The Pilot News - Board meets new hires for Culver

Members of the Culver Tree Commission were present to discuss their proposal to create a visually pleasing tree corridor along School Street from State Road 10 to Academy Road. Mike Stallings, chairman, introduced members Tom Kearns, Judy Campbell, Judy Sawhook and Dick Brantingham.
Stallings gave a brief overview of the Tree Commission and what they had accomplished since its inception in 2006. He noted that an inventory of parkway trees in Culver determined trees to be removed and the optimum number of trees to be planted. The goal of the commission is to plant the 700 trees recommended plus remove or prune trees deemed to be unsafe to the public. He said that they had recently arranged for the removal of two trees on school property, one in front of the elementary school and one near Ohio Street that were unsafe.
Stressing that all labor is done through volunteer efforts, the goal of the commission is to plant 50 trees per year in designated locations. Trees are purchased through the DNR at a minimal cost of $100 per tree. The commission will plant the trees and prune them through a three-year period. Water-ing the trees is done by the Culver Union Township Fire Department.
Stallings continued by saying that although the trees are planted only on the public right of way, no tree is planted if the property owner objects.
Kearns then presented the proposed project for 2009. He said that with the support of the Culver town council, the commission was proposing to plant 41 trees along the School Street corridor to Academy Road. “We want to make a real statement.” Kearns said “This is an entrance into Culver.” Kearns noted that Greg Fassett, administrator of Millers Merry Manor, felt his company would be in agreement to plant eight trees along their public right of way and there was one private residential owner who would have one tree. The remaining 32 would be planted in the right of way along school property.
To the east, the commission would plant pin oak and red maples, and to the west, red bud and dogwood. This would give a green corridor in spring and summer and a red corridor in the fall. The cost would be the $100 per tree and all labor would be on a volunteer basis.
School board members had questions regarding the cost to the corporation that would be approximately $3,000. Jim Wentzel said he felt he would have a hard time explaining to his constituents the expenditure of money for purely aesthetic reasons and how it would benefit the students. Brantingham noted that exterior environmental improvements often proved to be a benefit to students.
There were also concerns that the trees might cause more maintenance problems and also the concern that placement along the entrance to the high school would be an impediment to bus drivers’ visibility. Stallings noted that all trees are planted in accordance with the town’s very strict policy of setbacks.
The board decided to table the request until a decision could be made on the funding. Schuldt will explore options and report to the board at the next meeting. Stallings noted that the trees should be ordered soon for April planting and if the school is not interested, another section of Culver can be selected. Schuldt asked if the school could purchase trees at a cost of $100 to plant at their discretion and Stallings said that was possible.
In other school board business:
• Gary Gabel, Group Alternatives, updated the trustees on the continuing services provided by his consulting firm. The firm meets with the corporation’s insurance committee on a regular basis to review claim experience, assess the current insurance coverage, assist with any change in plans, and if necessary, assisting with a plan transition.
  The school corporation is a self-insured entity, Schuldt explained. All employees contribute to the plan and the first $50,000 in claims is covered by the school after which the stop gap insurance carrier steps in. A survey of annual benefits costs were given to trustees for review. It showed the annual benefit costs fro 2000-2001 as $707,548 for 164 employees, increasing to $1,097,621 in 2005-2006 for 143 employees and for 2007-2008 the cost for 138 employees was $859,475.
  Gabel recommended the school’s participation in a Wellness Program. The cost is $85 per participant enrolled in the health plan and will screen blood pressure, health risk appraisal, appropriate blood tests, and individual and management reports. A 75 percent participation in the program is desired and is available to spouses of enrollees. A $230 incentive pay will be offered to each participant who completes the program.
  •Under the superintendent’s report, Schuldt noted that Governor Daniels has stated his intentions to pursue recommendations from the Kernan-Shepard report completed earlier this year. According to the article in the Indianapolis Star, Schuldt said recommendations made would affect local governmental bodies, such as school boards, advisory boards, and library boards.