The Culver Town Council will hold a work session tonight to discuss the housing project for the Stellar Communities grant. It is just one of many aspects the council is looking at to include in the letter of intent which is due on Friday, April 28.
Several lighter, quicker and cheaper projects will also be included. A story walk and the installation of recycled benches along a proposed bike trail will be listed within the town’s goals for the application.
It’s a tool that Culver residents have appreciated over the years and the Culver Town Council hopes to improve its overall appearance.
The town’s website will soon be getting a facelift. Town Manager Jonathan Leist and Clerk-Treasurer Karen Heim have been working to find a solution to make it more user friendly. Leist told the town council last week that only one person can input information to the website from one desktop. Ideally, it would be more efficient for all department heads to have access to the website to upload information for convenience.
The convenience fee to pay for items through the Town of Culver has been slashed.
Clerk-Treasurer Karen Heim told the Culver Town Council members this week that she met with a representative from PayGOV to make the changes to the convenience fee. The previous agreement included a $2.50 convenience fee on a minimum charge and anything over $25 customers were charged a three percent fee.
The Culver Town Council discussed an issue concerning a participant with last year’s sidewalk replacement program.
Clerk-Treasurer Karen Heim explained to the council members that a resident applied for the sidewalk program last year. As the season wore on, the applicant found that the project could not be completed in 2016 and asked if the same request could be considered in the 2017 application process. Utility Superintendent Bob Porter confirmed that all of the specifications were complete for the cement to be poured, but another construction project at that location delayed the sidewalk installation.
The Culver Stellar Communities Committee recently chose a lighter, quicker and cheaper project for this year’s Stellar Community application and the project is gaining support of community entities.
As a lighter, quicker and cheaper project, the committee chose the installation of recycled plastic benches and a story walk featuring Culver history along a proposed new bike trail in the Culver Town Park. It is the hope of the committee to build partnerships as part of the application process.
The Culver-Union Township Library will soon be getting some American Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant renovations to the exterior of the building along with other improvements.
Library Board member Bill Clevenger explained to the Culver Town Council Tuesday night that the board recently hired an architect to do an envelope study of the library. That study entails an analysis of potential facility modifications to bring codes up to standards or to improve operations.
The Culver Town Council members will have several items up for discussion when they meet tonight.
Bill Clevenger from the Culver-Union Township Public Library will appear before the council with information. The council will receive an update on the Stellar Communities application and letter of intent. The deadline for the letter of intent is set for April 28.
Summer is right around the corner which means activities around the Culver Park and the Culver Beach will be winding up for the season.
Park Superintendent Anna Campbell told the Culver Town Council members last week that she recently hired a new maintenance employee and she is currently taking applications for lifeguards. Five lifeguards are returning this year and one new lifeguard was recently hired. For more information, call (574) 842-3510.
The Town of Culver is the recipient of a Marshall County Community Foundation grant to help fund an opportunity for residents to participate in public fishing.
Town Manager Jonathan Leist told the Culver Town Council members this week that a platform will be installed at the end of a pier for public fishing.
One project that the Culver Town Council and the Stellar Communities Committee is focused on is a bike and pedestrian trail around Lake Maxinkuckee.
Town Manager Jonathan Leist said the project began with creating a master plan last year with consulting firm Troyer Group for the trail to be funded if the town was named a Stellar Community. The idea is to create a scenic trail around the lake with the ability to accommodate walkers, runners and bicyclists as a way for residents to get some exercise and see the town from a different perspective.
The Culver Town Council continues to move forward with an application to the Stellar Communities Program.
Town Manager Jonathan Leist reported that he and Council President Ginny Bess Munroe have split up responsibilities to process the letter of intent which is due Friday, April 28. That five page document will be reviewed by the Stellar Communities committee on Tuesday, April 4 at 5:30 p.m. at the Culver Town Hall. The meeting is open to any resident interested in being a part of the committee.
A public hearing to hear comments concerning a tax abatement request from Elkay Products was held last night during the Culver Town Council meeting.
Owner Brian Meek is planning a technology upgrade at the facility at a cost of approximately $3.9 million. More jobs will be created as a result of the upgrade in equipment. Meek said this project will help make the Culver Elkay plant the leading manufacturer of cabinets within the corporation. He said there is an Elkay facility in Minnesota where the company has made a similar investment.
The Culver Town Council will conduct a public hearing tonight to discuss a tax abatement request made by Elkay Wood Products.
This is the next step in the process of a project planned by the owner of the company to invest millions of dollars in expanding the technology at the plant. More jobs will be created as a result of the upgrades.
The Culver Town Council members invite residents to tour the water plant facility on April 8.
Town Manager Jonathan Leist said an open house is planned for residents to see the recent improvements made to the water plant.
The Culver Town Council and Culver Redevelopment Commission met in a special joint session on Monday night to discuss the status of the Stellar Communities Program application.
Town Manager Jonathan Leist said the two groups have been meeting regularly since last year’s attempt at the recognition to make improvements to this year’s application. He said a vote was taken Monday night to take the next step in this year’s application process.
Culver-Union Township Fire Chief Terry Wakefield is looking for more volunteer firefighters.
He made a plea to the Culver Town Council last week after receiving a resignation from one firefighter. Wakefield said he’s received three applications for volunteer firefighters in two years. There are currently 18 firefighters.
The Culver Town Council and the Culver Redevelopment Commission will work together in a special meeting today to work out responsibilities for the upcoming Stellar Communities application.
Town Council President Ginny Bess Munroe explained to the council members last week that there are a number of new projects and enhancements to this year’s application and the town could be more productive if all of those responsibilities were divided to ensure success. She said there are too many items for Town Manager Jonathan Leist to concentrate on that will reduce his focus on town responsibilities.
The Culver-Union Township EMS Department is available for growth.
During her report to the Culver Town Council this week, EMS Director Kathy Hart said that she has interviewed four candidates for two open part-time positions, but she was hoping that she could build the personnel pool. She had not filled those positions at the time of the council meeting on Monday.
The Culver City Council acted upon a request to declare an area as an economic revitalization area.
The owner of LK Wood Products and Marshall County Economic Development Corporation Director Jerry Chavez gave the council members an idea about an expansion project at the facility on Mill Street. The company is seeking a tax abatement to invest millions of dollars in expanding the technology at the plant. More jobs will be created as a result of the upgrade in equipment.
The Culver Town Council members will decide how to split up responsibilities concerning the duties surrounding work for the Stellar Communities application when they meet with the Culver Redevelopment Commission next week.
Assignments will also need to be divided among the panel if the town is awarded the distinction of being a Stellar Community.
