by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

“I want to live in Mayberry,” said seventh-generation Monteagle resident Iva Michelle Russell commenting on why people come to Monteagle at the Sept. 23 public meeting presenting the Imagine Monteagle plan developed under the guidance of American Institute of Architect (AIA) planners. The discussion among steering committee members and over 30 town residents tracked the challenges and blessings charted on Monteagle’s horizon by embracing a commitment to be both a small-town like Mayberry from “The Andy Griffith Show” and at the same time the gateway to the Cumberland Plateau.

Monteagle Alderman Nate Wilson applied for AIA Community by Design assistance in drawing up a plan. The AIA planners accept only five or six projects annually. Mayor Greg Maloof acknowledged the honor and praised Wilson’s hard work and commitment. The only cost to Monteagle: hosting the planners’ two visits and their transportation.

“The plan is an idea where the town might go, not a prescription,” Wilson stressed. “It’s a framework, not answers.” He cited three major challenges. One, Monteagle needs to deal with its water supply shortage and with inflow and infiltration of storm water into the sanitary sewer, which diminishes Monteagle’s sewage treatment capacity. A second major challenge is the population’s age. “Monteagle skews older than the general population. We need to attract younger people,” Wilson said. It follows, Monteagle drastically needed affordable housing. “We’re not talking about a government answer,” Wilson insisted. “We’re talking about the government making it easier for private investors to come in.”

Much attention focused on the opportunities tourism provided. Russell pointed out prior to the interstate, Monteagle had a “very vibrant downtown” catering to Highway 41 traffic, the main route between Chicago and Miami. “The community serviced those interests. We had restaurants, places to stay. We had all the things any visitor would want,” Russell said. Monteagle had a very different look. People often lived on the second floor of their first-floor businesses. “Over time we lost our look,” Russell maintained. “For tourism today, what they’re looking for in Tennessee is authenticity. But who are we?” She cited the resource of the three state parks. “Outdoor recreation is our game and so is authentic small-town America. If you build a community people want to live in, you create a community people want to visit. People want to come back to what is real and authentic.” Russell suggested signage, public restrooms, and outdoors outfitters greeting travelers at interstate exits and highlighted the planners’ ideas about a walkable downtown with outdoor dining and parking in back and streetside.

Planning Commission Chair Ed Provost said for the past three years the commission had been tackling the challenge posed by zoning and codes that were “a mess.” He cited lack of regulations governing food trucks and questions about the location of convenience stores and campgrounds “We need to make zoning a useful tool that matches the codes,” Provost insisted, proposing Monteagle seek professional help to update the zoning map. Echoing Wilson’s concerns, Provost stressed the difficulty of attracting developers and businesses “when we can’t give them water and sewer.”

Pointing to the proposed Monteagle Elementary School sign made from mountain stone, Beautification Committee Chair Martha Ann Pilcher suggested signage and similar priorities could be incorporated into Monteagle codes.

A number of people who commented spoke to why Monteagle needed a plan. The government grant funders Monteagle relied on often requested a plan, Wilson said. “Growth is coming,” said aspiring developer Jessie Goodman whose current project is a subdivision across from the National Guard Armory. “Monteagle needs a plan to attract [developers] to put their money here.” Scott Parrish, former Monteagle Sunday School Assembly director concurred. “Developers very much desire a formal plan. They’re happy to put up a mountain stone sign if it’s in the code.” A resident offered an example comparing Augusta, Ga., and the far more successful growth strategy of Chattanooga. “Chattanooga picked some big wins to build around,” he said. Augusta let developers guide the growth.

One resident questioned how Monteagle could be the gateway to the Plateau in a way that helped the outlying towns. “There are nine communities in the region,” Russell said. “They’re already doing their own redesigns.” “There is a danger in being on the interstate,” Wilson pointed out. “Monteagle could be subsumed as an interstate exit.”

Many attendees spoke in favor of adopting the Imagine Monteagle plan. None voiced opposition.

Printed full-color copies of the 65-page plan will be available at May Justus Memorial Library. Resident Lucy Keeble spearheaded a $1,474 funding effort to make the printed copies available.

by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

“We got an email at 3 p.m. on Tuesday. That was the first notice. They were dumping gravel the next morning at eight,” said Reverend Polly Robb voicing her dismay at the Sept. 23 Sewanee Community Council meeting about the Georgia Avenue student parking lot across from her and her husband’s home. The couple purchased the house in 2016 when Robb came to the seminary. “We put a lot of time, effort and money in the house. Our house is devalued. Car lights shine in the bedroom window at night.”

