New Culver Town Council Members Seated

The Culver Town Council has some new faces but the same president in 2019. Council members met for the first time this year Tuesday. It was the first meeting for members Bill Githens and Bill Cleavenger since their election in November and the second meeting for member Rich West, after he filled Tammy Shaffer’s seat last month. The town council voted to retain Ginny Bess Munroe as council president and chose Githens to serve as vice-president for the year.

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Culver-Union Township Fire Chief Asks About Adding Town Employees to the Fire Department

Culver-Union Township Fire Chief Terry Wakefield came before the Culver Town Council in May to ask members if there was an existing policy about hiring town employees as volunteer firefighters.

Chief Wakefield explained that being a town employee is one factor that makes someone eligible to work on the fire department. However, he said that the current salary ordinance is keeping him from hiring anyone on, despite the fact that there are a few people who completed the necessary testing and would be able to assist with in-town fires during the day. Continue reading

Culver Town Council Discusses Request from Southwest Conservancy District

The Culver Town Council discussed a request from Southwest Conservancy District Representative Kathy Clark to expand the district in order to hook up two properties to that sewer system.

The agreement that the district has allows 175 hookups to the system and 168 are already connected. One family has petitioned to connect to the line as their septic system has failed. The property is contiguous to the district’s system that runs along West Shore Drive. The family plans to combine two lots with one house and request an easement on one parcel to allow a lateral line through the vacant lot on West Shore Circle. Continue reading

Town of Culver Awarded All Requested Community Crossings Funding

Culver Town Manger Jonathan Leist informed the board last week that the town is one of the few communities in the area who received all the Community Crossings grant funds they requested this year. He said the $206,000 received will go a long way to assist with projects they have in the works.

Leist mentioned that work on College Avenue, parts of Jefferson Street and the entrance at the Sand Hill Farm are the three priority projects. He told council members that in their grant proposal they utilized estimates that came from E&B paving. However, since those numbers were calculated several months ago, Utility Superintendent Bob Porter is looking into quotes. Leist said he is expected to present those quotes at the next town council meeting. Continue reading

Economic Growth Anticipated As a Result of Resolution Approval from Culver Town Council

An area in Culver known commonly as “Sand Hill Farms” located at 540 W Jefferson Street received economic revitalization area and economic target area status as a result of a resolution passed by the Culver City Council Wednesday night.

Town Manager Jonathan Leist explained that the recently created Culver Economic Development Commission is permitted to grant tax abatement for residential property under state law. Earlier this week, the Culver EDC met for the first time and passed a resolution recommending that the city council classify this entire parcel on Jefferson Street as both an economic revitalization area and an economic target area to allow for future residential tax abatement.

Leist added that the approval of this resolution would only grant abatement on phase one, on the personal property investment of approximately $2.7 million that is listed in section one of the resolution. He said if they receive any applications for future tax abatements, the whole process would need to be completed again. Continue reading