October 20, 2026 | This Is Topeka | Breaking News
Topeka City Manager Robert Perez has resigned effective immediately, according to a statement released Tuesday by Mayor Spencer Duncan.
The announcement marks a significant leadership change at Topeka City Hall, with the city’s governing body accepting Perez’s resignation and approving interim leadership arrangements.
Mayor Duncan emphasized that the departure was a personnel and leadership transition, stating that it “does not involve any issues of wrongdoing.”
According to the mayor’s announcement, Deputy City Manager Braxton Copley will temporarily oversee city operations until Monday, October 26. At that point, Michael Webb, a veteran municipal administrator with more than three decades of experience, will assume the interim city manager position.
Webb previously served as city manager of Edwardsville, Kansas, from 2007 to 2023.
The mayor said city services would continue without interruption while the governing body begins the process of selecting a permanent replacement.
What remains unanswered
The mayor’s statement does not explain why Perez resigned, whether the departure was voluntary, or whether any severance agreement was approved.
The resignation also comes amid recent concerns about Topeka’s transition to a new online permitting system, which has disrupted local construction operations. However, there is no verified evidence connecting Perez’s departure to the permitting problems.
For This Is Topeka’s follow-up reporting, the critical questions are whether Perez received a separation agreement, when city leadership first learned of his departure, and whether the governing body discussed his resignation in executive session.
Editor’s note: This breaking report is based on the October 20 statement attributed to Mayor Spencer Duncan in the supplied screenshot. City records independently establish Perez’s prior role, but the resignation announcement has not yet been independently corroborated through an official city publication.
