The Sewanee Arts and Crafts Association will host its Fall Craft Fair from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 3, in Shoup Park on University Avenue.

Exhibitors include: Susan Parry, glass blown art; Community of St. Mary’s, candles, rosaries; Patricia Goubeaud, pressed botanicals; Mary and Mike McElwain, jewelry; Danny Phifer, watercolor; Connie Hornsby, fiber art; Bob McGuire, wood art; Susan Cordell, Pottery; Pate Sisters, quilting, jewelry; Sherry Brock, baskets; Bow ties by Emily, sewing; Melissa Holloway, goat milk soap; Amy Grimes, fairy garden baskets; Luise Richards, sewing, crocheting; Sally Ann Harding, painting; Alessandro’s, baked goods; Joshua Maria Garcia, beading; Leo Chang, pottery; Sam Prickett, collage; Jackie and Len Colvin, lavender products; J. Denise Miller, mixed media art; Margo Cloniger, Rustic Greenhouse, plants; Jeanie Stephenson, bronze; Loraine Bennett & Randa Wells, basketry; Marcus Hilden, iron & copper; Brazier Moon, copper jewelry; Bill Mauzy, wood; Colleen Kay, fiber, crochet; Burki Gladstone, pottery.

by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

“The first time I heard about the 20 new lots was when I read in the Messenger about the Sewanee Utility District being contacted about the water and sewer,” complained a resident at the Sept. 21 Sewanee Community Council meeting in response to hearing a summary of plans for 20 new leaseholds and homes on Lake O’Donnell and Hat Rock roads. A number of residents took issue with the initiative. Lack of communication, small lot size, and high density topped the list of complaints.

Providing an update on the proposed development, Vice President for Economic Development and Community Relations David Shipps highlighted the importance of affordability. The average resale cost of Sewanee homes increased from $300,000 to $638,000 in the past 10 years. Forty percent of faculty live distant from campus. The Urban Land Institute advised the University to focus on affordable residential housing. To that end, Sewanee Village Ventures was formed in 2022. The first few SVV homes sold for around $300,000, just barely above cost. The new leaseholds will only be available to employees and can only be resold to employees. The lease office will hold a lottery for five of the leaseholds and Sewanee Village Ventures intends to build homes on another five. Superintendent of Leases Sallie Green said initially nine employees signed up for the lottery, but the number had dropped down to six. Building a home is “a complicated process,” Green observed and more than some people are willing to take on.

Residents acknowledged the need for housing. The complaints arose from the platted lots “not matching the character of the neighborhood” and locating “a dense housing development on a small side street in the middle of a residential area.” Plans call for 20 residences on a three-mile stretch of road where there are currently only six homes and for small lots one-third to one-half the size of the current one-acre standard.

The project will require sewer upgrades. A resident asked why the development was not located in the Wiggins Creek area, which already had infrastructure. Council member and SUD manager Ben Beavers explained Wiggins Creek had water service available, but there were sewer capacity issues. “Wiggins doesn’t have roads,” added Chief Financial Officer Isabelle Love. “The cost of developing Wiggins is three times more expensive.” Another resident suggested the property earmarked for the Arcadia senior living facility as a better location. “There is no sewer and no roads,” Love said.

“I hear what you’re saying, your pain, frustration, and anger,” Love insisted. “Up to now we’ve looked for infill locations where there was already infrastructure. We’ve exhausted all those places.” Residents approved of the spacious lot size and low housing density of the infill homes and pointed to the contrast between those leaseholds and the ones proposed for Lake O’Donnell and Hat Rock roads.

“Communications could have been handled better,” Shipps conceded.

Citing the Sewanee housing crisis as a cause, council member Katie Gohn pointed to the declining enrollment at Sewanee Elementary School and St. Andrew’s-Sewanee School’s challenge to attract middle school students.

“People who only live here two weeks out of the year are taking up houses,” said Council member Marilyn Phelps. “And they contribute nothing to the community.”

“Affordable housing was the biggest surprise for me coming back after 13 years, and the biggest challenge,” Vice-Chancellor Rob Pearigen stressed, “getting our faculty back on campus. The character of our educational experience changes when they’re living distantly. This is about building community. These are complicated matters. I am deeply grateful for everyone’s honesty.”

