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Valparaiso council adopts ordinance changing Human Relations Council appointments; 5-2 vote
Summary
The Valparaiso Common Council approved Ordinance 8-20-25 on a 5-2 roll-call, changing appointment authority for the city's Human Relations Council so the council appoints six members and the mayor three, and removing the word "advisory" from the council's name.
Valparaiso Common Council on second reading adopted Ordinance 8-20-25 on a 5-2 roll call, changing the structure and naming of the city's Human Relations Council and shifting appointment authority so the council will appoint six members and the mayor three.
The ordinance amends sections of the Valparaiso Municipal Code related to the Human Relations Council to remove the term "advisory" and to create a split appointment model. "The revised ordinance introduces a more balanced structure with appointments made by both the city council and the mayor — six by the council, three by the mayor," Councilwoman Pamela Hunt said during the discussion.
Council supporters said the changes are intended to increase visibility and shared oversight of a public-facing body. Council President Capitan said the changes are intended to "reinforce the system of checks and balances" and to ensure the Human Relations Council remains a public-facing bridge between residents and city government. He added that the amendments were meant to preserve the council's mission while broadening who selects members.
Mayor Costas argued against the ordinance during the council debate. "I am strongly opposed to this," he said, describing the current advisory arrangement as an effective way for the mayor's office to receive input tied to daily delivery of city services. The mayor questioned how the council would assign tasks to the HRC and said many of the council's duties relate to operations the mayor oversees.
Council members who spoke in favor said the ordinance is not intended to change the commission's mission or values but to increase shared governance. One supporter rejected characterization of the measure as a "power grab," saying the amendment "adds council appointments and council perspectives" without changing the HRC's charge.
After discussion the council called the roll. The recorded vote was: Patton — yes; Domer — yes; Papillo — no; Anderson — no; Capitan — yes; Hunt — yes; Reed — yes. The ordinance passed 5 to 2.
Council members and the mayor also discussed practical details raised during the meeting, including whether current members would continue to serve under the new structure and how referral or task assignments to the HRC would be handled. The record shows no change to the council's stated mission for the body and no immediate reallocations of funding were proposed during the discussion.
The council's action amends the municipal code sections cited in the ordinance and will become part of the published Valparaiso Municipal Code. Council members said the change can be revisited in the future if the new structure does not function as intended.
Ordinance 8-20-25 was the most contested item on the agenda and dominated the council's substantive debate for the evening. The council approved the other ordinances on the agenda later in the meeting by larger margins.
The ordinance text cites Valparaiso Municipal Code sections 38.01, 38.02, 38.03 and 38.04. The council did not specify a separate effective date during the meeting.
Votes at a glance: Ordinance 8-20-25 (Human Relations Council) — adopted 5-2 (Patton, Domer, Capitan, Hunt, Reed yes; Papillo, Anderson no).
