Public Hearings to be Held on Stellar Communities Designation Projects in Culver

The projects funded by the Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA) as part of the Stellar Communities Designation Program in Culver will undergo public hearings this month and in May.

Culver Town Manager Jonathan Leist told the town council members last week that the OCRA and park-related project hearings will be at the end of this month and another one in May. Those projects include the renovation of the Culver Beach Lodge, the construction of Cavalier Sports Park and Lake Max programming.

The Stellar Communities Designation Program has expanded to a more region-based application. Culver Town Council President Ginny Bess Munroe informed the members that the county has expressed an interest of submitting a letter of intent to OCRA to apply for the regional designation. Communities that participate in the state Community Development Block Grant program are eligible. Qualified communities include local units of government that are a county, city or an incorporated town that is not currently considered a housing and urban development-recognized entitlement community.

While no projects have been specified, the county does plan on submitting a letter of intent online by this week’s deadline of Friday, April 6.

The Culver Town Council members did approve a motion to allow the council president to move forward in helping the entities in their intentions of moving forward with a Stellar Communities Designation application.