By Jeff Kenney Staff Writer
CULVER — Lake Shore Drive will be under construction between July 1 and Lakefest weekend, July 18, so that much-needed repair to the winter-weary pavement can be done, said Culver’s town council at its June 24 meeting.
Council President Sally Ricciardi noted that some area businesses had expressed concerns about accessibility to their establishments during the work, but street dept. head Bob Porter confirmed that the street should not be completely closed at any time, though it will probably be reduced to one lane of traffic. Work will halt during weekends and holidays, said Porter.

Several residents of the north side neighborhood in which a new siren was recently placed, turned out to express appreciation to the town council for its decision to leave the siren as a tornado-only alert and not a signal for fires or the noon whistle.
Several residents living near the intersection of Lake Shore Dr. and State Road 10, including Laura Yeager and Ann Norton, said the siren was “very loud” during testing. The town will replace a deteriorating signal atop the town hall with new equipment that should be audible throughout the community.
Ricciardi, in answer to an audience member question, also explained that concrete footers are now in place under a house on South Main Street whose placement on “stilts” above the ground has been a matter of concern at recent council meetings. The footers will have to dry for 17 days, Ricciardi said, and then the house should be lowered to the ground.
Chris Larson, administrator for a sewer grant awarded recently to the town, was on hand to tell the council it was authorized to move forward with signing the grant. He said the target was to have the planning grant work wrapped up by the end of the year in hopes that the town could apply for a more substantial construction grant around Jan., 2009. Larson said he wanted to touch bases directly since town manager Sean McDermott, who was handling the grant, has moved on. The council approved signing the grant, and will hold a work session July 16 to discuss the grant with Larson and Mark Sullivan of Commonwealth Engineers.
Sullivan told the council that construction has been completed in the Long Point area for installation of sewer and water, adding that Haskins, Inc., the contractor on the project, has billed the town for the balance of the project cost, $29,200, bringing the total cost under the original budgeted amount by $5,000-6,000.
The council approved payment of the balance and also heard town attorney Ron Gifford’s comment that legal ads have run and letters to property owners have been sent affirming the annexation of the area into the town of Culver. A public hearing finalizing the annexation will take place in August.