Culver Vision Workshop

Culver’s Vision needs a strong prescription!

Last night was the Vision Workshop for the Culver Comprehensive Plan.  I’ve been calling this effort 20/20 vision for Culver for a while now.  Unfortunately with the poor turn out last night, our vision may require a stronger prescription!  Less than 30 people turned out for last night’s meeting.  That’s pretty dismal.  There were three Plan Commission members there, but only one Redevelopment Commission member and no Town Council members.  The overall poor attendance is probably due to poor advertising, but it’s unfortunate that our community leaders aren’t getting involved.  I’m not in tune with all of the local groups, but I was disappointed that only one Chamber board member was there who was also the only Second Century Committee board member.  That was particularly disappointing considering the leadership role SCC took in the previous Comprehensive Plan.  I couldn’t identify any of the Lions Club Board, Kiwanis Board, Boys & Girls Club Board, etc.  Maybe that apathy in and of itself says a lot about Culver’s future…

As a member of the Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee I may bear some responsibility in this.  I don’t feel the steering committee has been engaged in the process.  While it’s easy to say that this is because we haven’t been asked (because we haven’t been asked…), maybe it’s time for us to voice a concern about that and see what needs to be done to rectify the situation.  Since the selection of the consulting firm and the subsequent organization of the steering committee we have (kinda) had three meetings:  1) We were asked to attend a Plan Commission meeting in which little was done but introduce us to the Plan Commission and to each other, since before that we didn’t know who else was serving.  2)  Prior to the first community meeting we met and were given training on conducting group meetings, of which I think one member has held one of these.  And 3)  Before last night’s meeting we were shown a Powerpoint presentation on what has been completed so far.  I’m going to put some of the onus of this on our consultants, Houseal-Lavigne Associates.  We were theoretically assembled as a resource for them to use.  In practice we’ve just been a smaller group that they have made the same presentations to that they will be making to the larger group in the future.  I believe we are a valuable cross section of Culver and that should be used to their advantage.

Jeff Kenney presenting at the Community Vision Workshop

I am probably going to forget someone, but I’m going to list the Steering Committee members I know in case you want to contact them:  Dan Adams, Kevin Berger, Kathy Clark, Jane Grund, Alber Hanselman, Sue McInturff, Tammy Shaffer and Ralph Winters.  Contact any of them with your input and they should be happy to get it to the right people.  If not, you obviously know how to contact me!  Another resource would be Jeff Kinney as he has been very involved and keeps his finger on the pulse of Culver.  (And just as  payback, here’s a picture of Jeff at the meeting last night!)

There is also a website set up for the Comprehensive Plan process.  You can find it on the home page at the town’s website at www.townofculver.org or at the link here.  There are surveys to fill out and a cool mapping tool that will let you assign your thoughts to various areas of town via a google maps style interface.  Get involved!  Talk it up!  Comprehensive Plans are updated every 10 years if we’re lucky.  This is your chance to have a say in Culver’s future.  Don’t let this opportunity go by.