mcre Media .......[Henry McClure Publisher]

A KORA request is a request made under the Kansas Open Records Act. That state law gives every citizen the right to see public records kept by cities, counties and other government bodies. You don't need a lawyer, and you don't have to explain why you want the records. How to make one: - Write a short email or letter saying you're asking under the Kansas Open Records Act - Describe the records you want as clearly as you can - Include your name and your contact information The city has to respond within three business days. It may charge reasonable copying fees. If it denies any part of your request, ask it to cite the legal exemption in writing. Send your request to the Topeka City Clerk at cclerk@topeka.org . It's your government. Ask for the records. Henry McClure, Publisher, mcre Media (762) 291-2765 https://mcremedia.blogspot.com/

Here's what I believe happened. Behind closed doors, the governing body wanted Dr. Perez out. He was given the chance to resign, and the city paid him to go quietly. The contract says a voluntary resignation earns no severance, but taxpayers paid $237,600.48 anyway. Either the resignation wasn't really voluntary, or the city paid money it didn't owe. We deserve to know which. You don't need to be a reporter to find out. Under the Kansas Open Records Act, any citizen can ask for public records. Send a short written request to the Topeka City Clerk asking for: - All drafts of the Perez separation agreement, and the emails, texts and memos about it - His performance reviews, including the one from July 2026 - Any complaints, grievances or claims he made against the city - Legal fees and any other costs tied to his departure - Who negotiated the agreement, and when Keep it simple. Add your name, your contact information, and a line saying you're aski...

By Henry McClure, mcre Media Topeka, it's time to get angry. In a single night, our governing body spent about $157,000 on a ballot question so voters could weigh in on a tax to help our homeless neighbors. Then the same body turned around and approved a separation deal that sent outgoing City Manager Dr. Robert Perez a lump sum of $237,600.48. That's on top of his final paycheck and his unused vacation. Let's be clear about what that check covers. According to records 13 NEWS obtained, it's nine months of salary plus nine months of health, dental and life insurance. In exchange, Perez agrees not to bring any further claims against the city. Now look at the contract. It says severance is owed "in the event the Employee's employment is terminated by the City's Governing Body." It also says that if he voluntarily resigns, he "will not be entitled to the severance sum." Mayor Spencer Duncan keeps telling us the resignation was volunt...

  Steve Wade, Braxton Copley and Hotel Topeka A sourced timeline from Wade's hiring to Copley's retirement. The city manager who pitched the hotel was fired for cause, while the deputy who ran the $18.35 million project retires with praise. The pattern The city fired Wade for personal conduct but has held no one accountable for a hotel that cost $18.35 million and sold for $1 million in cash. 2022 to 2023: Wade and the purchase Sep 2022 Council hires Wade as city manager, 10-0 A 3-year contract at $200,000 a year. He had been the city's finance director and was Capital-Journal publisher from 2018 to 2020. May 30, 2023 Council votes 7-2 to bid on Hotel Topeka After a 90-minute closed session, with an $8 million cap. Ortiz and Valdivia-Alcala voted no. Wade was the city's public voice for the bid. Early Jun 2023 Wade: 'very careful with taxpayer money' He promised the city would stay at or below its threshold. Jun 6, 2023 Wade goes on leave, approved 10-0 Richard...

An Open Letter to the Topeka City Council, the City Manager's Office, and the Citizens of Topeka I'm writing to put the full Hotel Topeka story on the record in one place, so every taxpayer in this city can see what happened and ask the questions City Hall has not answered. The short answer The Deputy City Manager who ran this project, Braxton Copley, is retiring in 2027 with public praise. He was not fired. No one has been fired, censured, or held responsible in any way for what has become one of the costliest decisions in recent city history. Here's how we got here. 1. The purchase In June 2023, the city bought Hotel Topeka at auction for $7.6 million after an emergency meeting. The Shawnee County appraiser had valued the property at about $3 million. Two council members voted no. One of them, Christina Valdivia-Alcalá, said publicly that the process was rushed and not transparent. From the very first day, the city paid more than double the appraised value for a property ...

  Topeka interim city manager (effective Oct. 26, 2026). Compiled Oct. 22, 2026. Summary Michael "Mike" Webb (age 60 as of a March 2023 city announcement) was Edwardsville, Kansas city manager from May 2007 to mid-2023. Since then he has worked as a contract interim and consulting manager for small Kansas cities. Mayor Spencer Duncan named him Topeka interim city manager effective Oct. 26, 2026, after Dr. Robert M. Perez resigned Oct. 20; Deputy City Manager Braxton Copley serves until then. Webb holds an MPA from the University of North Texas and reports 35+ years in municipal management in Kansas, Texas and Arizona, including early-career work in Grapevine, Texas. Biggest gaps: his roles before 2007, birthplace, undergraduate degree, and Topeka pay figure and contract terms are not in public sources. Career Timeline Dates Role Source / confidence Unknown (early career) City staff, Grapevine, Texas (title not stated)...