“I’m sad and confused.” Robb insisted. “We’ve heard several times from the lease office, Sewanee can do whatever they want to do. It’s not terribly neighborly.” Raised in Sewanee and once a strong Sewanee “advocate” who served two terms as a trustee, Robb acknowledged, “Maybe I’ve been blind to the University not really partnering well with the community.” When Robb contacted the University, she was told the parking lot was a “last minute decision” in response to larger than anticipated freshman enrollment and that the Sewanee parking shortage had been publicly discussed.

“I’m sorry,” said council representative Marilyn Phelps, commenting she too had heard “Sewanee can do whatever they want to do” complaints.

Special Assistant to the Vice-Chancellor Nicky Hamilton, Provost Scott Wilson, and Vice-Chancellor Rob Pearigen also apologized. “There were both more students and more students registering cars,” Wilson said. With 100 more students than anticipated requiring parking, the lot at the end of Georgia Avenue across from the Robb’s home was “the easiest course of action,” Wilson explained. He pointed out the lot had previously been used for storage by Facilities Management. The lot was surfaced with gravel, rather than pavement, in the event another solution presents itself.

“We’re continuing to explore options,” said Pearigen. “I’m sorry, but I understand why the decision was made. We’re still 50-60 students shy of where we need to be. We have to make decisions sometimes that aren’t necessarily popular. But the notion ‘we can do whatever we want to do’ is not part of who I am and who I expect my administration to be.”

Updating the council on the council election, Election Officer Ben Tarhan said signature petitions were available at the Sewanee Post Office and Lease Office. Four district seats and two at-large seats are open for election. Prospective district candidates must get ten signatures from residents of their district; for at-large seats candidates, the ten signatures may be from any resident with a 37375 zip code. Candidates should include a photo and two-sentence bio with their application. Signature petitions are due Oct. 14. Voting will occur at the Nov. 5 General Election. Those who wish can vote early at the Lease Office.

Council representative June Weber reminded the community the Council Funding Project Committee was accepting grant applications until Oct. 25. “Grants are given for physical improvements or amenities in Sewanee that enhance the community and improve the quality of life,” Weber said. “We welcome projects both small and large. An individual can apply and a group can apply.” Applications are available on the Community Council page of the Lease Office website.

The council addressed two questions about parking. To accommodate parking needs for special events “sleeves” will cover University Avenue no-parking signs. Tennessee Avenue parking will be for both School of Theology and University students, although no distinguishing signage had been posted yet.

The Sewanee Business Alliance is hosting AngelFest on Friday, Oct. 4, at Angel Park. This annual community event promises an evening filled with family-friendly activities, live music, delicious food, Sewanee Children’s Center Chili Cook-off and a time to get to know your neighbors .

The fun begins at 5 p.m., with a variety of exciting activities designed for children of all ages.

A diverse selection of food trucks and vendors will be on hand to satisfy every craving.

Join nature enthusiast Margaret Matens for an unforgettable encounter with fascinating wild animals.

Get ready to dance the night away with the talented band Entice, taking the stage at 7 p.m.

Entice is based out of Middle Tennessee serving the entire Southeast and more.

They have played most of the major campuses in the southeast and have played hundreds of wedding venues across the south.

With some of the greatest music from the 60’s, 70’s and today in their song list, they are sure to have your favorite songs ready to go and your body grooving.

AngelFest is made possible by the generous support of local sponsors and the dedication of the Sewanee Business Alliance. This community-driven event aims to bring joy, laughter, and a sense of togetherness to Sewanee and surrounding areas.

For more information, please visit <sewaneevillage.com>.

The second annual Fiery Gizzard Fest will be Friday–Saturday, Oct. 4–5, in Tracy City. Live music from Jason Lee Wilson & James County Band & other groups will be at the Tracy City Roundhouse Park starting at 5 p.m., Friday. From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, at the Fairgrounds Ball Field there will be food and craft vendors, classic cars & Jeep show, a beauty contest, talent contest, corn hole & horse competitions, inflatables and more. All the proceeds go to the youth baseball and softball leagues. This event is sponsored by the Tracy City Parks and Recreation. For more information, follow them on Facebook.

The second annual Tickbush Festival will be from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 28, at St. James Midway Community Park, Sewanee.

Come and enjoy the day with us! You’ll hear bluegrass and gospel, even some Irish folk music. Enjoy food, both sweet and savory from food trucks and shop the crafts made by mountain artists. Children can enjoy the playground. Maybe you’ll want to enter the corn hole tournament ($10). Bring chairs and blankets. Admission and parking are free. Donations are accepted for the Park.

