Common Council - Regular Meeting

I'd like to call the City of La Porte Common Council meeting agenda to order. It is July 20th and 6 o'clock on the nose. We'll begin with the Pledge of Allegiance. Councilwoman Konechny. Roll call. Clerk, Treasurer, Parthoon.

Councilman Franke. Here. Councilwoman Huffman. Here. Councilwoman Ficus. Present. Councilman Galloway.

Here.

Councilwoman Konejny. Present. Councilman Buchanan. Here. Councilwoman West. Here. All present.

Approval of the July 6, 2026 meeting minutes. Do I have a motion?

I'd like to make a motion to approve the minutes as presented. Second.

Motion and a second. Comments? All in favor? Aye. Opposed? Motion passes. Petitions and comments of citizens. I do not see any. Okay, but we do have some special guests. It's nice to see our future leaders coming forward, and the Boy Scouts, I think we saw somebody last time, a nice group, so please come forward, state your name, and tell us why you're here, I love it. You know, my son has looked at me that way a few times when I forced him to. Welcome. And go ahead and lower that mic if you want. Go ahead and state your name.

Matthew Seedorf. Matthew Seedorf.

And where are you located in La Porte? Right outside.

What school do you go to?

Kessling immediate.

Okay. And why are you here this evening?

To do a Boy Scout citizenship. That's okay.

Excellent and what do you love about the Boy Scouts?

I like it because you can, it teaches you stuff about life and what it's gonna be like when you get like into real, when you grow up.

Gonna come speak in front of adults like you right now.

And what, are you working on any projects right now?

Not really, I'm working on my first glass rink. Excellent.

questions from the council. We just want to say thank you for being here this evening. Is there anybody you'd like to introduce that's here with you?

My mom and dad.

And their names?

Mom and dad. That's what we're going with.

All right, well, hey, it's great to have you here, and we look forward to seeing you down the road, and thanks for doing what you do.

Thank you.

Standing Committee reports. Council President Franke.

Redevelopment Commission meets next Wednesday the 29th here in Council Chambers at 515. That's all I have. Councilwoman Huffman.

The Sustainability Commission will meet next Tuesday July 28th at 4 p.m. in City Council Chambers.

Councilwoman Ficus.

Park Board met on July 15th. Progress is being made on the Civic Auditorium lift. The lift has been ordered and it should take three weeks to install after delivery. If everything goes well, the lift should be functioning by Labor Day. Cindy Polito, the Activity Center for Older Adults, has been working on a legacy of care campaign since January. The event will take place on September 11th and is intended to raise funds for the future of the activity center. Resurfacing of tennis courts will take place at Kessling Park, Allison Park, and Rumley Park. The Park Foundation, Health Foundation of La Porte Maintenance Fund, and a generous donation from the Morrill family will fund the projects. There's also potential funding being secured from a USTA facilities grant. lake fest is happening this weekend friday through sunday there will be food vendors a beer garden bounce houses steamboat rides fireworks and much more don't forget the uncle cracker concert on saturday july 25th at the fox park amphitheater beginning at 6 30 p.m if you're interested in volunteering you can call the park office at 219-326-9600 or you can click directly on the link on their website at www.laportlakefest.com. Park Board will have their next meeting on Wednesday, August 19th, and then Traffic Commission will have their next meeting on Tuesday, August 4th, 5 p.m. at the police station.

Councilman Galloway.

Police Mayor Commission will meet next Tuesday the 28th at 8 o'clock in the morning at the police station.

Councilwoman West.

Nothing to report tonight.

Councilman Buchanan.

Historic Preservation Commission meets tomorrow at 5.30 here in Council Chambers.

Councilwoman Konejny.

Nothing to report this evening.

Public hearing. and introduction of an ordinance. Councilwoman Huffman.

Thank you. I'd like to make a motion to introduce an ordinance read in its entirety for the first time.

Second.

Motion and a second. Discussion? All in favor? Aye. Opposed? Councilwoman Huffman.