Taking up a proposal by Chris Barton for a “Sewanee Beautification” initiative, the discussion revolved around the need to build trust and people getting to know their neighbors. Council member Ed Hawkins argued there should be “a standard in the village for what things should look like.” Council member Evelyn Patton cautioned, “This is bigger than pointing to someone’s yard. You need to know your neighbors and what their needs are and abilities.” An unmowed yard could signal someone unable to afford repairing a broken mower or someone sick or elderly and unable to do yard work. Patton suggested the Community Action Committee could encourage food pantry visitors to list what they needed help with. Council member Phil White observed there needed to be better communication about what was available, citing a Tullahoma vendor who would pay cash for and pick up junked cars. Patton, Phelps, and Green will collaborate on moving-forward solutions.

Gohn brought to the council’s attention the danger of pulling out onto University Avenue from Georgia Avenue and North Carolina Avenue due to poor visibility from parked cars. University is striped for no parking, but the rule was not enforced. Gohn suggested new striping and signage allowing parking after 5 p.m. Phelps said the first two parking spots should be designated ‘no parking’ to prevent visibility issues. Police Chief Jeremy Thomas said the department was frequently asked to not ticket visitors to Fulford Hall who were there to attend campus tours; consequently, the police were uncertain about when to enforce the ‘no parking’ rule. Parking is also allowed for special events. The ambiguity surrounding parking on University Avenue was “a problem,” Pearigen agreed.

Phelps raised concerns about vandalism incidents reported on Sewanee Classifieds when very little information was provided. Chief Thomas said very little information could be released when a case was under investigation, but he would provide more information when possible. “That will help people feel more comfortable,” Phelps said. In response to a question about security cameras on campus, Love said there were 199 cameras.

School of Theology representative John Gilmer called attention to the danger to motorists and cyclists at night when the bikes had no lights or reflectors. Tennessee law requires after-dark cyclists to have reflectors. Thomas said most of the complaints regarding bikes were about cars parking in bike lanes. Going forward, police will be more attentive to the nighttime cyclist issue.

Revisiting the fire hydrant flow testing and flushing discussion from last September, Love said plans called for flow testing and flushing of approximately 220 hydrants by an independent contractor. Beavers, speaking as the SUD manager, said the dry conditions would necessitate delaying the flushing and flow testing to avoid water loss, since the hydrants relied on the same water source as the community’s drinking water, two supply lakes. Beavers reassured residents the flow testing and flushing would be done before the end of the year so the fire department would have the data needed.

The University Choir of Sewanee is pleased to announce an outstanding year of services and concerts, featuring all your favorites alongside exceptional guest performances: four choral evensongs at All Saints’ Chapel plus one on the road in Nashville, the annual Festival Service of Lessons and Carols, a terrific choir from Doane University in Nebraska, and a solo recital by Olivier Latry, the internationally celebrated organist of Paris’ Notre-Dame Cathedral.

The Advent semester holds two choral evensongs: Sunday, Sept. 27, and Sunday, Nov. 1. Both are at 4 p.m., in All Saints’ Chapel. The choir will conclude the Advent semester with the nationally-recognized Festival Service of Lessons and Carols. The first service, Saturday, Dec. 5, at 4 p.m., features reserved seating. Tickets will be made available to students and employees of the University during the first week of November. The other two services, Saturday, Dec. 5, at 7 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 6, at 4 p.m., feature walk-up seating. Doors will open an hour in advance of each service, and overflow seating will be provided as needed. Doors close 15 minutes before each service. Please note that large bags or backpacks will not be allowed in All Saints’ Chapel. This poignant musical Advent service attracts attendees from around the country. Plan to arrive early enough to enjoy hot cocoa on the quad and allow ample time for seating.

The Easter semester will begin with the Doane University Choir in concert on Tuesday, Jan. 19, at 7 p.m. The first evensong of the semester will be Thursday, Feb. 18, at 6 p.m., followed closely by a joint evensong with the choirs of St. George’s Episcopal Church on Sunday, Feb. 21, at 5 pm. Held at St. George’s Church, 4715 Harding Pike in Nashville, this is a unique opportunity to hear the University Choir on the road. Lent and Holy Week worship services also provide exceptional opportunities to hear the choir: Ash Wednesday, Feb. 10; Palm Sunday, March 21; Maundy Thursday, March 25; Easter Vigil, March 27; and Easter Sunday, March 28. The choir will conclude the year with a choral evensong on Tuesday, April 27, at 5:15 p.m.

