The Culver Town Council members ran into a bit of a bump in planning for the third phase of the Lake Max Trail.
Town Manager Jonathan Leist explained to the council that leaders at Culver Academies no longer support the portion of the trail that travels along Academy Road and State Road 10. Leist commented that there was a change in the administration and the board, and they no longer support the project.
Leist said the council could consider three options which included moving the grant funding to a different trail project, ending the project, or continue moving forward without the school’s support.
Leist noted that INDOT would not allow the grant funding be moved to another project. If the council decided to end the project, they would need to pay back $48,000 in engineering and surveying fees already spent on the project plus the town’s 20 percent match already spent on the project.
The council voiced their opposition to giving up on the project. They did not think giving up a $1 million grant was in the best interest of the town, especially given their good working relationship with INDOT.
The council could continue with the project as the town was given permission from Marshall County officials to work in the right-of-way on Academy Road. INDOT also gave permission to work in the right-of-way on State Road 10 for the project.
Ultimately, the council unanimously voted to authorize Leist to notify INDOT officials that the town would be moving forward with the project without the support from Culver Academies. Leist will also communicate that decision with the school’s leadership.