Thank you. An ordinance to vacate a street or roadway in the City of La Porte, Indiana. Whereas the petitioners Richard Knoll and Linda Knoll have filed a petition with the Traffic Commission and the Traffic Commission making a favorable recommendation for the alley vacation now requests the Common Council of the City of La Porte, Indiana vacate a portion of the alley adjacent to 8075th Street to 4th Street in a block between H Street and I Street. And whereas petitioners are the owners of land which abuts the public way, and whereas property owners of land adjoining and abutting lots have been served with a public hearing pursuant to the Indiana statute, and whereas notice of the public hearing on the ordinance was published in the LaPorte Herald-Argus, at least 10 days prior to the public hearing and whereas a public hearing was held on the 20th day of july 2026 in the chambers at laporte city hall located at 801 michigan avenue laporte indiana at which hearing all interested parties were given the opportunity to present their views for and against the granting of the vacation pursuant to the ordinance Whereas the council has determined that the vacation of the street should be granted. Being duly advised on the premises, the city council and the city of La Porte, La Porte County, Indiana, makes and approves the following findings. One, that there are no property owners whose property will be adversely affected by the public ways to be vacated. Two, the vacation will not hinder the growth or development of the city of La Porte. Three, the vacation will not make access to the land of any party by means of public way difficult or inconvenient. Four, the vacation will not hinder the public access to church, school, public building or place. Five, the vacation will not hinder the use of any public way. 6. The vacation requested by the petitioners is in the best interest of the health, safety, and welfare of the citizens of LaPorte. Now, therefore, be it ordained by the City Council of LaPorte, Indiana, as follows. Section 1, that the following described real property is hereby subject to retention of existing utility easements and any new easements for utility easements for NIPSCO and the City of La Porte vacated. For the vacation of a portion of the alley adjacent to 807 5th Street to 4th Street in the block between H Street and I Street. Section 2. The Clerk Treasurer of the City of La Porte is requested and directed to record this ordinance in the Office of the Recorder of La Porte County, Indiana, and also to present this ordinance to the La Porte County Auditor. Section 3, that this ordinance shall be in full force and effect from and after its passage, adoption, and publication as required by law. End of ordinance.

Ms. Carol Ficus or...

it's probably more Nick they did come to traffic and we unanimously approved it as we've had now over the last couple years there's been you know some alleys particularly in this area of the downtown that are just not used anymore and these are two it is a request of a particular individual but the neighbors are in agreement to do this I think there's trees even growing and in the right away so it's not it's not a alley I looked just now on Google Earth. It's all grass, so nobody's using it as an alley. And there's no garages or anything people need to get to in that area. Any comments? By the way, it's the first reading of the ordinance. It'll be on the agenda at the next meeting. Oh, and there was publication July 9th in the LaPorte County Herald Dispatch.

And with that, I will open up to the public for public comment. Anybody in the public that would like to speak on this matter, please come forward. Anybody? Hearing none, I will now close the public hearing. Comments from the council? Hearing none, we will now move it to August 3rd. Thank you. Councilman Buchanan, introduction of an ordinance.

I make a motion to read an ordinance for the first time in its entirety. Second.

Motion and a second. Discussion? All in favor? Aye. Opposed? Councilman Buchanan.

An ordinance amending ordinance number 16-2025 and ordinance number 23-2025, fixing salaries of appointed officers and employees of the city of LaPorte, Indiana for the year 2026 for the mayor, civic auditorium, MVH, water and sewage departments. now therefore be it and is hereby ordained by the Common Council of the City of La Porte, Indiana that section one, ordinance number 16-2025 and ordinance number 23-2025 of the City of La Porte, Indiana adopted by the Common Council on October 20th, 2025 December 15th 2025 is hereby amended to remove the following positions under civic auditorium non reverting events coordinator part-time $22 an hour administrative assistant split with fire twenty thousand seven hundred ninety eight dollars civic any events laborer twenty dollars and twenty eight cents an hour civic and events director eighty thousand dollars a under Department of Transportation Admin Assistant, split with MVH and Civic, $20.28 an hour. Motor Vehicle Highway Street, Administrative assistance split with Civic and Transport, $15,080. Section 2, Ordinance Number 16-2025 and Ordinance Number 23-2025 of the City of La Porte, Indiana, adopted by the Common Council on October 20, 2025 and December 15, 2025, is hereby amended to add the following positions. Under Mayor, Management Analysis and Civic Events Director, $40,000. Under civic auditorium non-reverting, events coordinator, administrative assistant, split with MVH, $24,921. Laborer, flexible with other departments, $20.28 an hour. Management analysis, civic and events director, $40,000, split with mayor budget. Water department, laborer, flexible with other departments, $20.28 an hour. Sewage department, laborer, flexible with other departments, $20.28 an hour. Under Motor Vehicle Highway Street, events coordinator slash administrative assistant split with civic, $15,080. Section three, in all other regards, ordinance number 16-2025 and ordinance number 23-2025 shall be unchanged. Section four, the ordinance shall be in full force and effect upon its passage, approved by the mayor and publication as required by law.

