There were around one hundred people in attendance for the January 26th, 2026 Valparaiso City Council meeting which went for just under four hours. The agenda was full with ten items before council and fifteen public comments that followed the council’s business. Four of the ordinances before council had public hearings where several citizens in attendance spoke about those specific ordinances.
The first hour and forty five minutes dealt with Ordinance No. 22, 2025, its presentation, council discussion, and public hearing comments for a rezoning for a gas station. Ordinance 22 amends the city’s zoning for the land at the NW corner of State Rte. 130 and N 250W, changing it from Rural to General Residential and Commercial General. There has been much debate and discussion over this Ordinance. The last time it was in front of Council it was remanded back to the Planning Commission for reconsideration accompanied by a presentation by the Environmental Advisory Board. The point of contention by some is that this rezoning includes plans for a new gas station. The planning Commission again passed the Ordinance with a favorable recommendation to council with a 6 to 1 vote.
Tom Collins, CEO of Luke Family of Brands (shown in the photo) gave the presentation for the proposed zoning changes. His presentation mainly focused this time on the many environmental safety features and new technologies now in use with fueling stations since most of the opposition to the project were its potential environmental impacts to Valparaiso’s ground water and fuel tank vent placement proximity to residents. Councilman Robert Cotton dominated most of the debate in opposition to another gas station focusing on health concerns with benzene vapor near residence and proximity to other gas stations. The other gas station is a Family Express owned by Gus Olympidis. While Cotton and Collins were going back and forth on gas station placement Collins asked Cotton if he had spoken directly to Gus Olympidis about this project. Cotton responded “Gus is a lifelong friend of mine, my kids went to school with them, you’ve got friendships up here too, this isn’t about friendships.” Collins responded, “I just wonder if your concerns are specific to the conversations you’ve had with him as he’s described to other people.” Cotton reiterated his concerns are with quality of life.
During the public hearing portion one resident called into question the studies Councilman Cotton used to play up the dangers of benzene vapors near gas stations. “Based on recent research, gas stove emissions result in higher exposure to benzene than exposure near gas stations, there is benzene vapor around gas stations but the mean exposure is within regulatory limits. The greatest exposure risk to benzene is to children in homes with gas stoves and poor ventilation, nothing about gas stations.”
The Ordinance passed 5 to 2 with Luke agreeing to follow the Environmental Advisory Board’s recommendations for a 300 foot distance between tank vents and residential plots, also to outfit those vents with vapor filters up to California state standards.
Ordinance and Resolution No. 2, 2026 which were gone over in detail at the last council meeting had their second reading, public hearing, and final vote. These pieces of legislation deal with updating Valparaiso’s sewer use code specifically for industrial heavy users. They amend the city’s code on Industrial pretreatment, enforcement response plan, and statement of legal authority for enforcement. Somehow during Steve Poulos’s presentation a Hoosier IU slide accidentally made it into the presentation celebrating Indiana University’s National Championship title for college football. There was no opposition to this accident. Councilwoman Barb Domer who attended IU when they won the NCAA Basketball Tournament reminisced about her summer job while at school and appreciation for advancements in technology. She would manually take sewer water samples with a ladle after lifting up manhole covers in the mornings and again on midnights. Valparaiso now uses automatic samplers that can test discharge at any time. Public comments during the hearing were in support of stricter sewer discharge regulations especially since Valparaiso uses ground water.
Ordinances 1, 3, 4 and 5 all concerned appropriating funds for various city projects, expenditures, and distribution of funds from the opioid grant settlement to help combat addiction.
About 80% of the attendees at the City Council were members of the Valpo Resistance there to make statements during public comment about Federal ICE Agents and ask what the city was going to do to protect the people living here. The first speaker asked all the members of the Resistance to raise their hands then referenced the past several weeks of Ice activities in Minneapolis Minnesota quoting one member, “My soul is sick.” Their statement was “We are concerned with the health and safety of our sisters and brothers in Valparaiso, and the future of democracy. Here is what we are requesting: We are asking that you develop and publicly share a comprehensive plan to protect the civil liberties and safety of all residents of Valparaiso regardless of immigration status. We are asking you to protect our First, Fourth and Fifth Amendment rights. Continue allowing peaceful assembly and preclude unreasonable searches and seizures and denial of due process. We are asking you to establish procedures for police, schools, public works and libraries regarding cooperation with ICE. Will you allow ICE on city property? We are asking you to investigate what other communities are doing to protect their residents. We are asking you to use the city’s leadership platform to reassure, give comfort and support residents who are experiencing fear, anxiety and uncertainty. We eagerly await your action on these requests.”
There were twelve other members of the Valpo Resistance that expressed the same sentiments, some struggling through tears to get their words out. Valpo Resistance would not allow Bible quotes in their statement so one member quoted them on his own saying “It is how we treat the least of these that will determine our ultimate fate.” And, “We were not given a spirit of fear, but of power, and love, and self control.” Ending with expressing fear that the Nation’s elections will be canceled.
During the forty minutes of public comment there were two individuals who spoke out in support of ICE and our Nation’s immigration policies. One of the individuals said “I would like to remind the council of their duty to faithfully represent the citizens of Valparaiso Indiana, to look out for the best interests of the citizens. To effectively and purposefully spend tax dollars paid by citizens and to carry out the rule of law and not to hinder efforts of law enforcement to protect and serve its citizens. Notice all the items I’ve listed exclude illegal immigrant. Being in this country without a legal reason is illegal. This comes in spite of the lunacy, which is putting it lightly, being espoused that we should not arrest and deport illegal immigrants. Many of those being targeted by law enforcement are convicted felons. As a matter of public safety and upholding the rule of law, I hope this Council continues to exercise their duties, thank you.”
The other gentleman started by bringing up that in 2015 Barack Obama awarded Tom Homan the Presidential Rank Award for his duties as Executive Associate Director of
Enforcement and Removal Operations at ICE. He said “I used to be a Democrat and I can remember when the Democrats used to rail against immigration, saying it took away jobs, they wanted to close the border, and Democrats wanted deportations. Look at the numbers Clinton and Obama deported, but when Trump does it it’s bad and everyone is a Nazi now. I think the city needs to take a serious look at the rise of Trump Derangement Syndrome, maybe get some extra counselors and try to help these people. I used to be a Democrat, and I looked around me and my party went completely insane. Now I’m a Republican because they have common sense, they actually stand up for America, they are not ashamed of who we are and our history, they’re proud to be an American, Thank you.”
The next Valparaiso City Council meeting will be Monday February 9th, 6:00pm at City Hall.
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