The meeting was called to order with all nine council members present. The agenda included appointments, a progress report on the Changing Our Culture of Property Maintenance initiative, consent agenda, several action items (rezoning, PUD amendment, land dedications, annexation, budget hearing date), discussion of the 2026 legislative agenda, public comments, and announcements.
Good evening and welcome to the November 18th meeting of the governing body. I call this meeting to order. If you will give your attention to Councilwoman Hiller, who will provide the invocation, stand as you are able, and then remain standing for the Pledge of Allegiance. Thank you, Mayor. It's uh it's a great pleasure for me to introduce to you, Terry Kimes. Many of you may know him from his past life as 40 years at as a partner or as an accountant and then a partner at my CPA today. Terry is the chaplain at the Shawnee County Jail. Um there he does Bible studies, one-on-one councils, baptisms, support, kind of whatever anybody needs. He also is on the board of Tumi, which is the Topeka Urban Ministry Institute, which is based out of Central Topeka and Central Park neighborhood in particular. Um that group is involved in feeding the homeless that are able to get to their houses. They have two chaplain houses near near Central Park Community Center and Central Park Christian. They do outreach, particularly in Central Park. Um, every Sunday night, feed between 80 and 100 homeless people that are able to get to their meals. Um they've also hired a person who's managing one of the houses as an as a what they call a neighborhood navigator, and she helps people find food, get IDs, addresses, and so on. And with that, ask Terry to share some words with us this evening to start a meeting. Thank you, Karen. Uh, let us pray. Our most gracious Heavenly Father. We thank you for this beautiful day. We thank you for the opportunity to be here tonight, and we ask you to bless all those who are in attendance. We thank you for this governing body as they work together to serve our community. We thank you for the citizens that have come out tonight to be involved in our democracy. We thank you for organizations like the Topeka Urban Ministry Institute that are a part of this community that reach out to the leased. We are feeding 80 to 100 homeless people every Sunday night in the Central Park community, all done by private contributions from our citizens. Tonight, as this council meets together to make important decisions that affect Topeka. We ask that you give them the grace to work together with Unity and give each member the discernment to voice what their personal beliefs are on each issue. We are thankful for these leaders for the time they spend in serving. We also ask for your protection and all those first responders that serve this city. And Lord, most of all, we thank you for how much you love us all. We ask all these things in the name of our precious Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen. Thank you. I vote for the allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. And to the Republic for which it stands. Under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Okay, thank you all. Madam Klerk, will we call the roll, please? Uh Mayor Pia. Here. Council members Hiller. Here, Valdivia Aquala, Ortiz, here, thanks. Here. Kel? Here. Miller. Here. Doubler. Here. Duncan. Here.