Note: The meeting transcript begins with "Good evening and welcome to the November 2 meeting", while the provided meeting date is November 6, 2025. This summary uses the supplied date but notes the discrepancy.
The meeting covered routine consent items, public comment on police accountability and claims, action on a Community Improvement District (CID) and Tax Increment Financing (TIF) district for Sunflower Crossing, and a postponed Reinvestment Housing Incentive District (RHID) proposal for Lawrence Bay Phase 2. A discussion on utility rate structures drew significant council debate, and two executive sessions were held.
Good evening and welcome to the November 2 meeting of the Governing Body Call of the Community Order. If you will give your attention to the Council Woman Gilbert, who will provide the education, stand as you are able, and then remain standing. When to introduce Reverend Donna Gilchrist, she is pastor at Westside Christian Church, Disciples of Christ denomination. She came to us from Oklahoma in 2018. Westside Christian started as Auburn Dale Mission in 1909 in a little church around First and Lindenwood, just down the street from where the current church and fellowship building are at Sixth and Lindenwood. A woman named Clara Hazelrig served the church as one of its early pastors from 1914 to 1931 and had a tremendous influence on the flavor and actions of Westside Christian today. An element of that special flavor is the community engagement of Westside. Westside is part of the Midtown Community Services Group that includes Westside Christian, Westside Baptist, Potwan Presbyterian, Meadows Elementary, and Loman Hill Elementary, and variously other groups such as the Episcopal Diocese rooted to Peka and Silverbacks. Current activities include a kids' closet, Thanksgiving boxes for Lowman Hill students, and holiday boxes for Meadows students. Westside Christian is a part of Doorstep. Members do some volunteer work with Family Service and Guidance Center, Ronald McDonald House, and KVC Behavioral Health Care, and members are in the process of developing some services for children and adults with disabilities. West Side is a musical church. They have a music ministry and their choir and bell choir have performed at events such as the Topeka Center for Peace and Justice's Martin Luther King Day program and Nativities and Noel's. It does a fall music festival that includes the Topeka High Madrigals and Potwyn Presbyterians String Ensemble. It's wonderful to see a church so rooted in the community. Reverend Gilchrist herself has also served on the Topeka Center for Peace and Justice's board for the past seven years and currently serves as its chair. So I'd like to I'd like to open this evening with uh a book, um, just a very short devotional from Will Bowen, um, Letters to You Love God. And so if you'll just listen as if these were written lovingly to you from God, to you. If I could put my arms around you, I would, but that would mean I'm outside of you rather than one with every cell of your being. If I could speak to you, I would. But that would set my voice apart from the sounds of nature and the voices of others. If I could hold your hand during times of trouble, I would, but that would close your grasp just when your hands need to be open and reaching. If I could guarantee you a pain-free tomorrow, I would. But that would only serve to rob you of the growth and clarity difficult experiences bring. If I could convince you that you are loved, guided, and lack nothing just as you are, I would. For indeed, that is the truth. Love God. Will you pray with me? Giver of life, as we settle into this space, we breathe deeply, breathing in, breathing out, settling in. So thankful for your presence and for each person in this room, for each person in this city. Open the eyes of our hearts, Lord, so that relationships might be deepened and strengthened, and Topeka might be transformed by your wisdom and love. These meetings and discussions have the capacity to become an ordinary fabric of ordinary days, and yet we look to you to move each person here beyond the ordinary, filled with the knowledge that what they do truly matters and affects lives. Give each council member the strength to stand behind their constituents, as well as the flexibility to bend and compromise. Give our mayor and his staff all that they need to govern well. Remind this council that their individual differences bring important perspective to the table. This work is valuable. Open the eyes of each heart in this room. May they see the opportunity to transform Topeka as they lead with compassion, integrity, respect, and love. Amen. Under God with liberty and justice roll. Okay, Madam Clerk, roll call, please. Mayor Padilla. Here. Council members Hiller. Here. Valdivia Oklahoma here. Ortice. Banks. Here. Kel.