The Sewanee Arts and Crafts Association will host its fall craft fair from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 28, in Shoup Park on University Avenue. This annual event coincides with the University of the South’s Family Weekend providing students, their families and the public an opportunity to meet artists and purchase their work.

Exhibitor’s include: Allessandro’s Bakery, baked goods; Claire Reishman, clay; Colleen Kay, fiber; Danny Pfifer, etchings; David Rowe, agate; Denise Miller, painting; Dennis Jones, jewelry; Emily Bradford, soaps; Faith Vaughn, jewelry; Jeanie Stephenson, bronze; Laurel York, misc; Linda & Matt Barry, plants; Luise Richards, sewing; Marcus Hilden, iron/copper; Debbie Blinder, candles; Mary Cubberly, fiber; Melissa Holloway, soaps; Merissa Tobler, clay; Pate Sisters, cards, jewelry; Patricia Goubeaud, dried flowers; Pearl Campbell, candles; Ryan Ghertner, clay; Susan and Art Parry, jewelry; Susan Cordell, clay; Terrie Watch, clay; Connie Hornsby, Fiber; Bill Mauzy, wood; Randy McCurdy, flowers in glass; E. Wilder and G. Oconell, silk screen; Virgnia Galus, wood; Amber Clarkson, copper; Randa Wells, painting; Cheryl Lankhaar, painting; Kathleen Bogusky, jewelry; Emily Morgan, fiber; Nancy Oliver, skin care.

by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

Often dividing things comes with grumbling and unhappiness about who got what. But the Plateau’s new state park, Head of the Crow, formed from a 4,258 acres split off from South Cumberland State Park, is a win-win for everyone — the state park service, Plateau residents, tourists, the University, and the nonprofit Friends of South Cumberland that has embraced the Plateau’s parks as its vision.

Why the split? “South Cumberland is a large park that covers a lot of noncontiguous land which presents a lot of challenges. Operationally it can lead to longer response times and for visitors it can be hard to navigate,” said Bill Loewer who recently signed on as Head of the Crow park manager. “The park is the headwaters of Crow Creek,” Loewer explained when asked about the name. “Crow Creek is one of the primary natural resources of the park.”

The Crow Creek feeder stream system drains into Lost Cove, disappears, travels underground for over a mile, and emerges at the mouth of Buggytop Cave in the Carter State Natural Area, one of the new park’s four regions. Head of the Crow will also encompass the Natural Bridge State Natural Area with its 25-foot high sandstone arch spanning 50 feet; the 249 acre Hawkins Cove State Natural Area; and the 3,075 acre Sherwood Forest State Natural Area.

The Tennessee General Assembly has allocated $25 million for a new visitor center. “We expect to hire a designer in early 2025,” Loewer said. Although still under development, park plans call for new trails and some backcountry campsites. Currently the region has no designated camping areas. New signage and maps will follow. And meanwhile, during development, all current access points and trails will remain open. A map at the Tennessee State Park website shows the current trail systems. <

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Splitting off Head of the Crow marks the second division of South Cumberland State Park. In 2022, the park service designated the Savage Gulf Natural Area as a state park separate and distinct from South Cumberland State Park. With this second split, South Cumberland State Park will now consist of Fiery Gizzard, Grundy Lakes, and Denny Cove, but the Friends of South Cumberland will continue to be steward to all the Plateau’s state parks. “We’ll continue to support and serve the natural areas encompassed by the parks in the same way we always have,” said Friends’ Executive Director Ned Murray. “It’s the same amount of land we’ve always served, just configured differently. And the formation of the new park actually reduces the load on us by providing more staff from the state. From our perspective, there’s no point in having competing entities for volunteers, donors, and the services we provide.”

For Murray, the Plateau’s parks and the Friends’ role as their steward is the tie that binds. “The Friends have embraced being one of the few entities that binds the communities from Sewanee to Beersheba to Pelham as a priority in our strategic plan. The region’s natural resources brought indigenous peoples here. For years natural resource extraction drove the economy, but it wasn’t sustainable. Now Plateau communities and leaders are realizing the region’s natural resources are what binds us. At a time when our country is more contentious than ever, the Plateau communities are more united than ever. It’s a story of hope and optimism.”

University Vice-Chancellor Rob Pearigen shares Murray’s enthusiasm. “The Head of the Crow State Park project represents a great opportunity for the University of the South, the local Sewanee community, and this part of the Cumberland Plateau,” Pearigen said. “The state of Tennessee and the University have a legacy of partnership dating back to the 1970’s including transactions around the Lost Cove and Natural Bridge areas, so this project is a natural extension of Governor Lee’s vision. The trails, recreation areas, and natural beauty of the Head of the Crow will draw visitors to the area, some of whom will find their way to the Sewanee Village, grab a bite to eat, to shop, and maybe even come up the street to take a campus tour.”

