Topeka ADA Advisory Council to the City of Topeka Governing Body

08/06/2024

Join us tonight for National Night Out tonight from 4pm-7pm at West Ridge Mall! Stop by our booth to learn more about the ADA Advisory Council's dedication to making Topeka accessible for all.

You can also learn more about the ADA Advisory Council by visiting: bit.ly/TopekaADA

04/29/2022

Last week ADA council member and chair Steve Schoenberg and member Joe Cheray along with David Bevens gave the city council a presentation on what the council has accomplished, what our goals are and a call for a dedicated full time ADA coordinator.

Ours is the first presentation of the evening. Please see what we had to say to the council and the mayor.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XkYcMLC7cI&t=892s

City Council Meeting

01/12/2022

Topeka Metro is proposing the following changes to routes due to ongoing staffing issues. Lift services will remain the same.

12/29/2021

If you'd like to make your voice heard during the upcoming city budget process here's where you can do that. Interest form deadline is January 7th.

http://topeka.wufoo.com/forms/w1x3eihr0d0i1nf/

The City of Topeka wants your input on the 2023 Budget. Help us decide how to best allocate funding to ensure Topeka continues its momentum as a premier city. As part of the 2023 Budget Process, the City is forming five work groups to provide input on the Governing Body's Budget priorities. Those pr...

12/23/2021

City of Topeka looking for community members to participate in budget process. The City of Topeka is revamping its budget process and the community will have a role.

As part of the 2023 budget process, the City will host a series of five budget workshops, each focusing on a specific budget priority outlined by the City’s Governing Body. The topics will include; Investing in Infrastructure, Continuing a Commitment to Developing Neighborhoods, Continuing a Commitment to Public Safety, Selected Strategic Investments toward Quality of Life, and Good Governance.

The workshops will begin in late January and will conclude in early March.

“The goal of the workshop sessions is to ensure the City is using its resources in order to meet the outcomes the community desires,” said Stephen Wade, Director of Administrative and Financial Services. “We are excited for the community to have a seat at the table, and we look forward to hearing their ideas.”

The workshops will be comprised of Governing Body members, City staff and community members. Community members who would like to participate in one of the workshops can submit their interest by filling out this form: https://topeka.wufoo.com/forms/w1x3eihr0d0i1nf/

City staff is working diligently to ensure the makeup of the workshops represents the City as a whole, which includes but is not limited to age, gender, race and socioeconomic background.

The deadline to submit an interest form is Friday, January 7, 2022.

Those who are not interested in participating in a workshop, but would like to provide input regarding the 2023 budget, can email their comments to budget@topeka.org.

The City of Topeka wants your input on the 2023 Budget. Help us decide how to best allocate funding to ensure Topeka continues its momentum as a premier city. As part of the 2023 Budget Process, the City is forming five work groups to provide input on the Governing Body's Budget priorities. Those pr...

12/07/2021

All,

You are invited to a briefing for Disabled Americans on Thursday, December 9th at 2:00pm ET hosted by the White House Office of Public Engagement. This call will be the first in a series of monthly open registration, closed press opportunities for you to hear directly from the White House about updates impacting people with disabilities and their allies.

All are welcome! Please share with your email and social media networks.

RSVP Here
Full link: https://pitc.zoomgov.com/.../WN_HEn4xVNwTHOcQMzB6VuGgw
ASL and CART will be provided.

Emily Voorde (she / her)
The White House
Associate Director, Office of Public Engagement
202.881.7542

12/03/2021

Today is International Day of Persons with Disabilities. The ADA council has made strides this year to make the city of Topeka accessible to all Topeka residents as well as visitors to the city.

Please share our page with others and ask them to give us a like.

11/17/2021

Topeka Mayor Michelle De La Isla proclaims November National Home Care and Hospice Month.

https://twitter.com/cityoftopeka/status/1460764527688142850

“Tonight’s Meeting kicked off with two Mayoral Proclamations by . The first, declaring November as “National Home Care and Hospice Month.” The second, declaring November as “Family Court Awareness Month.””

11/11/2021

Thanking all Veterans for their service today and every day.

