City of Valparaiso puts the ‘unity’ in ‘community’ at inaugural Valparaiso Community Conference session
On the morning of Wednesday, April 17, City of Valparaiso hosted the first ever session of the Valparaiso Community Conference at Valparaiso University. The event is geared to promote connectivity and collaboration among Valpo’s residents, business professionals, and government leaders. The conference featured networking opportunities, a keynote presentation from Valparaiso Mayor Jon Costas, and four educational breakout sessions. There was also an “I Love Valpo” poster board on which attendees could write their favorite aspects about living in the “Vale of Paradise.”
Maggie Clifton, director of community engagement for City of Valparaiso, looks forward to seeing how the conference will benefit the city in the future. She states that the Valparaiso Community Conference reflects the Community Engagement Department’s core mission of promoting civic participation and leadership development in Valpo.
“We created the Valparaiso Community Conference to be a space for connection,” Clifton said. “It’s a place where ideas can be shared, relationships can be built, and every person, regardless of their experience or background, feels like they have a role in shaping the future of our city. We have some great local speakers here today with a lot of experience and knowledge. Hopefully, today can be a launchpad for ongoing collaboration, the development of stronger neighborhoods, and a more inclusive and involved Valparaiso.”
In the breakout session called The Role of Philanthropy in Community Development, Bill Higbie, president and CEO of the Porter County Community Foundation, listed some of the ways that Valpo citizens’ generosity has benefited the city over the years. He also shared some science-backed insights into the ways that generosity benefits the giver.
Another breakout session called City Government How the Pieces Fit Together, Patrick Lyp, city attorney for City of Valparaiso, and George Douglas, director of development for the City of Valparaiso, described how the many facets of local government support one another to promote community development.
Center Township Trustee Jesse Harper’s breakout session, Neighbors Helping Neighbors: Tips to Lend a Helping Hand, offered suggestions on how citizens can get involved with Valpo’s extensive array of non-profit organizations.
Celina Weatherwax, president and CEO of the Multi Agency Academic Cooperative (MAAC) Foundation, and Mackenna Schon, director of programming for the MAAC Foundation, had a breakout session called Advocacy in Action: Meeting Needs Through Community Building. It discussed how best to build meaningful relationships that are key to addressing impactful issues within the community.
In his keynote presentation, which was called Using Civility to Promote Productivity, Costas talked about the values that make Valparaiso a desirable place to be.
“Valpo has a wonderful tradition of respect and collaboration among leaders.,” Costas said. “Those values are vital to our future. We were a bit surprised that the conference filled up so quickly in its seminal year, and we see that as a positive indicator. It means that our citizens want to be engaged in local government. We see everyone’s attendance here today as a gift to the city and its future.”
In his presentation, Costas touched on a number of subjects including the effect that the tumultuous political situation in Washington affects local government and the importance of improving and promoting civil conduct. Costas described how respectful dialogue has led to increased productivity and true action in Valparaiso. He offered strategies that can be used to civilly and rationally discuss contentious topics with people who hold opposing views. These include avoiding strongly biased political news sources, prioritizing meaningful conversations in favor of unproductive online arguments, and treating others with grace.
Costas lauded civility as an indispensable tool in the effective navigation of the current political climate.
“Civility, by its very definition, requires at least two people,” Costas said. “Civility comes into play when we engage with one another on a given topic with the goal of persuading other people to consider our views. The way we engage with them on these topics is the key issue here. It not only affects the likelihood that we will persuade them, but it can also have a profound impact on the harmony, effectiveness and peaceful order of the community.”You can stay up-to-date on City of Valparaiso’s announcements and upcoming projects by visiting ci.valparaiso.in.us.