The Valparaiso City Board of Works approved a slate of routine administrative and permitting items by voice vote during Monday’s meeting.

Highlights of board actions recorded in the meeting transcript include:

- Cafeteria plan amendment: The board approved an amendment to the city’s Section 125 cafeteria plan to confirm that the city's Health Savings Account (HSA) contributions will be treated as fully tax-exempt for payroll going forward. Staff said the change will be effective Jan. 1, 2026. The motion passed by voice vote.

- Lincoln Way overnight closure (retroactive): The board approved a retroactive closure request for Lincoln Way to allow NIPSCO to repair a circuit and reframe a large steel utility pole downtown; staff said the work occurred the night of Sept. 22 and the closure request is being approved after the work was completed. The board accepted approval by voice vote.

- NIPSCO West Street request withdrawn: A separate NIPSCO request for West Street work was withdrawn from consideration at this meeting; staff said scheduling changes mean the work will likely occur in October and will return to the board later.

- Professional services (surveyor): The board approved an as-needed professional services agreement with local surveyor Rich Hudson at $5,000 for the year.

- Right-of-way dedication: The board approved acceptance of a right-of-way dedication from Saint Mary's (hospital) for the east side of State Road 49 at Burlington Beach Road to accommodate a possible future Memorial Park Parkway extension.

- Property maintenance hearings continued: Property maintenance matters reported monthly were continued to the Oct. 24 meeting for properties whose owners either attended or provided updates; those who did not appear will be fined per staff report.

- Street closures and events: The board approved three street/sidewalk/alley closure requests related to Memorial Opera House construction and approved two Vapo Events requests (Autumn Promenade and Downtown Trick-or-Treat). Staff said issues raised during review were addressed.

- Public assembly permit: The board approved a public-assembly request from Deb McLeod for Tuesdays from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.; staff noted the location will remain the Northeast Corner for now.

- Employee handbook: The board approved a contract with ODS to assist in rewriting the employee handbook and policies; staff cited a proposal price of $5,500 plus $125 per hour for additional work outside the basic scope.

Each of the above motions was recorded in the meeting transcript as passing by voice vote with an “Aye” response; the transcript does not contain roll-call vote tallies or named yes/no votes for these items.

Why it matters: these administrative and permitting approvals affect payroll tax treatment for employee HSAs, city property records and right-of-way planning, downtown traffic/utility repairs, property-maintenance enforcement schedules, and the timing of public events and staff policy modernization.

Next steps: staff will implement the cafeteria plan change effective Jan. 1, 2026; execute the surveyor and ODS contracts; continue property-maintenance cases to Oct. 24; and return any withdrawn or rescheduled NIPSCO requests to the board when needed.