Constitution Day
Today is Constitution Day! The United States Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787 by thirty-nine brave men. Constitution Day is not something you hear about too much, but if you’re interested, there is information here and here.
Did you hear anything about it today? I guess it’s not too surprising that Constitution Day is not something celebrated. The Constitution seems to be largely ignored lately, most obviously by representatives of the three branches of the Federal Government. It’s not an overly large document. It’s about 19 pages long in this PDF here. Take a moment to read it. It’s really quite elegant. What do you think? Should we all mail a copy to those representing us in the government? If they took the time to read it, they might be shocked at the limits of their power.
Lake Maxinkuckee Film Festival
This past Labor Day Weekend was the 2nd annual Lake Maxinkuckee Film Festival. I understand that this was the brain child of Dan Bickel, owner of the Lakeside Cinema and Edgewater Grille. Dan tells a little about his vision for the Lake Maxinkuckee Film Festival here. He got a group together to put this on as a charitable event. Carol & John Zeglis are involved, so our “Record” became a “Reel of Film” to welcome attendees. The plan was to roll out the red carpet and make the Film Reel an arch for attendees to walk through.
If you want to read more about the Film Festival, there were pictures in the Pilot News here and an article in the Culver Citizen here as well as the Pilot News front page picture below.
Carol Zeglis commissioned this display piece and we designed it to be durable and reusable. It is made of a solid expanded foam interior encased in plywood. It disassembles into two half circle pieces and it has two separate base pieces to stabilize it. When assembled, the individual pieces are pinned together. It has a recessed edge on one face for the installation of rope lighting. We provided a ground fault interrupt circuit cord for use with the lights. Unfortunately, the display is rather heavy and assembly requires several individuals working together. It has been a hit in its two recent incarnations despite setbacks with installations.
Picture from front page of Pilot News 9-11-09
Culver Garden Court Annexation
Pilot News Article on the South Main Street properties
Culver is moving ahead with annexation of the property on South Main Street where we hope to build a Garden Court next year. (Previously discussed here and here.) Annexation is not necessary for the Garden Court, but it will facilitate the installation of water and sewer lines that will serve the new Garden Court as well as open the surrounding area to further development. This is a positive step forward for the Culver community! I sincerely hope that Mr. Roberts reconsiders his position and joins the petition for annexation.
Antiquarian Entrance II
As discussed in a previous entry here, we have been working on enhancements to the Culver Antiquarian & Historical Museum in the basement of the Culver Union Township Public Library. We have been assisted by Angela Ridenour of Imagine Studios, LLC on the photography and she installed the train picture on the doors this week completing this project. We struggled some with this image as it was taken from a post card, requiring it to be scaled up by a factor of approximately 15. This has caused the pixelation of the original picture to show up, giving a somewhat gauzy effect. The picture, as well as the train entrance, should be effective in drawing patrons down the hall from the library lower lobby into the museum foyer.
We’ve been asked several times about the design of the entrance. Per the Museum Designer, Ted Swigon, it is a representation of the pavilions at the Town Park which were formerly loading and unloading shelters for the train depot. While some of the detail has been removed from the pickets at the top, the post adjacent to the door is a scribed replica of the posts currently in use. The colors were chosen from old photographs which show that the upper portion of the shelter was either left unfinished or just lightly varnished, leaving the natural wood to show.
We are pleased that we have had the opportunity to work with the Antiquarian & Historical Society on this project and look forward to helping them complete their other projects at the museum.
Are Golf Carts the Vehicle that would allow Culver to Annex the Lake?
I’ve been watching all the hullabaloo about golf carts in town. It’s obviously a State-wide issue as the legislature has taken it up and clarified things. (Is that possible?) In the case of Culver and Lake Maxinkuckee, golf carts can be used within the Town of Culver as long as they meet minimum safety requirements and are registered with the Town. This puts 3/4’s of the Lake and a large portion of the Culver Academies on the wrong side of the law when it comes to operating golf carts on public streets and highways.
The new State Law really hasn’t changed anything for the residents outside the Town. It was and remains illegal to operate golf carts on public right-a-ways. The new Law clarified the rights of Cities and Towns to license golf carts for use on their streets if they chose to to so. Culver’s Golf Cart Ordinance is available for review on the town website here.
C'mon! Do you really think this would stand up to a collision with the real thing?
It’s unbelievable how passionate people are on this issue! I find it somewhat unfathomable that so many people are willing to send their children out in these vehicles to compete for right-a-way with cars, trucks, SUV’s and Semi’s. I’m sure some of these same people check out Consumer’s Reports for crash test ratings before buying a car. How would a golf cart rate in a collision with a car? To paraphrase a classic movie line, “Child Restraints? We don’t need no stinkin’ child restraints!”
But that’s not why I’m typing at you today. Tongue firmly in cheek, I propose that the Culver Town Council is missing a wonderful opportunity to Annex the Lake! This has always been a divisive issue. The Town always feels that they are providing services to property owners that don’t support them through taxes. The Lake residents feel that they are already under too much Town control without representation. Are golf carts the vehicle that would allow Culver to annex the Lake? I say, “Full speed ahead!” Heck, it’s only a golf cart… What is that, like, maybe 20 mph?
At least one current Town Council Member, Lynn Overmyer, has a golf cart and uses it around town regularly. I would suggest that she run for re-election on a Golf Cart Platform. Admittedly a precarious position where she would have to balance many issues… but could this be the issue that unites the Lake, Town and Academies? I’m picturing Lance driving the cart while Lynn expounds on the virtues of community in a rousing oratory from the bag rack… like off the back of a train, Herbert Hoover style…
Marshall County with Union Township highlighted
Personally, I think we should think big on this. Our Man Mitch would like the State to do away with the townships. Let’s be a progressive community and form our own smaller version of Indianapolis’s uni-gov by absorbing all of Union Township while we’re at it. There’s only a thin ribbon of area to the south and west between Culver’s Zoning boundary and the County Line anyway. Burr Oak and Hibbard will become suburbs! Culver will once again have train service. Our boundaries will encompass a river and a couple of additional lakes. (They’re small, but they’ll look good in the brochure text.) We’ll pick up a connection to another state highway (110) and bring us within spitting distance of State Road 8.
Oh, sure… There are naysayers that will bring up issues like water and sewer as well as police protection. Those are just details. Our Senators are voting 1,200 page bills into Law without reading them, so we shouldn’t get caught up in the details when we can vote for… wait for it… “Change”!
Oops! I slipped off my original soap box onto an adjacent one. Sorry. We were talking about golf carts. Annex the Lake! Annex the Lake!
There are lots of good reasons for pursuing additional annexation. Unfortunately, good reasons aren’t often good enough. The Town is pursuing annexation on South Main Street, but one property owner is threatening to oppose it. Why? No apparent reason. The property is already within Culver’s zoning boundary and any tax increase would be minimal since the property is undeveloped. Since part of the package is the extension of water and sewer to this area, the annexation would only enhance the property and increase the value. Apparently those aren’t things worth consideration.
Towns are either growing or dying. There is no staying the same. Culver needs to plan for growth and pursue it diligently. The golf cart debate is kind of silly. Annexing the Lake should remain on the table for consideration.
