Latest news with #ValparaisoCityCouncil
Chicago Tribune
09-08-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Valparaiso mayor vetoes changes to advisory human relations council
Valparaiso Mayor Jon Costas vetoed the city council's 5-2 vote in favor of a revamped Advisory Human Relations Council, redesigned to serve both the needs of the mayor and the city council. The veto action from Costas came Thursday. The city council meets at 6 p.m. Monday, providing the opportunity for further discussion and debate if the council decides to address the matter. The ordinance is not on the meeting agenda, which was released late Thursday. If another vote is called on the advisory council, a minimum favorable vote of 5-2 can override the mayor's veto. At the last council meeting on July 28, the ordinance, which was crafted and introduced by Valparaiso City Council President Ellen Kapitan and fellow at-large member Emilie Hunt, found further support from Barbara Domer, D-3rd, and Robert Cotton, D-2nd, along with a noticeably hesitant vote by Diana Reed, D-1st. Peter Anderson, R-5th, and Jack Pupillo, R-4th, voted against the ordinance. 'I informed the council by email Thursday about my decision to veto this ordinance,' Costas said Friday morning. He said he decided not to sign the ordinance as it passed because he believes the current make-up and function of the advisory council is 'very effective' for advising him in his role as the city's executive. 'I've continued to urge the council to create their own Human Relations Council or a similar committee by selecting their own member to serve on that body rather than absorbing my existing appointed member and adding to that number. As I've said publicly, I don't wish for there to be mayor appointments to this council's created advisory group. I haven't seen the collaboration I'd hope for this, and as a result, I felt that vetoing this (ordinance) was warranted.' Heated discussion and public tug-of-war between Costas and city council members about the purpose, mission and a future vision and altered definition of the Advisory Human Relations Council have continued consistently during the past six months. At the March 10 council meeting, Alison Quackenbush, a middle school civics teacher who serves as the chair of the existing Advisory Human Relations Council as appointed by Costas, was questioned pointedly by Hunt and Kapitan about the lack of programming and events hosted by the advisory council, including in February for Black History Month. In addition to Quackenbush, other members of the advisory council are Elisabeth Cohon, Debi Sibray, Mark Fesenmyer, Patrick Lyp, Carolyn Rodea, David Muniz, Mike Hendren and Jack Tipold, in addition to non-voting members Katie Shideler, Olivia Krutz and Valparaiso Police Chief Andrew McIntyre. While Costas has said he created the idea for an advisory council 'more than a dozen years ago,' Cotton has publicly corrected him, maintaining 'it was the Valparaiso City Council who created this council, not the mayor.' Costas said in June that he formed the advisory council to ensure the city's mayor receives 'a broad range of independent advice and perspective on matters related to the city's growing minority populations.' He disagreed with reconstituting the advisory council so it was appointed by the city council, with the goal of organizing, promoting and funding cultural events in the city, because the advisory council has been effective as it is for more than 14 years. Costas also said at the time that he was concerned 'that city resources and tax funds should not be used to promote cultural/social events organized by groups or private citizens.' The city's residents, he said, celebrate different cultures, beliefs and lifestyles. 'I believe that my job as mayor is not to elevate one over the other, but rather to ensure that all citizens feel respected, protected and free to express their own cultural views and beliefs as they see fit.'
Chicago Tribune
07-08-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Valparaiso City Council member Barb Dormer to push redistricting ordinance
Valparaiso City Council member Barbara Domer will introduce an ordinance to create a bipartisan Citizens Redistricting Advisory Commission to draft legislative district maps. If approved, Domer said Valparaiso will join two other Indiana cities, Bloomington and Goshen, that have engaged their city councils with redistricting using the help of a bipartisan team of voters. 'After holding a public meeting in May to receive citizen input and gauge public support, I am excited to announce plans to move forward with introducing an ordinance to create a bipartisan citizen redistricting advisory commission for Valparaiso,' Domer, D-3, said earlier this month. 'My decision to run for City Council was spurred, in part, by my involvement with this city council's redistricting process in 2022, and I firmly believe this is a process that can, and should, be directed by voters, not politicians. I look forward to working with Mayor Costas, my fellow council members, organizations representing voters, and all others who support a voter-centric reform to create the building blocks of our council elections here in Valparaiso.' Domer said her insistence and efforts so far 'have been praised' by Julia Vaughn, executive director of Common Cause Indiana, who helped redistricting activists in Valparaiso create a public mapping process during the 2022 round of redistricting. 'I first met Councilwoman Domer in 2021 during the state and Congressional redistricting process when she was one of the hundreds of local leaders we worked with as part of our Indiana Citizens Redistricting Commission demonstration project,' Vaughn said. 'She helped organize and promote a local redistricting mapping project for Valpo council districts in 2022, which resulted in seven maps drawn by citizens, more public input than any other city in the state. It's so exciting that she used that experience as motivation to run for city council and is continuing to promote fair maps and responsible redistricting as a public official,' Vaughn said. 'I'm looking forward to continuing our work to make the city of Valparaiso the third city in the state to create a citizens' redistricting advisory commission.' Additional information about redistricting can be found on the Valpo Redistricting page of the League of Women Voters of Porter County website, Mayor Jon Costas and the rest of the city council have yet to share their thoughts publicly about the need for redistricting. 'As a member of the League of Women Voters of Porter County, I have been involved in the redistricting process for the past several years,' Domer said. 'Taking the politicians out of the map drawing process and entrusting the residents of our community with this responsibility will likely create district maps which respect communities/neighborhoods of interest without dividing voters for political gain.' In 2022, the city entered a contract with the law firm of a former speaker of the Indiana House of Representatives to draw the city district maps, prompting Domer to be vocally critical of the outcome. 'The city paid close to $50,000 for this service, while meanwhile residents, including myself, prior to my council election, proved we could draw the maps locally, and we drew legislative maps for free,' Domer said. Domer said an independent redistricting commission would establish 'the redistricting procedures that are transparent, inclusive and inviting public participation.' 'At the core of this commission's mission would be for them to be able to receive public input on how residents want to see their communities drawn,' Domer said.
