1. MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE COMMON COUNCIL VALPARAISO, INDIANA

March 14, 2022

The Common Council of the City of Valparaiso, Indiana, met on Monday March 14, 2022 at 6:00 p.m. in City Hall. Mayor Murphy called the meeting to order. The Pledge of Allegiance was said. Present were Councilmembers Reed, Cotton, Schmidt, Anderson, and Costas. Councilmembers Douglas and Pupillo was absent.

MINUTES

Councilmember Reed moved to approve minutes of the February 28, 2022 meeting. Councilmember Schmidt seconded the motion.

Councilmember Cotton pointed out that a young lady in the crowd complimented him and it was not included in the minutes.

Upon voice vote the motion to approve the minutes as presented passed with a 5-0 vote.

ORDINANCE NO. 6, 2022

ANORDINANCEREESTABLISHSINGTHECUMULATIVECAPITALDEVELOPMENT(CCD) FUND AND PROVIDING FOR PUBLICATION OF NOTICE UNDER INDANA CODE 36-9-15.5

Councilmember Reed moved that Ordinance No. 6, 2022 be read a second time by title and a third time in full and be considered for adoption and the opportunity be given for the offering of amendments. Councilmember Schmidt seconded the motion. Deputy Clerk-Treasurer Cook read the Ordinance.

Attorney Lyp stated this Ordinance should be continued to the first meeting in April.

Councilmember Cotton Reed moved to carry Ordinance No. 6, 2022 to the first meeting in April. Councilmember Costas seconded the motion. Upon voice vote the motion passed with a 5-0 vote.

ORDINANCE NO. 7, 2022

ANORDINANCEAPPROVINGEXPENDITUREOFFUNDSINTHEPARKNON-REVERTING CAPITAL FUND AND PROVIDING FOR PUBLICATION OF NOTICE

Councilmember Reed moved that Ordinance No. 7, 2022 be read a second time by title and a third time in full and be considered for adoption and the opportunity be given for the offering of amendments. Councilmember Schmidt seconded the motion. Deputy Clerk-Treasurer Cook read the Ordinance.

Dan McGuire addressed the Council. This money is generated by the golf course and goes to improvements they want to make this year.

Mayor Murphy announced that Ordinance No. 7, 2022 requires a Public Hearing and presented Proof of Publication that at tonight’s meeting the Council will consider an appropriation of $105,000 in the Non- Reverting Capital Fund. Attorney Lyp announced there were no electronic requests for information. Seeing no one wishing to address the Council, Mayor Murphy declared the Public Hearing closed.

Councilmember Reed moved to adopt Ordinance No. 7, 2022. Councilmember Schmidt seconded the motion. Upon roll call vote the motion passed with a 5-0 vote.

ORDINANCE NO. 8, 2022

AN ORDINANCE OF THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF VALPARAISO, INDIANA, AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF THE CITY OF VALPARAISO, INDIANA, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTREVENUEBONDSANDAPPROVINGANDAUTHORIZINGOTHERACTIONS IN RESPECT THERETO

Councilmember Reed moved that Ordinance No. 8, 2022 be read a first time and considered on first reading. Councilmember Schmidt seconded the motion. Deputy Clerk-Treasurer Cook read Ordinance No. 8, 2022.

Attorney Patrick Lyp addressed the Council. On March 10, 2022 the RDC adopted a Resolution authorizing the issuance of Economic Development Bonds. On March 11, 2022 the Economic Development Commission recommended issuance of the bonds. These are in relation to the Linc project. The RDC has authorized $3 Million Dollars of incentives for that project. To fund that project the RDC will need to issue $3 Million Dollars of bonds. Andy Mouser of Baker Tilly was available remotely to answer questions. Stu Summers was available also.

