[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6321931,"mediaKeyId","2348534-8b98fe74b8169ed1defa8c2b74dc5f25","parentId",2348534,"title","La Porte council introduces ARP appropriation, clears dormant fund and approves several budget transfers","audioSeconds",83,"startMs",1863000,"endMs",1946000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2348534-8b98fe74b8169ed1defa8c2b74dc5f25&start=1863&end=1946","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2348534-8b98fe74b8169ed1defa8c2b74dc5f25/thumbnail_1863000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6321931/La-Porte-City/LaPorte-County/Indiana/La-Porte-council-introduces-ARP-appropriation-clears-dormant-fund-and-approves-several-budget-transfers","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6321931-708496cc6174ebf610f988eb9d291a1d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771213673&Signature=UCCCyp96SLJHZXqNoRap~yy-maxI64DY0GHhXf~caYAGw0iQDyet-PizxfuSg9EGSejBDnD15gYQt8SPaqrF0GG9sTAfUaBYxejYDn90~GzkW37OgEvDkuPUGWXVbFsB0bHkMkfQsZAxw7Suceqg6xbW2ID1FwYXj369TzMBAbKoNSo~1VF4oF34jX-Lcfzwk3E-G~tU6oKvzKQLCIAMZJApFnRkVUibGrXUOV6h4nRU15-jrpdP6IWzXBai4BhEBHfl6PRRsmETrL8~xDZI6Ay9gXT9qGp4E1kVBnT7xbktVFHFs~DZ8jWwrRqRpicpvYa-irEIssM2yUcdhGflIQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of La Porte IN","date","2025-02-20T00:45:29.497Z","article","The La Porte Common Council on Feb. 18, 2025, took several administrative and budgetary actions: the council introduced an ordinance for additional appropriations from the ARP Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery Fund and set a public hearing, unanimously adopted a resolution recognizing the La Porte Little Theatre’s 100th anniversary, declared a property-maintenance fund dormant and authorized transfer of its balance to the general fund, and approved internal transfers within the 2025 budget.

Theatre resolution
Councilwoman West introduced a resolution formally recognizing the La Porte Little Theatre’s 100th anniversary and asked that the resolution be read at the Little Theatre’s opening-house celebration on Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025. The council moved, seconded and approved the resolution by voice vote.

ARP additional-appropriation ordinance (first reading)
Councilwoman Huffman introduced an ordinance for an additional appropriation from the ARP Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery Fund (fund 2401). The ordinance lists line items and amounts the city published in its affidavit of publication and scheduled a public hearing. The listed amounts in the ordinance are:
• Bella Largo infrastructure: $150.62
• Park Street infrastructure: $89,050.00
• Shrewsdale / Clear Lake Loop: $497,797.23
• Ice Rank (fund code 2401-803-375): $11,084.60

City staff said the action was procedural to re-appropriate encumbered funds into the budget and opened a public-comment period during the ordinance hearing; no public speakers addressed the ordinance at the Feb. 18 meeting. The council set the next consideration/hearing date as March 3, 2025.

Property-maintenance fund declared dormant
Councilwoman Konejny introduced a resolution declaring fund 50508 (property maintenance fund) dormant and transferring the remaining balance into the general fund 1101. The resolution states the fund balance is $65,848.44. Clerk-Treasurer Parthen explained the fund had been created to account for a duplicate assessment by the Department of Local Government Finance in 2024; the funds have now been received and the resolution moves the unencumbered balance into the general fund. The council approved the resolution by voice vote.

Transfers within 2025 budgets
Councilman Galloway introduced a resolution transferring line-item amounts within 2025 budgets to cover essential services. Clerk-Treasurer Parthen read one example: a transfer of $83 from a professional-services line to an other-services line at the communications account, described in the meeting as a request from the communications director. The council approved the internal transfers by voice vote.

Other procedural business
The council approved minutes as presented earlier in the meeting and closed with a reminder for residents to monitor state legislative proposals on property-tax relief; no substantive local policy changes were adopted on that topic during the session.