Chicago Tribune
07-08-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Erika Watkins chosen as Valparaiso School Board president for her second term
The Valparaiso City Council selected childcare center director Erika Watkins in May to have a second term appointment to the Valparaiso School Board, and at her first new term meeting on July 30, she was voted unanimously by the trustees to serve as school board president. Like Watkins, Valparaiso attorney John Peluso was also sworn in by the board as the new school board appointment from the Center Township Trustee Advisory Board. Watkins' first term was as the Center Township appointee. The July 30 meeting was the first meeting sans Robert Behrend, who served as the previous school board president and completed two four-year terms on the board. The final year of Behrend's time on the board was fraught with controversy after questions were raised at the start of the year about whether Behrend, a practicing dentist, spent more of his time in Valparaiso or a second address in Hartland, Wisconsin, assisting his son start his dental practice. Behrend's final school board meeting on June 20 included public complaints about his social media posts about low-income housing. While the other school board members publicly condemned his opinions, the board and Valparaiso Schools Superintendent Jim McCall also thanked him for his service and time on the board. Democrat Watkins was publicly vocal in January to the Valparaiso City Council about her disappointment about not having an opportunity to serve as school board president. Watkins said her appointment to the school board came at the same time as Behrend's start for his second membership term. 'Usually, during the four-year term, you serve as school board member, then move to secretary, vice president and then presidency,' Watkins said during the Jan. 27, 2025, Valparaiso City Council meeting. 'That's how the cycle usually takes place. Somehow, though, in my tenure, it did not happen that way. I'm not going to force something that was not to be. I had asked Robert, since he had already had his term as president, if I could have that position and it was not granted.' For this second term, Watkins competed with finalists Brett Miller and Ron Donahue, both Republicans vying to fill the seat vacated by Jon Costas when he left the board to begin his term as mayor. The fourth finalist was Democrat Curtiss Strietelmeier, who was also an unsuccessful finalist for an open Valparaiso School Board seat in 2023. New member Peluso had competed against fellow applicants Ruth Vance, Jerome 'Jerry' Ezell and Lisa Gonzales during the May 19 interviews held at the Porter County Administration Building. The rest of the school board includes Kaye Frataccia-Seibert, who was selected by the school board in December 2023 to complete the term of Costas, appointed by the city council in 2022. The board selected Frataccia-Seibert as secretary. Ashley Kruse, appointed by the city council in 2024, is vice president, and Karl Cender, who was appointed by the city council in 2023, will serve his membership term. The first day of student classes for Valparaiso Community Schools is Wednesday, Aug. 13. The next Valparaiso Community Schools board of trustees meeting is at 6 p.m. on Aug. 28 at the Valparaiso Community Schools administration building.
