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Topeka council consolidates fee ordinances, votes to drop $25 burn permit charge
Summary
The Topeka City Council on Jan. 13 approved an ordinance consolidating dozens of fee references into a single city fee schedule and voted to reduce a proposed $25 burn‑permit fee to $0 after concerns about low‑income residents and safety. Council amended the schedule-review requirement from annual to "when requested."
The Topeka City Council voted Jan. 13 to consolidate multiple municipal fee references into a single, cross‑referenced ordinance and to adopt a companion fee schedule by resolution, a change city staff said will make fees easier for residents to find.
City Manager Robert Perez and budget director Josh McInarney told the council the consolidation does not itself change prices; it transfers fee amounts into a single fee schedule adopted by resolution so the governing body can update amounts by resolution. Perez said the rates reflect adjustments made in the FY2026 budget and staff estimated codifying the rates equated to roughly $150,000–$200,000 depending on price fluctuations.
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