The 3.5 Hour long Council Meeting started off with councilman Anderson bringing forth the opioid grant recipients from 2024 to discuss how the funds benefited them before the process is begun for the 2025 grant application process. Valparaiso will be receiving 1.4 million over an 18 year period as part of the national opioid settlement. Mitch Peters spoke first for Respite House and Daybreak Shelter highlighting how the funds were used for repairs and services provided saying that for March the Daybreak Shelter helped 54 individuals and that 26 people utilized the overnight shelter on their busiest night. Peters said โIโll tell you right now, if it was not for Mayor Costas and if it was not for you people and the city of Valparaiso this would not be a reality.โ Also to speak was Healing with Human Connection who said they have served over a thousand people. Valparaisoโs community recovery care coordinator spoke about her 30 clients so far for 2025 mentioning that ten were teens. Valparaiso Police Chief McIntyre spoke about their two funding uses, the purchase of a handheld narcotics detector that works through glass and plastic bags to keep officers away from contact with the drugs, saying โthis device has been used approximately 350 times to date, so almost on an average of a daily use for our officers.โ McIntyre also described the construction project that provides a room in the police station for Valparaisoโs social worker to meet with individuals being helped, saying her old room used to be a closet. Porter Starke spoke about how the grant money was used to assist clients with payment for services and a new part time nurse practitioner working with suboxone. Porter Stark will be celebrating 50 years in Valparaiso next month. The director of Moraine House went over the remodeling projects for their men’s halfway house saying they will be celebrating 50 years of operation next year.
First resolution before council was Councilman Cotton’s resolution no. 4, 2025 โA resolution opposing significant cuts to municipal property tax revenue without an equitable, comprehensive replacement mechanism.โ This resolution was discussed for nearly 30 minutes and does nothing for Valparaiso, its only purpose is to oppose Indiana SB1 tax relief bill. Mayor Costas said he would refuse to sign it were it to pass thus vetoing it. The resolution passed with all 5 Democrats voting for and the 2 Republicans voting against. Subsequently just hours after the council vote Indiana SB1 passed the Indiana senate and was sent to Governor Braun. Councilman Anderson said of this resolution โIt is not policy making, it is virtue signaling.โ
There was first reading of an ordinance rezoning several parcels on the 500 block of Locust street by the Neighbors Corporation, from campus to RT for the purpose of building affordable family housing in the form of several duplexes. Project Neighbors was present to speak about their success and achievements in Valparaiso bringing up to speak several people who they have helped.
The next hour was spent discussing Ordinance 8 proposed by Democrats Emilie Hunt and Ellen Kapitan. This ordinance would convert the Advisory Human Relations Council from a mayoral advisory board into a council advisory board. Hunt and Mayor Costas went back and forth in discussion, Costas saying his job as mayor is different from the council’s job and that he created the human relations council to help him do his job. Mayor Costas asked councilwoman Hunt twice what she expects this revised committee to do that the mayorโs isn’t already doing. Hunt talked around this question but never answered it. Mayor Costas โYour taking a committee council that i created and i think is working really well for my job and you’re taking control of it, you have every right to create your own committee if you think that would be helpful to the council.โ Emilie has subsequently made a statement on her facebook page.
Mayor Costas asked Alison Quackenbush, the current head of the human relations council to speak. She started by saying that over the last year and a half of watching city council meetings that it has come to her attention that there is some confusion on whether the council’s role is to govern or manage. The mayorโs role is to manage the city and its employees and the council’s role is to govern. Quackenbush said โthere is a difference, managing day to day employee actions and relations, where a governing board directs the direction, they oversee ordinances and budgets, you cant have all of you managing the city and sending direct emails to city employees and volunteer boards because it’s exhausting and will burn people out.โ She went on to point out that neither she nor anyone on the HRC was contacted by Hunt or Kapitan about these proposed changes to the committee she heads, also they have not come to any of the committee meetings. Saying โIn the climate where the desire is increased transparency it is concerning to me that no effort was made to seek multiple perspectives or first person feedback in proposing these revisions.โ she continues โIn 2025 emails and questions at city council meetings have been solely around the desire for cultural programming. It’s my belief that this is a slippery slope and ultimately may backfire on us even with its well meaning intentions. Who gets celebrated and how.โ Councilwoman Huntโs only communication with Quackenbush recently has been to ask about gay pride month events that have been planned for this year.
Quackenbush then references a post on the Valparaiso Democratic Committee FaceBook page and assumes the drive for this revision is a desire for more cultural event programming and defining it how they want to define it. The post accuses the human relation council of being dormant and she objects to this, listing everything in the last year she and the volunteer council has done. The post goes on to say that the HRC has no clear indication of being a more active advocate or presence in the city. Quackenbush then described the cultural grants they started for the sole purpose of underrepresented communities being able to support their own initiatives. Saying this is what she believes is best for the city rather than deciding who gets what attention and how they should be acknowledged or celebrated. Saying โThis revision as purposed feels like politics rather than intentional change with thoughtful purpose, we need authentic bipartisan conversation with the goal being partnership and until we do i fear the HRC will become a political animal and I can have no part in using minority groups to champion my political position, for me that is just really ugly.โ
(PanoramaNOW would like to insert here that several municipalities celebrate Juneteenth Day, have Gay Pride parades, and Celebrate Martin Luther King Day, all across Northwest Indiana without getting “Ugly.”)
Councilman Pupillo commented on this ordinance โI have a sneaking suspicion that this is politically motivated or driven and used as a mechanism to push culture war social issues. Are we going to weigh into national issues like immigration like councilman Cotton does. This is not what this city council should be focused on, this city council should be focused on bread and butter issues like public safety, economic development and roads.โ Councilman Anderson said โI think that something that started off with good intentions has shifted, frankly, into a power grab. I will not stand by as process, transparency and respect are cast aside.โ Ordinance 8 was withdrawn in its motion to move forward with more discussion planned for it and it was voted on to table. Councilman Cotton was the only one who voted against tabling it.
