Topeka council increases its oversight of high-dollar street projects

Topeka’s mayor and city council late Tuesday gave themselves increased oversight of high-dollar street projects financed by a city-wide, half-cent sales tax. Before voting 10-0 to adopt a resolution approving the city’s 2021-2023 capital improvement budget and 2021-30 capital improvement plan, the mayor and council voted 10-0 to adopt an amendment to that resolution proposed by Councilman Neil Dobler. That amendment takes steps that include requiring council approval for all street project budgets of $250,000 or more for work financed totally or in part by revenue from the citywide, half-cent sales tax.