City Auditor charter ordinance amendment

At a glance

What: Charter ordinance would let a City Auditor report directly to the Governing Body; needs seven votes including the Mayor, then an ordinance to put it on a March 2, 2027 mail ballot.
Update 2026-10-20: the Governing Body approved the charter ordinance 9-0 (motion by Kell, second McGee; seven votes needed), then 9-0 an ordinance calling the March 2, 2027 election on it (motion Miller, second Banks). Based on auto-generated captions.

Amends Topeka Municipal Code sections A2-24 and A2-25 so a city auditor reports directly to the governing body.
$108,000 budgeted in 2027; expected salary about $165,000. A job profile is to come by the last meeting in November.
Envisioned as a performance auditor working from an annual audit plan the council sets, with quarterly public updates (suggested by Miller).

Hiller, Bradberry and McGee described audits as routine improvement, not only forensic; Bradberry noted CPA, CIA and CGAP credentials.
Hoferer worried about ten members directing one employee; the Mayor said an agreed annual work plan would set priorities.
Public: Joseph Ledbetter (the manager already must report finances; floated a strong-mayor return), Danielle Twemlow (equity-focused audit rubric), Henry McClure (auditor should answer to the public).
See also 0.1% sales tax for affordable housing trust fund and homeless initiatives.

About 27 minutes across 2 meetings (from transcript timestamps; approximate).

Meeting	Minutes
2026-10-20 - City Council	26
2026-10-13 - City Council	1

2026-10-20 - City Council - actions B and C passed 9-0: charter language approved and the March 2, 2027 election called; 26 minutes with three public speakers.
2026-10-13 - City Council - charter language and draft ordinance handed out; Miller voiced strong support; about a minute of discussion within the larger sales tax item; no vote.
2026-10-22 - Page created from a posted agenda; no meeting transcript processed yet.
2026-10-06 - 2026-10-06 - City Council: a city auditor charter amendment was among the ballot options discussed.