There was public comment in support of Project neighbors getting their rezoning request by several people, one stating he covers city council meetings for the past eight years on WVLP 103.1 the week after meetings on Mondays at noon.
Another several commenters spoke against the passed Resolution 4. One public commenter spoke on wondering why owner occupied rentals don’t get the outfdor sprinkler allowance, stating he had been denied his petition to the Valparaiso utilities board to receive the allowance and asked what can be done to receive the sprinkler allowance. Also this commenter said that councilwoman Hunt has repeatedly violated his first amendment rights laid out by the supreme court in blocking him from her state action council Facebook page and deleting comments she politically disagreed with.
Stay tuned for next City Council Meeting in two weeks.
MORE VALPARAISO ARTICLES WE THINK YOU’LL LIKE . . .
Valparaiso City Council Passes School Safety Resolution
At the September 22nd, 2025 Valparaiso City Council meeting councilman Jack Pupilloโs resolution to ensure sufficient school resource officer coverage and school security improvements was back after being tabled at the last meeting. It was tabled to allow more time for dialogue between the council and the police, along with the school board.โฆ
Valparaiso Democratic Council Seeks Control Over Human Rights Council
The July 14th, 2025 Valparaiso city council began with recognition for the 2025 city Government Academy graduates. Valpo city government academy is a free seven week, once weekly course the city offers to residents. The meetings take place at various places around town like the police station, fire department, and waste water managementโฆ
Valparaiso Painters Excel as Finishers with Strong Family Values
The Finishers of Valpo is a trusted and established painting company proudly serving Northwest Indiana for over 10 years. With a decade of experience under their belt, they have built a strong reputation for delivering high-quality interior and exterior painting services, cabinet refinishing, drywall repair, and more. Their work stands out for its attention toโฆ
Valpo May Jon Costas Youth Council Has May 30th Deadline
Mayor Jon Costas and the Mayorโs youth council started off the May 12th City โ Council meeting with experiences from their junior high school year on the Mayorโs youth council. Mayor Costas stated โitโs always a delight to work with students, these are our future leaders and it wonโt be long before theyโฆ
Get Your Fixes at the โFix It Fairโ Valpo Library, June 14th
Get stuff repaired at the next FIX IT FAIR to be held at Valparaiso Public Library on Saturday June 14th, 2025. If youโve got an odd or an end around the house in need of repairโa small appliance, say, or a cherished piece of jewelryโplan on attending the next Fix-It Fair, from 10 a.m. toโฆ
Say Goodbye To Old World Market, A Staple in Downtown Valparaiso
Patty or Susan from the Old World Market, have a lot to worry about. It seems they are forced to move, (or go out of business) and their building is getting demolished to make room for a Central park expansion. The community and public have not been made aware of this endeavor until it wasโฆ
Cottonโs Responsible Bidder Ordinance Passes and Cafe Farina Comes to Valpo
First order of business Monday night at the March 24th Valpo City Council meeting was Resolution No. 3 2025, a resolution recommending issuance of a downtown liquor license to Cafe Farina. The husband and wife owners were there to speak about their other locations and to answer questions from council members. The resolutionโฆ
Data Center Opposition Dominates Valpo City Council & Data Center Pulls Out
Valpo City council chambers were at capacity last night March 10th, 2025 with citizens standing along walls and filling the hallway viewing area out to the main entrance. The doors to City Halls were locked until just after a quarter till, the posted time of chambers opening before meetings. People lined the sidewalksโฆ
Civility Was the Word of the Day at the Feb Valpo City Council Meeting
With โneither resolutions nor ordinances this evening, which is kind of unusualโ Mayor Jon Costas began another meeting of our city council overshadowed by the political controversy surrounding the school board president. This time the controversy centered around his behavior and the councilโs allowance. Continue Reading . . .
Valparaiso City Council โSchooledโ by School Board President
What started out as a normal first month of the year city council meeting where three ordinances were passed appropriating different funds for the new year quickly turned into a continuation of the debate about residency of the school board president. This all began at the most recent school board meeting,โฆ
Aftermath Cidery & Winery ; Bao’s Pastry ; Be Good Juicerie ; Designer Desserts-Valparaiso;
Don Quijote Imports; E&A Jewelers ; Ella Jayms ; FLUID Coffee Roasters – Downtown Valparaiso ; FLUID Coffee Roasters – Valpo South;
Hungry Hound Boutique & Grooming ; Indie Indie Bang Bang ; Journeyman Distillery; Lifestyles ; Market 102 ; Merit Pilates;
Birdie’s ; Old World Market ; Peddlers Pizza Pub ; Pickles Kids; Pikk’s Tavern ; RADIUS-Valpo; Rocket Fizz Valparaiso, Indiana ; Scented Science
Silcott Shoes ; Six Cypress Boutique; The Spice & Tea Exchange; The Press; Toys in the Attic – Valpo Valpo Vintage;
vALPARAISO, INDIANA; ValpoEvents; Valparaiso Events; Things to do in Valparaiso; Downtown Valparaiso; Valparaiso Restaura
Susie Young Baxter, CEO, has published PanoramaNOW Magazine for 31 years. Her hobbies are Camping, Boating, Hiking, Nature, Gardening and Outdoor Activities. She is an Artist, Graphic Designer, an Avid Seamstress, Dabbles in Homemade Crafts and Landscaping. Since her Father was a Health Teacher, she also likes homeopathic Health Solutions. Since blogging started over 10 years ago, PanoramaNow has been added to Newsbreak – a national news affiliate.
