Topeka city manager Stephen Wade goes on leave for extended time; reasons undisclosed

Topeka city manager Stephen Wade was conspicuously absent Tuesday evening as the Topeka City Council prepared to take up three of his key initiatives.

Soon after the meeting began, Mayor Mike Padilla, city attorney Amanda Stanley and council members met behind closed doors in executive session for one hour to discuss a matter involving attorney-client privilege.

Then — nearly two hours later, toward the meeting's end — they revealed what they had been talking about.

Wade had requested a leave of absence, for reasons that aren't being made public, Padilla said.

The leave will last for an "extended" and "undisclosed" amount of time, the city said in a news release.

Padilla and council members voted 10-0 to approve Wade's leave, which took effect immediately, then arranged to temporarily replace him with a man who has 43 years experience as a city manager in Kansas.

Stephen Wade appeared on TV one day earlier

Wade had made a TV appearance just a day earlier to discuss the city's efforts to bid at an auction ending Wednesday afternoon to buy The Hotel Topeka at City Center, 1717 S.W. Topeka Blvd.

The council was scheduled Tuesday evening to discuss matters that included the hotel auction, Wade's proposed capital improvement budget and Wade's proposed homelessness strategies program.

They took no votes regarding the CIB and the hotel purchase, and postponed action for one month regarding the homelessness program.

Former Ottawa city manager Richard Nienstedt to fill in

The mayor and council voted 10-0 Tuesday to temporarily name Richard U. Nienstedt, of Ottawa, as acting city manager. Neinstedt retired in March from the city of Ottawa, the city of Topeka said in a news release.

The mayor and council also voted 10-0 to authorize Padilla to negotiate an employment agreement with Neinstedt.

Neinstedt's LinkedIn profile said he had been city manager:

• Starting in 2007 at Ottawa in east-central Kansas, which has a population of about 12,625.

• From 1993 to 2007 at Fort Scott in southeast Kansas, which has a population of about 7,550.

• From 1989 to 1993 at Concordia in north-central Kansas, which has a population of about 5,110.

• From 1983 to 1989 at Stockton in north-central Kansas, which has a population of about 1,480.

• From 1980 to 1983 for Maize and North Newton, located about 20 miles apart in south-central Kansas. Maize has a population of about 1,815 and North Newton a population of about 5,735.

Neinstedt previously held a management internship from 1979 to 1980 with the city of Wichita.

He has a master's degree in public administration from Wichita State University and a bachelor's degree in public administration from Emporia State University.

Richard Nienstedt says he will honorably serve city of Topeka

“I want to assure the Topeka community and the city’s dedicated staff, that I will honorably serve thecity during this time," Neinstedt said in Tuesday's city of Topeka news release. "It is my priority to ensure the continuity of operations of the city, and I’m honored the governing body selected me for this temporary role."

Neinstedt and his wife, Rita, have three grown children and nine grandchildren, Tuesday's release said.

He is to begin working in Topeka later this week, it said.

Stephen Wade has been with city of Topeka since 2020

Topeka's mayor and council spent months searching and holding closed-door meetings before voting 10-0 on Sept. 13 to approve a three-year contract calling for Wade, then 55, to start work as city manager at an annual base salary of $200,000.

While the previous three Topeka city managers came from other states — with the most recent two eventually leaving that job because they had someplace else they'd rather be — Wade is a native of this community, and said he plans to stay. He graduated in 1985 from Shawnee Heights High School.

Wade had twice left Topeka for professional development reasons and returned both times. He has been employed since 2020 by the city of Topeka, where he initially was administrative and financial services director.

Wade previously spent 30 years in the media industry, including being publisher from 2018 to 2020 of The Topeka Capital-Journal and working previously as general manager at The Augusta Chronicle in Augusta, Georgia.

Contact Tim Hrenchir at threnchir@gannett.com or 785-213-5934.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Topeka city manager Stephen Wade granted immediate leave of absence