Patrick Lyp

The city council Monday agreed to issue up to $4.4 million in general obligation bonds. Just over half will go toward road repairs. The rest will be used to replace the irrigation system at the Forest Park Golf Course.

"It's somewhat unbelievable that we had no idea that one-and-a-half million dollars was sitting there, for this purpose only," said council member Emilie Hunt.

"I have a bit of a fear that this might throw up a lot of red tape, to the planning department, for city engineering, from an economic development standpoint, if we start putting requirements," said council member Jack Pupillo.

"The concern was that these projects, many of which benefited from significant taxpayer-funded incentives, lacked companies employing skilled workers at prevailing wages," said Council President Robert Cotton.

An unfinished medical building in Valparaiso that's sat vacant for years may finally be completed. Construction on 1425 Glendale began in 2018 but ground to a halt around 2020, as the original developer failed to pay its subcontractors and eventually filed for bankruptcy.

Valparaiso appears to be sticking with its current structure for police oversight.

Valparaiso leaders are looking into what could be a creative way to make affordable housing more available. Weiss Entities is seeking a tax abatement for renovations it plans to make to the Golfview Apartments, which it recently purchased.

Another two Region communities are planning to form sustainability groups.

Those looking to open a restaurant in downtown Valparaiso can now apply for a downtown liquor license. They're less expensive than a traditional liquor license, allowing entrepreneurs to put more of their investment into other parts of their business, according to City Attorney Patrick Lyp.

The city of Valparaiso is gearing up for a long legal battle with its human resources director. Kathy Lynn Gralik alleges that she was paid much less than male department heads, among other claims.