Prior to accepting the position as park manager at Head of the Crow, Loewer served as manager at Long Hunter State Park bordering Percy Priest Lake. Loewer plans to move to the Plateau soon. Residents can meet Loewer and ask questions at the Friends annual meeting, Sept. 22, at 12:30 p.m., at St. Mary’s Conference Center. The meeting is not a fundraiser, but rather a free event open to and welcoming everyone. The pre-meeting picnic starts at 11:30 p.m. Get to know the Friends and new park manager Bill Loewer. You’ll be glad you did.

by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

Rave reviews by the New York Times and Time Magazine greeted the Sept. 2 premiere of FX’s “English Teacher,” with Time calling the series, “The year’s best new sitcom.” Brian Jordan Alvarez who wrote, directed, and stars in “English Teacher” attended Broadview Elementary, St. Andrew’s-Sewanee School, and the University, while Theater Department Chair Jim Crawford, returning to film acting after a 20-year hiatus, plays a pompous educator in episode seven — with a secret not to be revealed until the episode screens.

When the Messenger last talked with Alvarez in 2018, he had high hopes for his role as Estefan in the season’s final episode of “Will and Grace.” The audience loved him, and the writers wrote him into the script as a regular for the next two seasons.

What else has Alvarez been up to? Currently, Alvarez is in New Zealand filming for the sequel to M3GAN. “I joined the M3GAN franchise in the role of Cole. I play an engineer in these films,” Alvarez said. “I’ve also been doing a ton of animation voices and a lot of my own characters online. Making “English Teacher” has taken up a lot of my time, but it’s been some of the most fun I’ve ever had!”

In the series, Alvarez plays Evan Marquez, an English teacher at an Austin, Texas high school. “When I was conceiving of the show, I thought a public high school was an interesting environment because people from every part of life have to come together for a common goal of educating the students,” Alvarez explained. “There’s a lot of comedy that you can find in that space. I chose Austin because I love Austin, but also because it’s a liberal bubble inside a more conservative place. Similar to the way Sewanee is in Tennessee.”

Crawford submitted an audition tape for his role in the series electronically. In the 90s in New York City, Crawford frequently played small roles in soap operas. “For many years I stopped pursuing film and television because I was so busy doing theater acting, teaching, and parenting,” he conceded. And he pointed to another complication — “You used to have to go into the studio for an audition.” Technology changed that. Crawford has an agent who sends him leads on roles he might like, and he creates an audition tape in the University studio, frequently working with Elizabeth Shipps who reads lines off camera.

The audition description for “English Teacher” invited improv, and Crawford embellished on the few lines in the script. “His audition tape was wonderful, so we cast him!” said Alvarez. Crawford plays a pompous speaker at a teachers’ conference who expounds on the depressing business of being an educator. Filming took place in one long 12-hour day where Crawford got to watch the leads perform. “I realized they do a lot of improv on this show. They tape it and just throw ideas at one another,” Crawford said. “It’s a very creative environment. When we were filming my stuff, Brian started throwing lines at me, and we went on a kind of extended improvisation. Camera used to make me more nervous than theater acting, but this was great fun. A film set is like a small city of 100 to 200 people, and everyone on the set was friendly and efficient. That’s a tribute to Brian. He has so much creative energy and generosity.” The episode’s secret? “I won’t know until I see it on TV what made it in there,” Crawford confessed. “If there’s anything about my disastrous divorce, that’s all improv.” [And, author’s note, all fiction.]

“Tune in!” Alvarez said. “Jim was a pleasure to work with and has lots of funny stuff that made the cut!”

Crawford described the series as “looking at the comic lives of teachers.” But he added, “The best comedies are about something serious. “English Teacher” is about the tensions around contemporary issues.”

Crawford’s observation echoes the reviews. “English Teacher” strikes “a savvy balance between funny character beats and timely observations from the increasingly politicized realm of public education,” Judy Berman writes in Time Magazine. “‘English Teacher’ is one of the first TV shows to authentically depict [the] clash of worldviews … between earnest millennials and nihilistic zoomers.”