Votes at a glance
• Minutes approval — motion passed (voice vote)
• Resolution: La Porte Little Theatre centennial — approved (voice vote)
• Ordinance (first reading): ARP additional appropriation (fund 2401) — introduced and set for public hearing on March 3, 2025
• Resolution: Declare fund 50508 dormant; transfer $65,848.44 to general fund 1101 — approved (voice vote)
• Resolution: Transfers within 2025 budgets (includes an $83 transfer requested by communications director) — approved (voice vote)

No roll-call tallies were recorded in the minutes for these matters; actions were carried by voice vote with the meeting record showing the motions passed.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council Meeting - 02/18/2025","oneSentenceSummary","At its Feb. 18 meeting the La Porte Common Council introduced an ARP appropriation ordinance for first reading and hearing, adopted a centennial recognition for La Porte Little Theatre, declared a property-maintenance fund dormant and approved internal budget transfers.","taxTitle","La Porte City, LaPorte County, Indiana","taxId",70496,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6321935,"La Porte staff discloses potential CDBG conflict involving PAC Center; HUD waiver packet noted",379,727000,1106000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2348534-8b98fe74b8169ed1defa8c2b74dc5f25&start=727&end=1106","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2348534-8b98fe74b8169ed1defa8c2b74dc5f25/thumbnail_727000.jpg","/articles/6321935/La-Porte-City/LaPorte-County/Indiana/La-Porte-staff-discloses-potential-CDBG-conflict-involving-PAC-Center-HUD-waiver-packet-noted","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6321935-8beb5ff984dab6972f1f290533dd7981/orig.mp4?Expires=1771213673&Signature=Y3xVhPbid-f1tsV3YWzojvTzUOj~NPFTPj3TXgLTnKLeS3FbsTxTP4ORREJKDIvN2FSwelrHOHDCbqgEyU8dVxoQFgtauo0fwHT1JQPT9DDgFxcPQZzwdI2ZNmr73EVypMt9ojfVIx8D8ra-v6xm62800DY1qkWt-jYreT8NPFVKfs~qffVXnAimllZuoCWxMNrPvVY-Dc8zWoYNviED4Asm25m7eI29jD4YkYIR7boTspL8K4a8HfBXp641TlOGl74KyXsFZeM6IeB9SlzPflm1IDmvkuSjF~VA4-CQHtWRTWrHj9nbo3IssUUSKwaMlPDt87Lb2G-Rqio1~d746g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Mary Ann Richards read a federally required Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) conflict-of-interest disclosure before the La Porte Common Council on Feb. 18, 2025, saying the city expects $442,841 in regular CDBG funds for fiscal year 2025 and that one proposed subrecipient has an employment tie to a council member.

Richards said the applicant is the PAC Center State Street Community Church and that an employee, Jamie Buchanan, is married to Drew Buchanan, a member of the common council. Richards cited the relevant federal rule, 24 CFR 570.611, and read its general prohibition: “no person described in the above mentioned paragraph who exercised any functions or responsibilities with respect to the CDBG activities ... may obtain a financial interest or benefit from a CDBG assisted activity.”

Richards told the council the city is seeking an exception that would allow the PAC Center to receive CDBG money and that the city must publicly disclose the nature of the potential conflict and provide an opinion from the city attorney that the requested exception does not violate state or local law. Richards said HUD already has the waiver packet and that she was reading the disclosure as part of HUD’s public-disclosure requirements.

Richards said the PAC Center’s application is for purchasing food products to distribute at its service center for La Porte residents and that those federal funds would not pay wages. “These funds are only to purchase food products. They’re not paying wages or anything that Jamie would benefit from,” Richards said.

A council member also offered a voluntary, personal endorsement of Jamie Buchanan’s work at the PAC Center during the discussion, saying the PAC Center’s staff “do unbelievable work” and encouraging community members to volunteer. Richards further noted that the PAC Center had received federal dollars in prior years, including COVID-era funds.

Richards said residents could review the city attorney’s written opinion and provide written comments; she noted the public comment period for the attorney opinion occurred Aug. 12–Sept. 9, 2024. She also said the city is forwarding any comments it receives to HUD.

No motion or vote was required on the disclosure itself. The council did not take formal action to approve or deny the waiver during the Feb. 18 meeting.","City staff disclosed a potential conflict under federal CDBG rules because a proposed subrecipient has an employee married to a La Porte council member. The city said the request is for food purchases only and that HUD has the waiver packet; no council motion was required.","actionData","errors"]

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La Porte council introduces ARP appropriation, clears dormant fund and approves several budget transfers

La Porte staff discloses potential CDBG conflict involving PAC Center; HUD waiver packet noted