10/25/2021

Metering to begin November 1 on side streets in downtown Topeka

Beginning November 1, 2021, side street parking in downtown Topeka will become metered on weekdays during business hours. This change impacts metered parking spots on side streets located one block east and west of S Kansas Ave. between 6th and 10th avenues.

Parking on Kansas Ave. in downtown Topeka will remain free for up to two hours per day during business hours during the week. If you exceed two-hour parking on Kansas Ave. in one day during the week, you are subject to a ticket. All parking downtown is free between 6:00 p.m. and 7:59 a.m. on weekdays and on Saturdays and Sundays.

This change was made after an in-depth study found street parking downtown is often times being utilized by those who work downtown. The City’s goal is for street parking to be available for visitors and community members who shop and dine downtown.

In a letter signed by Downtown Topeka, Inc. (DTI) officials Rhiannon Friedman and Scott Gales, they said they support the move to begin metering.

“Parking directly impacts businesses, visitors, and residents of downtown Topeka. The proper maintenance of these assets is necessary for our community to continue to thrive and attract new businesses and residents alike. We appreciate the level of detail and dedication that has been put into the parking study completed by city staff. DTI agrees that these improvements and next steps will continue to help support the recruitment and retention of businesses and resident’s downtown,” said Friedman and Gales.

Costs downtown are $0.50 per hour or $1.00 per hour, depending on the meter. Prices and time limits are listed on the meters.

You can pay with a card by using the free Passport Parking mobile app (https://www.passportparking.com/). You can also pay with coins.

These changes do not impact City of Topeka parking garages. Parking passes for City garages can be purchased online. A parking map including meter rates can also be viewed at https://www.topeka.org/parking/.

The cost of a parking ticket is currently $8 for a first offense.

What does the next revolution in parking look like? The Passport Parking app. Pay, extend and manage your parking session from your mobile phone. It's easy!

09/05/2021

Today is the start of National Su***de Prevention Awareness Week!

The Shawnee County Sheriff's Office and our partners at the Topeka Police Department, Topeka Fire Department, Topeka KS Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #3, & IAFF Local 83 Topeka Professional Firefighters want to remind our citizens that help is available!

Resources:
National Su***de Prevention Lifeline '1-800-273-TALK (8255)'
Valeo Behavioral Health Care crisis hotline (785) 234-3300
Stormont Vail Health (785) 254-6000 (https://www.stormontvail.org/su***de-prevention/)
The University of Kansas Health System St. Francis Campus (785) 295-8000
Family Service & Guidance Center (785) 232-500 (785) 232-500
New Beginnings Health Care (785) 233-7138
Washburn University Counseling Services (785) 670-3100
Shawnee County Su***de Prevention Coalition (http://www.scspc.org/)

It’s OK to talk to your child or an adult about su***de. You are not giving them ideas. In fact, you are giving them permission to open up and talk about the risks of su***de. It’s important to ask the question, to talk. Su***de was the ninth leading cause of death in Kansas in 2018. […]

08/12/2021

The National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities as part of our partnership with United Healthcare is working on a small project to help us understand the experience of individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities (I/DD) or similar functional disabilities in accessing primary healthcare services. Our goal is to generate awareness for individuals, caregivers, and family members on the benefits of primary health care and to provide connections to resources for healthcare providers.

Our first step is launching a series of surveys to leaders in the DD community, individuals and caregivers, and health care providers. We are asking all DD Councils to join our effort! Please take some time to complete the DD Council Primary Healthcare survey. I consider your input critical to helping us identify challenges and raise awareness and solutions to these challenges for the broader healthcare community. The following DD Council Survey can be completed by more than one staff leader: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/QPJ5BLJ

The additional surveys for health care providers and individuals are attached below, we encourage you to share with any relevant advocates or partners to help us generate robust data on barriers and challenges in accessing primary care for individuals with I/DD and similar functional disabilities.

Advocate/IndividualsSurvey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WNMNRFJ

This survey is intended for advocates and individuals, including family members and caregivers, and can be used outside of the NACDD community

Healthcare Professionals Survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ZJ9PD8N

Please complete as much of the DD Council survey as you can, all information shared is confidential. You can reach out to covid@nacdd.org if you have any questions or comments.

Thank you!

Donna - DMeltzer@nacdd.org

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