VALPARAISO — City Council members will take up a union-backed NIPSCO staffing resolution at their regular meeting Monday night.
Resolution No. 10, 2026 is listed first under resolutions and ordinances on the Oct. 12 agenda. The title says it supports United Steelworkers Local 12775, District 7’s petition “to Strengthen NIPSCO Staffing, Reliability, and Storm Response for Northern Indiana.” Council members Barbara Domer and Ellen Kapitan are listed as sponsors.
The meeting starts at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 166 Lincolnway. It is open to the public and will be livestreamed on the city’s website.
Key facts
| Item | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Meeting | Mon., Oct. 12, 6 p.m., Valparaiso City Hall | City agenda |
| Measure | Resolution No. 10, 2026 — support USW Local 12775 NIPSCO petition | City agenda |
| Sponsors | Barbara Domer (3rd), Ellen Kapitan (at-large) | City agenda |
| Prior local backers | Michigan City, Portage, Porter County (resolution to be read Oct. 27) | WIMS; Post-Tribune; Porter County agenda |
Same petition, another city
The resolution tracks language other Region governments have already used.
Michigan City’s council adopted a support resolution Oct. 6, WIMS reported. Portage’s council adopted its own ask that the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission’s storm review include staffing, the Post-Tribune reported. Porter County commissioners voted to read a support resolution at their next meeting, set for Oct. 27.
Local 12775 President Ryan Baker told Porter County commissioners that NIPSCO has cut staffing by 20%, the Post-Tribune reported. The Aug. 11 derecho knocked out power to 387,100 NIPSCO customers. NIPSCO has called the storm “an unprecedented weather event” and said it is bringing in a third-party firm to evaluate its response.
Monday’s Valparaiso item is a support resolution, not a rate case or a binding order on the utility. The agenda does not attach the full petition text.
Also on the Valparaiso agenda
Budget work sits right behind the staffing resolution.
- Ordinance No. 22 — second reading and final vote on the Valparaiso Community Schools 2027 budget.
- Ordinance No. 23 — first reading and public hearing on the city’s 2027 budget.
- Ordinance No. 24 — first reading of the 2027 salary ordinance.
- Ordinance No. 19 — second reading and final vote on a municipal-code change aimed at certain contractor fraud.
- Ordinance No. 27 — first reading to appropriate Fire Territory Fund money.
Other business includes a Dynamic Impact Study of a Valparaiso Redevelopment Commission proposal and a discussion of House Enrolled Act 1001, with city administrator Steve Poulos and consultants from Cender Dalton listed.
What’s next
Region N3 will update after the council acts on Resolution No. 10. The next City Council meeting on the agenda calendar is Oct. 26.
Photo credit
¹ Valparaiso City Hall (lead photo) — photo by Chris Light, Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0. Resized for web; this copy is shared under the same license.
² Lincolnway facade of Valparaiso City Hall — photo by Chris Light, Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized for web; this copy is shared under the same license.
³ NIPSCO power lines across Porter County — photo by Chris Light, Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized for web; this copy is shared under the same license.