On Friday, Feb. 26, at 7:30 p.m., the University Choir and All Saints’ Chapel proudly present a solo recital by the acclaimed French organist Olivier Latry performing on the mighty Casavant organ. Established as a leading worldwide ambassador for his instrument, Latry has performed in the world’s most prestigious venues, been the guest of top orchestras throughout the world, recorded for major labels and premiered an impressive number of works. Named titular organist at Notre-Dame in Paris at the age of 23 and organist emeritus at the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal since 2012, Latry is an accomplished, thoughtful and adventurous musician, exploring all possible fields of the organ music, with an exceptional talent as an improviser. Tickets for Mr. Latry’s concert are available at <olivierlatryatsewanee.eventbrite.com>, with all proceeds benefiting the University Choir.

Apart from the choral evensong in Nashville, all services and concerts will take place at All Saints’ Chapel on Sewanee’s campus. All Saints’ Chapel has a ground level entry on the east side of the chapel to welcome and provide access for guests with a wide range of mobility needs. All events are free and open to the public except for the Olivier Latry organ recital. Please note that staff, faculty, and students of Sewanee receive one free ticket with Sewanee ID. Sewanee ID tickets should be picked up at the All Saints’ Chapel office, not purchased through Eventbrite. Students from other schools also receive free entrance on the day of the concert with their school ID.

The University Choir comprises more than 60 dedicated undergraduates from diverse backgrounds, majors, and interests, under the direction of Dr. Geoffrey Harris Ward, University Organist and Choirmaster, and accompanied by Stephanie Yoder, Assistant Organist. In addition to high-profile university ceremonies and services, the choir sings regularly at the 11 a.m. Sunday worship service in All Saints’ Chapel. To follow the University Choir’s performances and activities, please visit our website at <sewanee.edu/universitychoir> or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube @SewaneeChoir.

Beginning on June 1, a group of 15 volunteers made up of predominantly Sewanee students and recent graduates began distributing summer meals to children around the South Cumberland Plateau. The program has been in operation since 2016 with the goal of increasing nutrition access and food security for children ages 2 to 18 during the summer break. It is supported by a grant from the Department of Agriculture and the SCP AmeriCorps program.

The University’s Dining Services work with the AmeriCorps volunteers to manage and distribute pre-packaged shelf-stable meals at nine locations ranging from Beersheba Springs to Sherwood.

This summer the program, directed by Interim Director of the Office of Civic Engagement Mandy Bouldin was able to distribute 99,164 meals to an average of 1,101 children weekly. Conservative estimates put the total number of children served over the summer at 1,681. The program has grown annually and increased from 92,000 meals in 2025. Meal service ended the week of July 31 just before local schools returned to classes.

The program is very grateful to their community partners for hosting the meal distribution locations: Altamont Public Library, Beersheba Springs Medical Clinic, Coalmont Elementary (UT Extension), Crow Creek Community Center, Grundy Safe Communities Coalition, Morton Memorial United Methodist Church, Palmer Public Library, Pelham United Methodist Church, and Trinity Episcopal Church.

by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

At the Sept. 15 meeting the Sewanee Utility District Board of Commissioners approved the contract negotiated by the University with Southeast Management Services to conduct hydrant maintenance, flushing, and flow testing. The board also approved purchase of a new service to replace the 2015 F250 truck with over 250,000 miles. Looking ahead, SUD manager Ben Beavers alerted the board he anticipated hiring two new employees, one for the field crew and one for the office staff.

