Longtime critic Joseph Ledbetter hired to do more consulting for Topeka's city government

Attorney Joseph Ledbetter, a longtime critic of Topeka's city government, will do additional consulting for the city, this time on topics that include downtown and homelessness.

Interim city manager Richard U. Neinstedt and Ledbetter, who previously worked for the city as a consultant, signed a contract Tuesday calling for the city to pay him a total of $10,000 to provide consulting services through Jan. 15.

"We've contracted with Ledbetter to continue his consulting work for the city," Nienstedt told The Capital-Journal. "He will help us research various high-level topics and will work on special projects as needed."

Ledbetter declined to comment publicly when contacted by phone Friday by The Capital-Journal.

What will Joseph Ledbetter research for the city of Topeka?

The city provided The Capital-Journal a copy free of charge of its contract through which it will pay a total of $10,000 to Ledbetter's Capital Consulting, LLC.

That contract calls for that firm to research the following:

• "Downtown entrepreneurial project."

• "Successful strategies in addressing homeless populations in communities across the United States or the free world."

• "Successful homeless employment programs that might be occurring in other communities."

One city document contained a typo in pay amount

Documents the city provided The Capital-Journal included an "administrative action form" signed by Nienstedt, city attorney Amanda Stanley and city clerk Brenda Younger inaccurately indicating Capital Consulting would be paid $10,000 a month.

That was a typographical error, as Capital Consulting will instead be paid a total of $10,000, said city communications director Gretchen Spiker.

She stressed that the amount Capital Consulting will be paid was reflected accurately on the city's contract with Ledbetter.

Who is Joseph Ledbetter?

Ledbetter has been a frequent speaker in recent decades at meetings of the Topeka City Council.

He is a former president of the Hi-Crest Neighborhood Improvement Association and serves on the Shawnee County Parks and Recreation Advisory Board.

Ledbetter filed defamation lawsuits in 2010 against then-Mayor Bill Bunten and then-Shawnee County Commissioner Vic Miller saying both inaccurately stated how many times he failed the Kansas Bar exam.

Ledbetter passed that exam on his second try.

Shawnee County District Court judges dismissed both lawsuits.

How does the new contract's pay compare to the former one's?

Ledbetter previously worked as a consultant for the city from Nov. 8, 2022, through July 2023 under provisions of a contract he signed with former city manager Stephen Wade.

Topeka's city manager has the authority to enter into such contracts.

The mayor and council fired Wade last July for reasons that haven't been made public.

The contract with Ledbetter that Wade signed arranged for the city to pay $49,500 to Ledbetter for just under nine months of work, amounting to an average of slightly less than $5,500 a month.

The contract signed Tuesday arranges for the city to pay $10,000 to Ledbetter for about two and a half months of work, amounting to a monthly average of about $4,000.

What did Joseph Ledbetter do for the city earlier this year?

Wade explained the reasons behind his hiring of Ledbetter to The Capital-Journal in early September.

"It is very good leadership practice to take your biggest critic and pull them close so that you can listen to what they have to say," he said.

Ledbetter came up with ideas that are likely to generate several million dollars' worth of revenue for the city in coming years, Wade said.

Ledbetter did considerable research for the city on housing incentives and economic development, and interviewed builders inside and outside this community, he said.

"He had ideas for ways to increase the number of houses inside the city limits and not have all the residential buildings go to the county," Wade said. "That in itself will raise a considerable amount of taxes."

Ledbetter also found ways for the city's utility department to save money, Wade said.

The ideas Ledbetter brought forth demonstrate the value of having new eyes evaluate problems in an organization, Ledbetter said in an email to The Capital-Journal in September.

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

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Joseph Ledbetter to do more consulting for Topeka's city government