Indiana Launches Program to Help Communities Leverage Federal COVID-19 Money

Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch announces OCRA’s new HELP program during a press conference in Evansville Tuesday. (photo provided by Lieutenant Governor’s Office)

Indiana communities can get some “HELP” spending their American Rescue Plan money. The Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs officially announced its Hoosier Enduring Legacy Program on Tuesday.

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Culver Town Council to Consider Rezoning for Culver Meadows Development

The Culver Town Council will consider the next step for the proposed Culver Meadows development. It would consist of about 25 single family homes and townhouses, as well as a new gas station in the area of State Road 10 and State Road 17. During tonight’s meeting, council members will consider an ordinance on second and third reading to rezone the property to a Planned Unit Development.

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Culver School Board to Consider Agreements for Help with Possible Referendum

The Culver School Board will continue preparing for a possible operational referendum tonight. Agreements with accounting firm Umbaugh and Associates and law firm Ice Miller to help with the referendum process will be up for approval. An operational referendum is designed to help a school corporation supplement its General Fund, which pays for things like teacher salaries.

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Culver Town Council Approves Grant Fund Appropriations

The Culver Town Council members discussed grant funds that were appropriated during the year at their meeting this week.

Clerk-Treasurer Karen Heim commented that the town was fortunate to receive several grants in 2017 that weren’t recognized in the budget. She recommended that the list be available to inform the public of all funds awarded and spent, and on the record for the Department of Local Government Finance.

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Culver Officials Break Ground on Housing Project

Culver town officials, county representatives, Housing Developer Kevin Berger, and other dignitaries helped break ground on the Sand Hill Farm workforce housing development in Culver Wednesday afternoon.

The housing development includes 24 apartments that will feature affordable one, two and three bedroom units at 540 W. Jefferson Street with hopes of the project complete in 2018. Elkay, one of Culver’s largest employers, will provide the cabinetry for the units in an extensive project partnership. Continue reading

Marshall County Commissioners to Meet Today

Marshall County Commissioners (L to R) Mike Delp, Kevin Overmyer, Kurt Garner

The Marshall County Commissioners will hold two public hearings this morning when they meet for their regular meeting today.

The hearings will allow residents to comment on the proposed fee schedule changes in the health department and the changes in the well ordinance. The hearings are set to begin at 9 a.m. as advertised.

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Culver Town Council to Meet Tonight

The Culver Town Council will be discussing their next steps in the path to be awarded the Stellar Communities designee during their regular business meeting tonight. The town was named a finalist in Division 2 at the end of May. The name of the winning community will be announced at the end of this summer. Culver was placed in Division 2 that recognizes towns with a population less than 5,999. The Town of Culver will be competing with the Town of Churubusco in Whitley County and the City of Union City in Randolph County.

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Culver School Board Receives Update on Stellar Communities Project

Culver Town Manager Jonathan Leist presented an update on the Stellar Communities application to the Culver Community School Board that involves school grounds.

Improvements on a field behind the corporation office and improvements at the baseball fields are included in this year’s application. Leist said site control and which entity would be in charge of funding was brought up in last year’s process. Leist said he thinks he has found a solution and brought the idea to Interim Superintendent Chuck Kitchell.

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Stellar Community Letter of Intent Due Friday with Changes

The Culver Town Council and the Stellar Communities Committee have made some focus changes to the plans for this year’s application.

Town Manager Jonathan Leist told the council members Tuesday night that the committee revisited the proposed lighter, quicker and cheaper project. The committee has decided to go with five or six-foot letters that spell C-U-L-V-E-R rather than the historic story walk as that particular project. Utility Superintendent Bob Porter is researching the cost for this project, but Leist believes it will fall within the $5,000 requirement for that part of the application.

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Culver Town Council to Hold Work Session, Regular Meeting

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.

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Culver Stellar Communities Committee Looks at Projects for Application

The Culver Stellar Communities Committee is working on several projects that are categorized as lighter, quicker and cheaper as required in this year’s application process.

The town is applying for the opportunity to have the distinction of being a Stellar Community and receive funding to complete a plan for community and economic development projects.

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Culver Stellar Communities Committee Finalizing Letter of Intent

The Culver Stellar Communities Committee is working hard to complete paperwork necessary to announce the Town of Culver’s intentions to seek this year’s Stellar Community designation.

The purpose of the Stellar Communities Designation Program is to recognize Indiana’s smaller communities that have identified comprehensive community and economic development projects and activities in addition to a plan and key partnerships. Culver was close to winning the designation of a Stellar Community last year, but the honor was awarded to Corydon.

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Culver Town Council Keeps Stellar Communities Project Rolling

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.

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Culver Town Council, CRC to Hold Special Session

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.

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