“English Teacher” airs on the FX Channel on Mondays at both 10 p.m. Eastern and 10 p.m. Pacific time. Jim Crawford appears in the episode screening Oct. 7. There might just be a reason to no longer dread Mondays. (Viewers who miss “English Teacher” on Monday, don’t despair. “English Teacher” also airs Tuesday on Hulu, the day after the FX screening.)

by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

Robin Bates’ new book, “Better Living through Literature: How Books Change Our Lives and (Sometimes) History,” presents a fascinating and convincing argument that humankind’s ability to use language, not just to communicate, but to craft stories retelling and reimagining reality fuels humans’ highest-species status. Anchoring his argument in his personal experience, Bates travels the world of stories from ancient times up through the present, examining both the arguments for banning literature and how literature has changed the world for the better and sometimes worse.

A teenager with liberal leaning parents in the racially charged 1960s and labeled an “n***-lover,” Bates found help making sense of the world in books such as “Huckleberry Finn” and “To Kill a Mockingbird.” “Literature guided me through the pressure points,” Bates said. Bates’ career choices found him teaching literature at St. Mary’s College in Maryland. “I wanted to convey to my students the impact literature could have as survival-kit tool,” he insisted. “I asked them to talk about their own lives as issues came up in the course of discussing the books we read.” The students gave Bates an unexpected gift — “I was constantly seeing literature in a new light.” Bates began collecting the student stories.

The collected narratives became a book set to be published in 2008, but the financial crisis killed the project. Bates’ son suggested he start a blog to share the insights and ideas gleaned from his students’ experiences in literature. The blog “Better Living through Beowulf” debuted in 2009. Bates maintains the blog serves two functions: to communicate ideas gleaned from his students’ interaction with literature and giving his students an opportunity to see their ideas verbalized from someone else’s point of view.

“Better Living through Literature” takes the “literature’s capacity to change history” concept back to book format. Bates acknowledged an intentional “tongue in cheek dimension” to the title of the book and blog, pointing to the propaganda-esqu Dupont Chemical jingle “Better Living through Chemistry.” “If you’re too serious about literature, you lose the entertainment value,” Bates said. “If you just see it as entertaining, it appears frivolous.”

Asked to give an example from the 18th century of literature’s impact on history, Bates cited “Uncle Tom’s Cabin.” “England, where ‘Uncle Tom’s Cabin’ was a huge success, did not intervene on the side of the South in the Civil War, even though their cotton trade was bound up with the South, in part because that book made slavery so toxic.”

But Bates is quick to concede, “There have been some works that changed history for the worse … ‘The Clansman’ by Dixon got made into the film ‘Birth of a Nation’ which contributed to the rise of the Klan and to Jim Crow and the rolling back of reconstruction.” Yet, by way of a footnote, Bates adds, “I don’t see that as great literature.”

Bates distinguishes between “great literature” and “emotional literature.” “I would argue, the greatest literature is never only emotion,” Bates said. “It always gets us to reflect.”

He points to Shakespeare and Tolstoy’s gift for depicting the “three dimensionality” and “full humanity” of all their characters. “In Shakespeare’s ‘Merchant of Venice,’ to begin with Shylock looks like the obnoxious Jewish stereotype, the money lender who wants his pound of flesh, and yet Shylock becomes so three dimensional, Shakespeare had to sideline him in Act IV because he was taking over the play.”

Do creators of great literature, literature that changes the world, set out to do so intentionally? “An author’s first obligation is to tell the truth, not to promote a cause or certain outcome,” Bates insisted. “It’s to call reality as they see it. D. H. Lawrence said, ‘An author should never put their finger on the scale in favor of a cause.’ Sometimes authors take really unpopular stances.”

“Better Living through Literature” delves into the historical roots of “censorship battles” which sometimes erupt subsequently. Plato’s “Republic” argued for banning poetry. “Plato thought young men reading the description of Hades in the Odyssey would become so afraid of death, they would become cowards in battle,” Bates explained.

Although “Better Living through Literature” has textbook potential for a senior high school English class or literary theory course in college, Bates stressed, “I wrote it for a general audience.” For Bates, literature opened doors showing him “glimmers” of unseen perspectives on the world. Better Living through Literature answers questions, but raises even more — questions about humankind’s capacity for creating art and where that gift has taken us and what waits just beyond the as yet unimagined. “Better Living through Literature” is available from Amazon and other booksellers soon.

by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

At the Sept. 10 meeting, Sewanee Utility District manager Ben Beavers updated the SUD Board of Commissioners on American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant projects. The board also heard a report on lake levels and drought conditions and discussed SUD’s difficulty finding an auditor.

Beavers said the time-sensitive lead and copper survey being conducted with ARPA funds was 88 percent complete, with only 202 services remaining to be reviewed. Beavers anticipates the survey will be 100 percent complete by next week, easily in compliance with the federal deadline for completion five weeks away.