Chicago Tribune
06-07-2025
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
Valpo Council approves new Midwood Terrace annexation despite concerns
The Valparaiso City Council approved annexation for an 80-acre parcel in rural Center Township as part of a project led by Lake Acquisitions, Inc. and Prairie Development, LLC. The council passed the annexation 5-2, with councilmen Jack Pupillo, 4th district, and Peter Anderson, 5th district, voting in opposition. The area is currently zoned Medium Density Single-Family (R2) in this unincorporated area of fields in Porter County, and the petitioners have also been granted their request to change the zoning for the property as Urban Residential (UR) and General Residential (GR) which will allow for multi-family townhouse structures. But that rezone has current homeowners in adjacent neighborhoods concerned about additional traffic and an oversaturation of addresses. The Porter County Plan Commission previously approved the new subdivision primary plat by developer Olthof Homes. The approximately 80-acre property is made up of four parcels located in the northwest corner of CR 175 West and CR 500 North. The annexation vote and discussion started last month at the Valparaiso City Council's June 9 meeting with a first reading, discussion and public input and continued with a second public hearing and final vote of Resolution No. 6 and Ordinance No. 11 at the June 23 meeting. Valparaiso City Planner Bob Thompson and Kevin Pauzer, an architect and project representative with Olthof Homes, gave a detailed presentation at both of the meetings. Following concerns raised by both council members and members of the public on June 9 about the housing density planned for the development, Olthof Homes scaled back some of the structures to allow for more parking and green space. The revised project will have 147 single-family homes, an additional 18 larger single-family home units, and 126 townhouses. 'The developer has already reached out to Valparaiso Superintendent Dr. (Jim) McCall about this planned community and the impact and need for schools, and the superintendent does not have a problem with any of it, and just asked to be kept informed,' Thompson said. Valparaiso Mayor Jon Costas said he too spoke to McCall and the new community did not present any problems. However, McCall said it is likely in the future a new elementary school would likely be built in the same area to parallel population growth. Phil Page, who lives near the proposed development, spoke at the June 23 meeting about 'too much traffic along 500 North.' 'I like to jog in that area and it's already dangerous with the amount of traffic flow,' Page said. 'Even with the concessions made by the developer for few homes, this is still too urban for that area. I understand that Olthof Homes wants to make money by selling as many homes as possible. The single-family homes are fine, but not the townhouses.' Mike Pratscher, who also lives in the area, said he is worried about Olthof's history in other communities for creating developments with poor drainage. 'I share the concerns of others about drainage problems after I discovered Olthof has paid more than 100 fines to the town of Chesterton from October 2020 to March 2022 because of poor stormwater management for the Springdale subdivision,' Pratcher said. 'I'm also (worried) that some of these townhomes will eventually become rentals which leads to increased crime rate.' Valparaiso City Council Member Barbara Domer (D-3) said this development is needed to give more residents more choices of houses. 'In my review process, I looked at the higher density concerns and based on what a previous housing consultant to the city advised, looking at census and data resources, there are roughly 1,000 households in our city that are looking within the city to advance their household needs,' Domer said. 'I refer to this as 'our missing middle,' for affordable housing for those ready to move within our city for a new type of housing for their growing needs.' Pupillo and Anderson countered that the inclusion of townhouses in the development make the planned neighborhood too dense 'without enough concessions being made, besides dropping the five units in the revised plan.' Costas said he recognized 'change is hard' and 'our borders are growing.' 'Having a variety of housing options with our expanding borders of Valparaiso is a good thing,' Costas said. 'I've seen with my experiences over the years, the quality of life still remains and we work through the issues. For many of you speaking here tonight, I can recall when your subdivisions were proposed and there were those who spoke out against it. Had we listened, you wouldn't be living where you are now. In this area, there are very large lots and various size spaces in developments like Peppercreek. We need to make sure we have housing for everyone.'
Chicago Tribune
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Erika Watkins gets another term to Valparaiso School Board, this time representing the city
The Valparaiso City Council selected childcare center director Erika Watkins to have a second term appointed to the Valparaiso School Board, along with Valparaiso attorney John Peluso as the new school board appointment by the Center Township Board. Peluso, a speech and debate team coach at Valparaiso High School and his VHS English teacher wife Colleen have two children in the VCS schools. Peluso fills the four-year term vacated by Watkins, who joined the school board as the Center Township Board appointment in May 2021. Peluso's appointment was announced following the May 19 meeting of the Center Township Advisory Board. Democrat Watkins competed with finalists Brett Miller and Ron Donahue, both Republicans vying to fill the seat vacated by Robert Behrend, who did not seek another term. Behrend, a Valparaiso dentist, underwent questioning earlier this year about whether he had moved to Wisconsin and was therefore no longer eligible to serve on the school board. He had served two terms. The fourth finalist was Democrat Curtiss Strietelmeier, who was also a finalist, but unsuccessful, for an open Valparaiso School Board seat in 2023. All four faced questions from council members in the meeting chambers at Valparaiso City Hall on May 21 during the more than three-hour second-round interview session. Candidates addressed questions about effectiveness as a community liaison, sharing examples of implicating new programs, and charter schools. 'I am passionate about every child having the necessary tools to succeed,' Watkins said. 'I want to continue being a voice for students, teachers and parents. I bring dedication, experience and I have a heart of service. I believe in creating strong partnerships between the community and the school.' Peluso competed against fellow applicants Ruth Vance, Jerome 'Jerry' Ezell and Lisa Gonzales during the May 19 interviews held at the Porter County Administration Building in the commissioners' chambers. Each applicant was asked up to eight questions, most submitted by the public, and not provided to the applicants before the interviews. Following the interviews and time for public comment, board discussion preceded the vote on the appointment. Watkins, the previous appointment for the Center Township board seat, recalls the thorough interview process of Center Township Trustee Jesse Harper and his interview team. 'Attending school events and being an actively involved school board member is key,' Watkins said. 'Starting with the first week of the new school year, I'm there in person to greet teachers, staff and students to share the experience of the launch of the new academic year. All board members should be.' The rest of the Valparaiso School Board consists of Kaye Frataccia-Seibert, selected by the school board in December 2023 to complete the term of Jon Costas after he was elected mayor. Costas was appointed by the city council in 2022. Karl Cender was appointed by the city council in 2023 and Ashley Kruse was appointed by the city council in 2024. Valparaiso Community Schools is a K-12 public school district serving 6,500 students throughout Northwest Indiana and includes eight elementary schools, two middle schools, one alternative school and one high school.
