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Valparaiso City Council adopts three ordinances; clerk says state posting rules prompted re-do, $10,000 granted to Human Relations Council
Summary
The Valparaiso City Council approved two funding ordinances unanimously and passed a cigarette-tax appropriation for the Human Relations Council 5-2; Clerk Treasurer Holly said a Department of Local Government Finance posting change required two items to be re-noticed.
The Valparaiso City Council approved two funding ordinances unanimously and passed a $10,000 cigarette-tax appropriation for the Human Relations Council at its meeting.
Clerk Treasurer Holly explained why two previous ordinances were returned to the council for final action, saying the Department of Local Government Finance changed publication requirements and that municipalities must now post notices on Indiana Gateway 14 days before hearings rather than publishing them in a newspaper. "They were gonna be requiring us to post them on Indiana Gateway which is a public portal for citizens to look at any of our financial information," Holly said, describing the change in procedure and why the items needed to be reintroduced.
On separate votes the council approved ordinance 120-26 (appropriating funds in the cumulative capital development fund) and ordinance 420-26 (appropriating funds in the general fund) by 7-0 roll-call votes. Ordinance 920-26, which allocates $10,000 from the cigarette tax to the Human Relations Council, passed on a 5-2 roll call after President Kate opened and closed the required public hearing; no members of the public spoke during the hearing.
Council member Hunt provided context about the Human Relations Council, saying the body was formally organized around 2011, that a human relations ordinance was adopted in 2016 and amended in 2020, and that the council has been used as a resource when incidents motivated by intolerance occur. Hunt also said he was concerned about recent online posts targeting the city’s LGBT community and the harm such posts can cause, particularly for teenagers.
Votes at a glance - Ordinance 120-26 (cumulative capital development fund): passed 7-0 - Ordinance 420-26 (general fund appropriation): passed 7-0 - Ordinance 920-26 (cigarette tax appropriation, $10,000 to Human Relations Council): passed 5-2
The council adjourned after liaison reports and announcements.
