The Valparaiso City Council has adjusted its leadership.
Council member Ellen Kapitan was elected president for 2025, moving up from vice president. "It's an honor and a privilege, and I appreciate the support," Kapitan said during Monday's meeting. "And I look forward to 2025."
She was nominated by last year's council president, Robert Cotton. Cotton was nearly removed from the presidency last May, following Facebook comments he made about a fatal police-involved shooting and questions about his leadership more generally. Council member Emilie Hunt will take Kapitan's place as vice president.
Also during Monday's reorganization, the city council appointed members to its new environmental advisory board. Kapitan said 25 people applied for the five available seats as voting members, while six people applied for the two student seats.
"It was very competitive," Kapitan said. "There were people with backgrounds I couldn't even imagine having."
The voting members will include former Navy helicopter pilot Sara McKelvey, Indiana Department of Environmental Management official Malorie Medellin, ecologist Greg Quartucci and retired NiSource official Maureen Turman, along with Kapitan herself.
Naia Nikitaris and Austin Sabec were appointed as nonvoting student members.
Mayor Jon Costas thanked the new board members for stepping up. "It's really tremendous to have citizens that bring that level of experience to serve their city and their fellow citizens in this way," Costas said.
Council member Cotton noted that the recent fires in California illustrate the importance of protecting the environment. Valparaiso's environmental advisory board will hold its first meeting on February 3 at 5:00 p.m. at city hall.
