City of Topeka cuts three upper-level jobs in wake of COVID-19 pandemic

In an effort to cut costs, Topeka’s city government has eliminated the jobs held by deputy city manager Doug Gerber, neighborhood relations director Sasha Haehn and emergency management coordinator Jim Green.

The termination of those employees and elimination of their positions became necessary as a result of city budget challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, city media relations coordinator Molly Hadfield indicated in a news release Monday.

“These individuals are not being dismissed due to any conduct or performance issues,” she said. “However, the effect the pandemic is anticipated to have on the city budget is likely to be severe. This requires that steps be taken to responsibly navigate through this unprecedented event, including the elimination of positions.”

The city will save about $446,000 in 2021 as a result of the elimination of the positions, including salaries and benefits, Hadfield said.

She said the employees involved have all been notified but currently remain with the city and are helping arrange for their duties to be absorbed by other staff members.

Topeka City Council members had asked recently that city manager Brent Trout find ways to cut costs without raising taxes or reducing employee salaries.

“Eliminating these positions was a difficult decision,” Trout said in Monday’s news release. “I want to thank Doug, Sasha and Jim for the hard work and years of service that they gave to the city of Topeka. Their contributions helped to make the city a better community to live and work in.”

Gerber has been with the city of Topeka since he was hired in 2014 to be its financial and administrative services director. He subsequently became deputy city manager, then served from October 2016 to October 2017 as interim city manager before moving back to deputy city manager.

Gerber was city manager for Goodland in northwest Kansas from 2009 to 2014 and city administrator for Beloit in north-central Kansas from 1999 to 2009, according to his LinkedIn page.

Haehn has been with the city of Topeka since becoming its neighborhood relations director in 2014. She was city administrator from 2005 to 2014 for Andover in Sedgwick County.

Green has been employed by the city of Topeka since 2003.