At the August meeting, the board insisted on reviewing the hydrant contract and on being added as an additional insured, citing liability concerns since SUD owns the hydrants. Beavers noted there were 170 hydrants. The $20,000 contract for servicing up to 220 hydrants calls for clearing away weeds, flushing, flow testing, and general maintenance, and color-code painting the caps to correspond with the flow rate. The flushing and flow testing will be according to the ISO insurance rating standards used to score the fire department to determine residents’ insurance premiums. SUD is only required to flush the hydrants at the ends of lines, 60 according to Beavers, and is not required to flow test or color-code the caps. Flushing, testing, and color-coding all 170 hydrants would require an extra half an employee per year. As typical for joint projects, the University will cover 80 percent of the cost and SUD will pay 20 percent of the cost, $4,000, plus bear the cost of the water used in flushing and testing.

But the board agreed it was a worthwhile undertaking. “They’re getting the information they need, and we’re getting the service,” said Board President Charlie Smith.

Purchasing a new service truck was listed as a $55,000 expense in SUD’s 2026 Capital Improvement budget. SUD will utilize a Tennessee State Vehicle Contract to purchase the 2027 Ford F350 4wd crew cab, reducing the $59,000 list price to $51,409.13. Beavers anticipates delivery in October or November.

The current service truck “still runs fairly well,” Beavers said, but the truck struggled on steep inclines when pulling the mini-excavator SUD uses for field work. Beavers intends to keep the F250, enabling SUD to have two field crews for distribution and collection service work, in keeping with his plans to hire an additional full-time field crew employee.

The field crew position takes a year of on-the-job training, Beavers said, and at least a year before the trainee can take the Distribution and Collection Test. “I encourage that,” Beavers stressed. “We need professional people working here. I’m going to pay to train them and pay for them to take the test.”

The additional office staff employee will help address the 2025 audit finding of inadequate separation of duties to provide financial oversight. “Most utilities our size have three office staff employees,” Beavers said. SUD currently has two. The auditor recommended an office staff of six. “We would need 5,000 customers to justify that,” Smith observed. SUD only has 1,574 customers.

Prior to the meeting, the board received a full copy of the 2025 audit. Board member Clay Yeatman noted an error, listing Wilson County as the administrator of American Rescue Plan Act grant funding SUD received; Franklin County is the administrator. In addition, the board wanted an explanation of several entries and deferred approving the audit until an October in-person meeting with the auditor, John Poole.

Beavers also hopes to have a draft budget ready for the board’s review by the October meeting. The big-ticket item for 2027 will be painting the main water tank, estimated cost $450,000. Beavers suggested hiring an engineer to get accurate specifications for the project, estimated cost $15,000, to facilitate seeking bids and applying for grant funding assistance.

The SUD board meets next Oct. 27, different from the regular meeting date on the third Tuesday.

by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

“If the repairs are going to have to be done, why not have someone help us?” argued Cowan Elementary School teacher April Green at the Sept. 14 Franklin County School Board meeting, urging the board to approve Cowan Elementary applying for a $200,000 grant from TVA to rehab the 40-year-old HVAC system. Trash cans do double duty as buckets to catch the HVAC system’s leaks, Green said. The TVA grant offering up to $200,000 would reimburse the school for building repairs improving energy efficiency. Green wanted a commitment from the board that the district had the money to do the repairs and wait for reimbursement. The school would know if they received the grant before being expected to begin any repairs. Asked if $200,000 would be enough to address the problems with the Cowan Elementary HVAC, Maintenance Director Steven Clark said, “It would take care of a lot of it.”

“I would like to support this,” said Board Chair CleiJo Walker who suggested deferring a final decision until the next meeting to allow Director of Finances Jenny Phillips to research the financial feasibility. Phillips explained the issue hinged on whether the district could purchase infrastructure and later be reimbursed. Rock Creek Elementary will purchase playground equipment with a TVA learning enhancement grant which rewards schools for encouraging students to engage in practices that conserve energy, such as turning off lights. The difference, Phillips maintained, is playground equipment is not considered to be infrastructure. After learning the application deadline was Friday, the board agreed to approve Green moving forward with the application for the building repairs grant. Cowan will also apply for a TVA learning enhancement grant, with $10,000-$25,000 in funding available.