A request for proposals for bids is underway for the ARPA funded sewer manhole rehabilitation project. The rehab work will reduce inflow and infiltration (I&I) of ground water into the sewer system. I&I increases costs at the wastewater treatment plant.

The database being created for the ARPA funded Asset Management Plan will include historical data on repairs and the cost allowing for more accurate cost projections on future repair work.

Reporting on lake levels, Beavers said in July Lake O’Donnell was down two feet and Lake Jackson was down three feet. Last week, Lake Jackson was down eight feet. The level in Lake O’Donnell had not significantly decreased since July Beavers explained because SUD pumps from Lake Jackson into Lake O’Donnell. “Lake Jackson is 60 feet deep,” Beavers said. “There’s 40 feet of usable water remaining.” According to Beavers, Monteagle has reinstated water conservation restrictions, but Tracy City and Big Creek water utilities had not.

SUD’s continues to struggle with finding an auditor. “Bean, Rhoton, and Kelley, and Knies accounting firms have turned us down,” said Board President Charlie Smith. “That leaves the MG Group.” Speculating on the reason, Beavers pointed out SUD’s fiscal year was the calendar year, making SUD in competition for accounting services with clientele for individual federal tax preparation. SUD prefers not to engage the same auditing firm for more than five years. Last year was year five for the MG Group. Beavers reviewed the Tennessee State Comptrollers website and learned many local water utilities use a Nashville firm. SUD hopes to find an auditor closer to home. “It needs to be someone familiar with water utilities,” Smith stressed.

Looking ahead, Beavers said the University was considering constructing 12 townhouses, three buildings each with four units. The proposed location in the area of Hawkins Lane, Lake O’Donnell Road, and Highway 41A, would require redoing the aging clay-pipe sewer lines. Another proposed project, a residential development on St. Andrew’s-Sewanee School property, was considering applying for a one-year continuance on the water-sewer feasibility assessment performed by SUD. Smith commented he had heard the project had downsized from the initial projection of 160 units to 80 units.

by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

At the Sept. 9 meeting, the Franklin County School Board heard from Charles Holcomb who was told his daughter was in danger of failing a class for incomplete work when she never received makeup assignments during a five-week hospital stay. In regular business, the board learned about an upcoming celebration at the Townsend School Cultural Center and approved a policy change impacting grading. The board also approved a calendar change on tenure decisions.

Last spring, Holcomb and his wife received an email from his daughter’s teacher stating “she could possibly be failing” due to missing homework assignments. Holcomb responded via email, “According to policy, if there is unsatisfactory homework, you’re supposed to contact me. I never received anything from you. If I had received anything from you, my child would have had 10 days to correct those things and brought the grade up.” Holcomb never received a reply from the teacher. An administrator stepped in. “This incident brought damages to my daughter,” Holcomb insisted. “There has been harassment, there has been intimidation. My child has been hurt. My child while in hospital care for five weeks did not receive any of her assignments.” Holcomb asked to meet with the teacher but was told she was on summer vacation. He declined to meet with Director of Schools Cary Holman. “Since I said there was harassment, the administrator was supposed to deliver a report to the director of schools in 48 hours ... he was to have 20 days to look at it. We’re five months into that.”

“We allow the negligence to go on to another group of kids,” Holcomb said. “There is no accountability … this could have been simply taken care of by telling the employee [teacher], answer the parent.”

Among the recently completed and underway capital projects are the new gym floor, bleachers, and concession stand at Townsend School Cultural Center where elementary school basketball games take place. Holman announced a Townsend Reveal celebration scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 1, from 5:30-7 p.m., featuring art exhibits, cheerleaders, and bands, as well as former Townsend School administrators. Townsend has a long and rich history. Constructed over 100 years ago, Townsend School educated Franklin County’s African American youth during segregation and later housed a kindergarten program, alternative school, and the board of education. Today, in addition to the gym being used for youth sports, Townsend serves as a historical archive and hosts social and cultural events.

In July, the board voted to reduce TCAP score’s weight on students’ final grades from 10 percent to 5 percent for grade levels 6-8. Following a Tennessee School Board Association directive, the board voted at the September meeting to return to the 10 percent standard for grades 6-8. For other grade levels, TCAP score’s weight will continue to follow the board’s July decision: 15 percent of the final grade for grades 9-12 and zero percent for grade 3-5.

