VALPARAISO | Entering his fourth and final term as mayor, Jon Costas said he feels a deep sense of gratitude to the citizens of Valparaiso and a boundless sense of optimism for the city's future.
Costas on Wednesday delivered his State of the City address during the annual meeting of the Valpo Chamber of Commerce at Valparaiso University's Harre Union.
Costas said 2015 was a year to remember for the city, highlighting the expansion of downtown's Central Park Plaza, being a finalist in America's Best Communities contest sponsored by Frontier Communications that could net the city $3 million, and receiving national recognition when it was awarded the Google e-city distinction for the state of Indiana.
"Our local entrepreneurs and business sector are tech savvy and it shows nationally," he said.
Costas said while all cities struggle to find money to maintain their aging infrastructure, Valparaiso made good headway in 2015 by adding new sidewalks in the Memorial Elementary School neighborhood and more than 3,500 feet of pathway along Evans Avenue connecting citizens in Pine Creek to the city's pathway system. The historic brick block of Napoleon Avenue was restored to its original beauty and the city's main street, Lincolnway, got a face-lift, Costas said.
Costas also touted the ramping up of a $20 million U.S. 30 beautification project.
"No longer will we look just like every other community when you pass us on Route 30," he said.
Transportation has become a key theme for Northwest Indiana's future, Costas said, noting that the city's development of the Region's first transit-orientated development near downtown will help expand Valparaiso's transportation efforts in the future and provide unique housing options for commuters.
Costas also reflected on the loss in 2015 of Fire Chief David Nondorf, who died of cancer.
"He was the consummate fire chief and led the department to countless improvements and service expansions," Costas said. "He left behind a fire department that is certainly regarded as one of the finest in the state."
Costas said community policing was a high priority of his when elected in 2003 and overall crime was down another 12 percent in 2015. Costas said Police Chief Mike Brickner reports that since his team took office in 2004, major crimes have decreased 54 percent despite a growing population and tight safety budgets.
Costas said he's fired up about the future of the city.
"If Valparaiso were a Fortune 500 company, that's where I would invest my 401K funds," he said. "All signs point to success. We are a vibrant, welcoming city that is known far and wide for its commitment to unity, its spirit of optimism and its passion for progress. That's Valparaiso."