report criticized JEDO for ignoring broader strategies, yet a decade later, it’s still leaning on the same playbook. Small wins like 712 Innovations ($30–$300 memberships for co-working) are underfunded and overshadowed by million-dollar factory deals.
- Neglecting Digital Inclusion and Workforce Skills:
- Lazone Grays’ 2020 pitch for a digital inclusion fund—crucial for equipping Topeka’s workforce with marketable skills like coding—got lip service but no serious JEDO action. Digital literacy could bridge economic disparities, especially in underserved East Topeka, but JEDO’s allocated zero dedicated funds here, despite Grays’ call for a community-led plan. This snub undermines long-term talent retention, critical when Choose Topeka’s failing to grow population.
- Questionable “Quality of Place” Spending:
- JEDO’s $2 million for downtown projects in 2018, including $644,000 for NOTO’s Redbud Park, prioritized “jewels in the heart of the city” over countywide needs. Commissioner Bob Archer slammed the lack of public input, and rejected projects like the Topeka Zoo’s Japanese garden highlight JEDO’s urban bias. While downtown’s ASTRA Innovation District (Innovation Center 2.0, approved 2024) got funds for 2026 completion, its $2 million price tag overshadows neglected rural or industrial zones. These feel like vanity projects when the tax base is bleeding from a decade of housing tax breaks.
- Complicity in City Council’s Disasters:
- JEDO’s tied to the council’s $9.5 million sinkhole on a failing hotel and AT&T building, which obliterated economic development funds. While JEDO didn’t directly allocate this, its sales tax revenue was tapped, and its silence on the council’s mismanagement shows weak oversight. This gutted resources for scalable initiatives, leaving programs like Choose Topeka underpowered and the tax base weaker.
- Scale Up Workforce Development: Divert Choose Topeka’s budget to digital literacy and vocational training, targeting mid-skill jobs in logistics and healthcare. A $1 million digital inclusion fund, as Grays suggested, could train hundreds, boosting employability over a few transplants.
- Diversify Incentives: Cap manufacturing deals at 50% of the budget, redirecting $2 million annually to tech startups or creative sectors. Fund 712 Innovations-style hubs at $500,000 to nurture entrepreneurs.
- Prioritize Tax-Base Growth: Pause “quality of place” projects like NOTO until the tax base stabilizes. Use $1 million to audit and reform tax breaks bleeding revenue.
- Transparent Planning: Publish all project details pre-approval, addressing Archer’s 2018 concerns, to rebuild public trust.