On the advice of Human Resources Supervisor Roger Alsup, the board voted to rule on tenure decisions in November rather than June. “We don’t get our level of effectiveness scores back from the state until October,” Alsup said. “The timing is odd,” he acknowledged. “We anticipate it’s not going to be a problem, and the board will take our recommendations.” Teachers not recommended for tenure will not be rehired. “They’re going to know beforehand,” said Vice Chair Lance Williams. Tenure recommendations follow upon five years of service. “Tenure is different than it used to be,” Holman said. “Tenure can be granted based on teaching performance, but if performance changes, tenure can be taken away … except for teachers who have been grandfathered in.”

Vice-Chancellor Rob Pearigen and Chancellor Jacob W. Owensby announced the appointment of the Rev. Dr. Nancee Martin as interim University chaplain on Sept. 5. Martin will begin her service on Oct. 1.

“It’s a delight to welcome the Rev. Dr. Nancee Martin as our interim chaplain,” says Owensby. “Nancee and I first became acquainted when she was a seminarian at the School of Theology, and we have remained friends and interacted as colleagues over the years. She is a gifted priest, an insightful spiritual director, and a caring counselor.”

Martin succeeds the Rev. Peter Gray, who served as University chaplain from 2020 to 2024. “Over the last four years, Peter has reimagined our chapel life, offered creative leadership around student engagement, expanded chaplaincy support for a religiously diverse campus, and given us his very best from the pulpit at All Saints’ Chapel,” Pearigen wrote. Gray will preach for the final time as University chaplain on Sunday, Sept. 29, at the 11 a.m. service, and will speak at Growing in Grace at 6:30 p.m.

A graduate of the School of Theology (M.Div. in 2000 and D.Min. in 2008), Martin currently serves on the Alumni Council of the School of Theology and has served on the Board of Trustees and the Board of Regents. Her ministry has included serving as campus chaplain for the Episcopal Church at the University of Florida; rector of St. George Episcopal Church on St. George Island, Florida; cathedral canon at St. Mark’s Cathedral, Seattle; associate rector at St. John’s Church, Boulder, Colorado; and, most recently, interim rector at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Norman, Oklahoma.

“I am full of gratitude and delight at being appointed the interim University chaplain,” says Martin. “I look forward to beloved Sewanee being the next destination in my life’s pilgrimage and encountering God’s grace there on the Mountain.”

Martin will assume her new role alongside three recent appointees to the staff of All Saints’ Chapel: Interim Associate University Chaplain Leigh Preston, Lay Chaplain Mary Margaret Murdock, C’19, and Assistant University Organist Stephanie Yoder.

“With all these new beginnings,” wrote Pearigen, “we will use the coming months to discern not only the future leadership at All Saints’ Chapel but also how our Episcopal heritage and identity are manifest on campus and in the wider Episcopal Church.”

by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

The zoning change and zoning ordinance amendment recommended for adoption at the Sept. 6 Monteagle Planning Commission meeting were both weighed against a five-findings standard that had not been adhered to since November of 2021 when the Monteagle Council voted to delete section 1207C from the zoning ordinances. “It was not taken away legally, and it still exists,” said Commission Chair Ed Provost. “There was no public hearing before the second reading,” explained Mayor Greg Maloof. “Absent a public hearing, according to our attorney, it was not removed properly.”

The decision to delete 1207C, during Mayor Marilyn Rodman’s administration, was made following a heavily fraught decision where the council struggled with applying the five findings when rezoning a tract to accommodate the proposed Petro truck stop project. [See Messenger, May 28, 2021]. Going forward, all Monteagle zoning ordinance amendments, and so changes to the zoning map, will be weighed against those standards: “agreement with the general plan for the area;” the amendment “does not violate the legal grounds for zoning provisions;” possible “adverse effects upon adjoining or adjacent property owners unless such adverse effect can be justified by the overwhelming public good or welfare;” “that no one property owner or small group of property owners will benefit materially from the change to the detriment of the general public;” and “that conditions affecting the area have changed to a sufficient extent to warrant an amendment to the area’s general plan.”

Applying these criteria, the commission recommended the council approve rezoning a five-acre tract on the corner of Highway 41 and Ingman Road from C-2 commercial to R-3 residential to accommodate subdividing the property into eight half-acre lots for single family homes with three to four bedrooms. The commission previously rezoned the tract from R-3 to C-2 for a commercial project. The owner decided not to move forward with project and sold the tract to current owner, Jessie Goodman. Commissioner Richard Black questioned if the zoning change would be considered “spot zoning.” Town planner Jonathan Rush replied, “If you look at the surrounding neighborhood, it doesn’t change the intention of this portion of town … there are commercially zoned areas there and also high density residential zoned areas there.” Goodman said he abandoned his original plan for townhouses due to inadequate sewer capacity for a 30-unit project in that area. The tract has soil tested for septic sewage treatment. Goodman anticipates a cul-de-sac design with access on Ingman Road.