Councilmember Cotton stated he had not heard anything about this project until Councilmember Costas thanked Councilmember Douglas for his efforts in making the deal come through. It must have taken a considerable amount of time to procure a contractor that would want to take on this project. This could be a project that needed a study to justify it. He is hearing a lot of chatter as to the scope of this project. He asked when the project started. Attorney Lyp stated it started in the spring of last year. Councilmember Cotton stated in Section 4 it names a date. He feels the date is wrong. Attorney Lyp explained this is a short-term interim bond issuance and the date is correct.

Councilmember Reed moved to carry Ordinance No. 8, 2022 to the March 28, 2022 meeting. Councilmember Schmidt seconded the motion. Upon voice vote the motion passed with a 5-0 vote.

ORDINANCE NO. 9, 2022

ANORDINANCEAMENDINGTHEZONINGMAPOFTHECITYOF VALPARAISO

Councilmember Reed moved that Ordinance No. 9, 2022 be read a first time and considered on first reading. Councilmember Schmidt seconded the motion. Deputy Clerk-Treasurer Cook read Ordinance No. 9, 2022.

Beth Shrader addressed the Council. This comes to the Council with a unanimous favorable vote from the Plan Commission.

Attorney Jon Schmaltz addressed the Council. He represents Kamber Properties. The property of the proposed project is 2006 Warbler Drive. The property has one building which until recently was the mail/shipping facility for Valparaiso University. It currently is zoned CA Campus. They are asking for CG which is the same as the adjacent property. The business is small game accessories. There will be no modifications to the building.

Councilmember Reed asked if prior to it being zoned Campus was it commercial. Attorney Schmaltz stated this predated the UDO and he is not sure. Councilmember Reed said she seems to remember a glass company being there.

Councilmember Reed moved to carry Ordinance No. 9, 2022 to the March 28, 2022 meeting. Councilmember Schmidt seconded the motion. Upon voice vote the motion passed with a 5-0 vote.

Council Reports

Councilmember Cotton stated since the last meeting he has received the results of the feedback left on the portal regarding ARPA money distribution. He is concerned about the picture it paints. He doesn’t feel it was a sufficient sample to reflect the entire community. It also seems problematic because people do not have a clue what the money is actually for. He introduced Kathy DeWitt. She is a market research and data analyst.

Kathy DeWitt addressed the Council. The tabulated data came in to be the same number as the number of responses. This could not be accurate. Some answers fit into two or more categories.

Mayor Murphy stated Council Reports – New Business – are what is being discussed now. This is not on the agenda. If Councilmember Cotton wants to discuss it under New Business, he needs to discuss it with his Councilmembers and have it put on the agenda. Councilmember Cotton stated they have been encouraged to meet with the Mayor and discuss their ideas so they can do an expedient job when they should be taking their time and paying attention to what the numbers are actually telling them. Mayor Murphy stated he will listen to this under Public Comment.

Councilmember Reed reminded the public that school board applications are being accepted until April 24^th.

Public Comments

Kathy DeWitt – 505 Hampton Manor Drive. The portal was supposed to close in February but was left open extra days. In those extra days there were responses regarding the Park Department programs. A high percentage was for economic assistance. Kathy suggested that Dr. Jennifer Hora and/or Dr. Larry Basse be contacted to do a survey on this issue.

Mike Brown – 204 Campbell – St. Paul Square. In 2017 the Council passed a pilot program for the St. Paul Square project. Because of this, some of the residents will be upside down. The residents did not understand the extra payment they would be required to make once construction is completed. Many will lose their life savings and home because of a lack of understanding. He comes to the Council seeking help. The first payment is due May 1^st. Some residents have been lucky enough to sell and get out from under this payment.

Kevin Cornett – 452 Northview. He discussed the fact that many of the senior citizens of the community utilize the city services a minimum amount. Many do not generate enough garbage to put it out for every pickup.

They do not use as much water as a family would. He feels it would be nice if the City could figure out a program where senior citizens could apply and get a reduction on their utility bills.

Daniel Donovant – 1601 McCord Road. He read comments off his phone that were made by someone else regarding a development that is going up.

The meeting adjourned at 6:40 p.m.

/s/ Holly Taylor, Clerk-Treasurer