Leah Thill from the Michiana Area Council of Governments (MACOG) presented the Culver Town Council members with electric vehicle and charging information during their meeting last week.
Thill noted that the town has one charging station on Jefferson Street just east of Main Street which was funded through a Volkswagon grant with a $5,000 town contribution. The town’s current station had 102 unique, or different, drivers that used the station in 2022. There have been 45 drivers use the station so far this year. The peak months of use are July through October with 75 sessions per month. The town’s operating cost of the charging station is $1,000 a year.
During the council’s last meeting, Utility Superintendent Bob Porter asked the council to consider applying for a federal grant to install another electric vehicle charging station at the Culver Town Park. The town was contacted by MACOG to apply for this grant which would cover 80 percent of the cost with the town’s match of about $10,000. MACOG would submit up to $3,000 to help offset the town’s match.
The grant would support the installation of two units, or four parking spots, at the Culver Town Park. The fee charged should be reasonable to the town’s operating costs for the first five years.
The council members did not make a decision during their meeting. Thill said she provided the town with a draft support letter for the council to consider which would need to be approved at the next meeting on Tuesday, May 23 at 6:30 p.m. ET. The grant deadline is at the end of the month.