The commission also voted to recommend allowing campgrounds as a special use in both C-2 and C-3 zoning. The commission originally recommended a zoning amendment restricting campgrounds in C-2 to a special use approved by the Board of Zoning Appeals to give the town more control over development. The council asked the commission to expand the development possibilities by allowing campgrounds in C-3 as a special-use-on-approval as well. The commission’s reevaluation of campground location was prompted by a February request to locate a campground on C-3 property, which did not allow campgrounds, and the planning process being undertaken by the American Institute of Architects [See Messenger, May 10, 2024].

The decorated bikes appearing at key intersections along Hwy. 41A are part of a bike safety and creative placemaking project. They flag routes connecting cyclists across 41A, and especially to and from the Mountain Goat Trail, and work to make Sewanee’s active transportation network, and the fun of biking here, visible. Most importantly, they aim to calm traffic and improve safety in town by making cyclists, cycling, and crossings more visible to drivers on 41A.

Each bike is decorated by a different group. GRiT (Girls Riding Together), the St. Andrew’s-SewaneeSchool varsity mountain bike team, Woody’s Bicycles, the Sewanee Outing Program, the Office of Environmental Stewardship and Sustainability, and local families are all participating.

The decorated bikes are a test project, and only one small way to work towards making cycling and Sewanee’s active transportation network visible, safe, appealing and accessible. They will remain in place until January.

The project came out of Sewanee Village Advisory Group meetings, which were initiated by Economic Development and facilitated by Little Things, a placemaking consultant based in Chattanooga. Economic Development supported the purchase of reflectors and signs. Facilities Management of the University of the South provided valuable assistance by salvaging and storing discarded and damaged bikes, Jeremy Price of TDOT assisted with identifying locations, BigA Marketing designed and printed the signs, and Kailie Kelsey, C’27, provided plarn made from upcycled plastic bags. Thank you to all our participants and contributors!

Two longtime Mountain T.O.P. employees recently took the helm of Housing Hub, a local organization dedicated to building affordable homes on the South Cumberland Plateau.

Grundy County’s Julie Keel will serve as its executive director while Cody Jorstad will direct housing development.

“The Housing Hub Board is genuinely thrilled to have recruited two experienced and passionate individuals like Julie and Cody — the fact is that their combined experience and talents make the mission of Housing Hub possible,” said Board Member Lee Limbird.

In addition to building affordable homes on the Plateau, Housing Hub’s mission includes preparing future and current homeowners to buy and maintain homes and developing a sustainable local workforce in the construction trades.

Keel, who came to Mountain T.O.P 18 years ago as a logistics coordinator and most recently served as its interim executive director, had focused on housing development for the past five years and led the charge for Mountain T.O.P. and other local nonprofits to partner with Grundy County High School teacher Tim Tucker and his carpentry students to build Blessing House for a single mom and her son on donated land in Coalmont.

As Housing Hub began its shift from information clearinghouse to an agency that would actually build affordable houses in Grundy, Marion, and Franklin counties, it became clear that Keel was the one to head it up.

“I feel like my passion lies in community development,” said Keel, who holds an undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering from Mississippi State University and a doctorate of ministry in organizational leadership from Asbury Seminary in Wilmore, Ky. She’s also a certified USDA 502 loan processor.

Jorstad also has deep roots with Mountain T.O.P. — he first came with his church youth group as a 14-year-old camper.

A Georgia native, he grew up outside of Atlanta and graduated from Georgia Tech in 2017 with a degree in civil engineering.

“I started going to Mountain T.O.P. as a teenager, worked on their summer staff there, and then worked full-time on their staff from May of 2017 through the end of 2020,” he said.

As Mountain T.O.P.’s service area manager, Cody supervised construction projects done out in the community by teams of volunteers.

At the end of 2020, he became a construction manager for a large-production homebuilder, the Pulte Group, in Nashville while his wife worked on her master’s degree in theological studies at Vanderbilt.

“I wanted to build new homes,” he explained. “Working for Pulte gave me a lot of good experience in a short amount of time, but in the back of my mind I’ve always known I wanted to go back into affordable housing work — that’s something that’s extremely important.”

Jorstad will initially focus on finishing Blessing House.

“I’m going to be supervising the remainder of the construction of that project — a combination of working with volunteers and hiring out some jobs depending on what it is,” he said, noting that the house should be completed by the end of November.

Housing Hub’s office is located in Suite 230 upstairs at the Littell-Partin Center (old Grundy County High School) in Tracy City. For more information, visit its website at <www.housinghubtn.org>.