so this is as well and ordinance and what we've seen others opportunities to be as efficient as possible different for example the civic and with uh... We've got some dual option people, if I may use the term, and some people that can help with our projects, while as well continuing to do the work needed to continue to grow the Civic Auditorium, as well as the laborers. Again, tax dollars, we want to be as efficient as possible, and you may have already seen some of the people helping out. Grass, high grass, mowing, Grass is a big issue. They may be small items to everybody, but we want spotless. And we want our community to be proud. So there's a lot of work that has to be done. And I think we're doing a pretty good job of staying on top of it right now. So this as an ordinance would just allow that flexibility as we flex with other departments when needed.

comments questions a lot of it's just splitting the budget line item so it's not necessarily changing much other than where the money's coming from under people's budgets so Courtney is there any urgency behind this I'll speak to that some of this is connected with an additional appropriation so it can wait till it can wait till August 3rd I mean unless

No, absolutely. It can wait until August 3. But it just gives us the flexibility to make sure things can get done on both sides. Obviously, there's no secret to how many different projects are going on in the city of LaPorte as well. You can look at Microsoft. You can look at Boyd Boulevard. You can look at, I mean, there's some big projects happening. And this doesn't even include the other infrastructure. We've been working, Courtney and I had conversation today about roads. Obviously, we want to improve our road system. We have a real opportunity to do that as well, but we have a lot of things that we could use some help. We're very lean at this point, and this will give us a chance to handle that business. Any other comments? Hearing none, that will also move till August 3rd. Introduction of a resolution to transfer funds. Councilman Galloway.

He's over here.

I know. I thought I'd freak him out and look that way.

Your Honor, I'd like to introduce a resolution named Rita for the one and only time.

Second. Motion and a second. Discussion? All in favor? Aye. Opposed? Councilman Galloway.

Resolution to transfer funds within the 2026 budgets. whereas there are additional monies needed in certain line items in the 2026 budgets in order to pay for essential services and obligations. Now, therefore, be it, and it is hereby resolved by the Common Council, the City of La Porte, Indiana, that the following transfers be made within the following budgets for the year 2026. Seated from 2209-2022, 465-415-5050 sidewalks to 2209-465-415.001 ADA sidewalks, $2,125. From 2209-465-415-5050 sidewalks to 4436-465-431 general improvement sidewalks. $47,875. Park non-reverting, 22-03 from 391 other services to 351 utilities, $2,000. Business improvement district bid, 2511-701 from 391 other services to 361 repairs and maintenance, $4,965.

Anything we want to add?

I just want to note that these sidewalk funds are being transferred and utilized for the slicer pathway project. And then the others were just requests from the departments and the bid board. Council comments.

I just want to make a comment. The slicer pathway, the infrastructure that's set, the sidewalk that's there now, people are utilizing it. It's much safer. I feel much more comfortable driving on A Street with pedestrians and bikes and things like that. Well overdue and much appreciated.

And thank you to the HFL for their partnership as well as the school system to make that happen. This is a resolution, can pass this evening. Do I have a motion? Motion to approve.

Second.

Discussion? All in favor? Aye. Opposed? Motion passes. Other business? Hopefully everybody was able to enjoy the mural fest and see all the great murals that are out there and great work by the Lebesnick Center for the Arts. Miss West, you were a part of that group. Were you pleased, satisfied with all the work?

I think it looks fabulous, yes, I do.

More to come, right?

More to come, yes.

And then please don't forget Lake Fest. I noticed, Carol, when you mentioned volunteers, George, I couldn't tell if he totally raised his hand, but volunteers make that a great event. So if you do have some time, that would be fantastic to help out because it's a wonderful, basically it's almost four days, you know, that whole time. So get out, the weather should be perfect and enjoy. With that, Motion to adjourn.

Second.

All in favor? Aye. Opposed?