Board of Commissioners
Sheila Matias (D), President, Commissioner -2019
555 Michigan Avenue, Suite 202 La Porte, IN 46350 Phone (LP): 219-326-6808 smatias@laportecounty.org
Vidya Kora (D), Vice President, Commissioner - 2013 District 3
555 Michigan Avenue, Suite 202 La Porte, IN 46350 Phone (LP): 219-326-6808 Ext. 2229 Phone (MC): 219-874-5611 Ext. 2229 vkora@laportecounty.org
Richard Mrozinksi (R), Member, Commissioner - 2017 District 2
555 Michigan Avenue, Suite 202 La Porte, IN 46350 Phone (LP): 219-326-6808 Ext. 2229 Phone (MC): 219-874-5611 Ext. 2229 rmrozinski@laportecounty.org
Diane Gonzales, Secretary, Board of Commissioners
555 Michigan Avenue, Suite 202 La Porte, IN 46350 Phone (LP): 219-326-6808 Ext. 2229 Phone (MC): 219-874-5611 Ext. 2229
PUBLIC INFORMATION
DUTIES OF THE BOARD
The County Commissioners may adopt ordinances regulating behavior. Specifically, they have authority to pass ordinances in the following broad areas:
- To administer elections in conjunction with the county election board
- To incorporate new towns and alter township boundary lines, on petition
- To grant vacation pay, sick leave, paid holidays and other similar benefits to county employees
- Maintain all County property and buildings
- To provide for traffic control
- To establish minimum housing standards
- Maintain all County Roads
In most cases the county may exercise its regulatory powers only in the unincorporated areas of the county. As a general rule, the county does not have jurisdiction to regulate behavior in the incorporated cities and towns of the county.
The commissioners are the custodians of the home rule powers of the county. Within the scope of home rule, commissioners may adopt and vest themselves with additional regulatory powers. (Generally see IC 36-2-2 for duties of the board of county commissioners.)
MEETINGS
The Board of Commissions meet on the first Wednesday of the month at 10 A.M. and the third Wednesday at 6 P.M. Special meetings may be called by any commissioner on a 48 hour notice.
Two commissioners comprise a quorum, as well as the necessary majority to pass an ordinance or resolution.
Unanimous consent is required to pass an ordinance on the same day or at the same meeting at which it is introduced, except for amendments to zoning ordinances and ordinances of the county council for additional appropriations.
Otherwise an ordinance requires two readings at two separate meetings. County commissioners may adopt their own rules of procedure that are in addition to those required by statute, such as requiring additional ordinance readings.
Ordinances, orders and resolutions are considered adopted when signed by the president of the county commissioners. Generally, an ordinance need not be published as a legal notice, unless it prescribes a penalty or forfeiture or there is a specific statute requiring publication. In the case of a penalty or forfeiture, prior to the effective date the ordinance must be published once each week for two consecutive weeks.
The county auditor acts as the clerk of the board of county commissioners and is required to attend all meetings of the commission. The Commission secretary keeps the minutes for the Board.
Sheila Brillson Matias serves as President of the La Porte County Commission. In addition, she is Executive Director of the Leadership institute at Purdue Northwest and the Society of Innovators at Purdue Northwest. As a former public-school teacher, non-profit manager, neighborhood activist, two term councilwoman and two-term mayor of Michigan City, Sheila has expertise in government operations, community development, and quality improvement. Ms. Matias has led successful ventures in community health initiatives, education and capital project planning/ implementation. She has worked collaboratively at the regional, state and federal level on diverse matters including education, leadership, public safety, healthcare and the environment.
Sheila has a B.A. from John Carroll University and an M.A. from Valparaiso University. Sheila is married to Dr. Reinaldo Matias; she has a blended family of 8 adult children and is a proud grandmother!
Dr. Kora is active in his community. He has been an elected official in La Porte County for nearly 20 years. He served two terms as county coroner, one term on the board of Michigan City Area Schools and he is in his second term as a La Porte County commissioner. Dr. Kora’s key priorities include improving education and health care, economic development and infrastructure development which includes digital infrastructure and work force development.
He has been active in the Indiana State Medical Association since he joined the ISMA in 1987. He served in various capacities including vice speaker and speaker for several terms before he became the president of the Indiana State Medical Association in 2006-2007. He has been serving on Indiana’s delegation to the AMA since 2008, initially as an alternate delegate from 2008 to 2015 and as a delegate since 2015. Dr. Kora believes that advocacy for our patients and our profession is one of the key priorities of organized medicine and he also believes that having a well-funded political action committee is key to effective advocacy. He served on the AMPAC board for four terms and chaired it in 2017 and 2018. He continues to serve on Indiana medicine’s political action committee.