At the meeting’s outset, Nathan Wanuch addressed the board arguing for decreased use of electronic devices as an instructional tool in grades K-5. Wanuch, whose graduate research focused on use of technology in K-12 instruction, is a parent of Franklin County students. “Elementary students should primarily learn from teachers using non-electronic materials,” Wanuch insisted. “When a non-electronic alternative exists, a device should have a benefit for choosing the device. The usefulness of digital assessments should not justify delivering daily instruction through that same device.” Wanuch also argued for enhanced transparency about the devices used in the classroom, pointing out he had to request a meeting with his children’s teachers to learn what devices were being used. Walker asked Wanuch to provide the board with a copy of his remarks.

In regular business, the board elected officers. Walker will continue to serve as chair. Sara Liechty will serve as vice chair, the position formerly held by Lance Williams who did not seek reelection to the board.

Taking up policy amendments, the board approved two changes positively impacting support staff compensation. Designated beneficiaries of deceased support staff will receive the same compensation as beneficiaries of deceased certified staff, 50 percent of the employee’s accrued, unused leave. Another policy change made support staff employed for 12 months eligible for Family and Medical Leave even if the employee did not meet the 1,250-hour eligibility requirement of the federal Family Medical Leave Act.

Other policy changes allowed the board to meet electronically up to three times per year when confronted with inclement weather and required the agenda for board meetings to be posted 48 hours before the meeting, meaning on the preceding Friday for Monday meetings.

In her legislative update, board member Sarah Marhevsky alerted the board to the likelihood the General Assembly would revisit an “open enrollment” bill allowing students to attend any public school of their choice, meaning districts would be required to accept out of zone students. Several questions remain unaddressed. Who will pay for the students’ education, the district where they reside or the district where they attend school? And, will the bill mean students can attend any school, or only a school with classroom space available?

Recent dry weather has allowed work on the University apartment project to remain on schedule. Site work continues to progress, as can be seen by more pronounced grading and two building footprints that are now clearly established. Foundation work is underway, including construction of the building pads and installation of concrete footings.

The next phase of work will focus on completing the foundations. Materials for utilities and underground infrastructure are being stored on site, as shown in the latest aerial photos. Vertical construction is scheduled to begin in the coming weeks, and the buildings will begin to take shape.

The entrance to the apartment community, located on Highway 41A, continues to serve as the only access point for construction vehicles. Fencing surrounds the site both for safety and erosion control.

More details about the employee apartment project can be found online at the University’s website <https://new.sewanee.edu/offices/university-offices/economic-development/sewanee-village-ventures/apartments-project/>. Be sure to check regularly as photos will be posted to chronicle construction progress for this important initiative.

The University's 2026 Advent Semester Convocation will take place at 4:30 p.m. CDT on Friday, Sept. 18, in All Saints’ Chapel. During the service, new members of the Order of the Gown will be inducted, and student recipients of awards and prizes will be announced. Renia Dotson, C’88, chair of the University Board of Regents, will deliver the Convocation address.

A member of the Board of Regents since 2018, Dotson was named vice chair in 2023 before being elected chair in 2024. As chair, Dotson served during a pivotal time for the University as her term coincided with significant leadership changes and the University’s formal adoption of a new strategic plan. Dotson’s term as chair will conclude in October.

Beyond Sewanee, Dotson currently serves as Mississippi’s State Epidemiologist, the first Black woman to hold this position. Previously, she served as the director of the Center for Public Health Transformation at the Mississippi State Department of Health and practiced general, and colon and rectal surgery for over 20 years in the Delta Health System. Her leadership in Mississippi healthcare includes roles on various boards and committees, including the Mississippi Board of Medical Licensure, the Mississippi Board of Nursing, and the Office of Mississippi Physician Workforce Advisory Board. She completed the Physician Leadership Academy at Mississippi State Medical Association and earned a Doctor of Distinction award. She is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and a member of the American Medical Association.

Originally from Monroeville, Ala., Dotson graduated from the College in 1988 with a degree in biology. She received a medical degree from the University of South Alabama College of Medicine, and completed an M.P.H. in healthcare organization and policy and an M.B.A. at the University of Alabama, Birmingham. She completed a residency in general surgery at Boston University and a fellowship in colon and rectal surgery at the Colon and Rectal Clinic/University of Texas in Houston.

Upon her election as chair of the Board of Regents in 2024, Dotson said, “Sewanee is a place of great riches; its currency is relationships, which keep us deeply rooted in this place. As we move forward, Sewanee remains uniquely positioned to cultivate the minds and hearts of future leaders through its outstanding faculty and Episcopal heritage. I am very proud to be a part of that future.”

Dr. Gerald Smith will address the Heritage Center at 2 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 19. The Heritage Center is located at 465 Railroad Ave., Tracy City. The public is invited. Admission is free.

Dr. Smith is a graduate of the University of Richmond, where he was awarded a BA in English. He graduated from Duke University with BD and PhD degrees. He is the retired Robert M. Ayres, Jr. Distinguished Professor at the University of the South. He served on the University of the South’s Religion Department faculty from 1969 to 2016. He taught religion and environmental studies along with field classes in rural religion for 46 years. He also served as University Marshal from 1989 to 2016, and as secretary of the University Board of Trustees from 1980 to 2016. Beginning in 1977, he served as chief of emergency services for the Sewanee Volunteer Fire Department.

He is a published poet and his literary essays have appeared in the Sewanee Review. His book of “Selected Poems” is currently in press and will be available later this year.

A native of Virginia, Dr. Smith’s first archaeological experience was working on the restoration of George Washington’s boyhood farm, and on the cemetery of the 18th century Fredericksburg Masonic Lodge. A past president of the Franklin County Historical Society, he continued his field research on cemeteries throughout middle Tennessee. He was appointed lecturer on Tennessee cemeteries by the Smithsonian Institution.

At the Advent Convocation in September 2025, Dr. Smith was awarded the Sewanee Medal in recognition of his service to the University.

For several years, Dr. Smith contributed as a co-editor to the former Vice Chancellor Sam Williamson through the Sewanee Sesquicentennial History Project. The project includes 11 books. His address will center on the founding of the University of the South.

The Sewanee Review is pleased to announce that Caki Wilkinson is the recipient of the 2026 Aiken Taylor Award for Modern American Poetry.

University Vice Chancellor Dr. Robert Pearigen and Sewanee Review editor Adam Ross will present Wilkinson with the award this October at the University of the South in Sewanee. As part of this year’s celebration, the writers Alice Bolin and Daniel Hornsby will lecture on Wilkinson’s poetry.

Caki Wilkinson is the author of the poetry collections “Circles Where the Head Should Be,” “The Wynona Stone Poems,” and “The Survival Expo.” A graduate of Rhodes College, she earned an MFA at Johns Hopkins University and a PhD at the University of Cincinnati. Recent poems have appeared in The New Yorker, The Nation, and Kenyon Review. She lives in Memphis, Tennessee.

Alice Bolin is the author of the essay collections “Dead Girls: Essays on Surviving an American Obsession” and “Culture Creep: Notes on the Pop Apocalypse.” Daniel Hornsby is the author of the novels “Sucker” and “Via Negativa.” Both Bolin and Hornsby also teach in the Sewanee School of Letters.

We hope you will join us this Oct. 20 and 21 to celebrate Wilkinson and her exceptional body of work.

The Fall Heritage Festival in Cowan will fill the streets on Sept. 18-20, collaborating this year with Cowan Center for the Arts, which received a grant from the State of Tennessee to celebrate the Tennessee America 250 Celebration.

The Fall Heritage Festival is a free three-day event featuring three days of music on three stages, two nights of fireworks display, a kids’ zone, the popular Antique Engines & Tractors exhibit, a quilt display at the Center for the Arts, the Cowan Railroad Museum, 175 vendor booths of crafts and food exhibits, and a parade on Saturday with the theme “Red, White, and YOU!” This year opening ceremonies take place from the main stage on Friday at 4 p.m., followed by festival kickoff with the Stones River Reelers for the Cumberland Community Dance square dancing.

Saturday night entertainment will feature headliner Confederate Railroad on the Main Stage. Confederate Railroad first rolled onto the national country music scene in the early ‘90s with its unique style and sound and would go on to chart 18 total hits such as “Queen of Memphis” and “Daddy Never Was the Cadillac Kind.” Also playing on the main stage sponsored by Denby’s J&J Construction, Moore-Cortner Funeral Home, and Watson Funeral Home & Memorial Park, Allie Colleen, Cody McCarver, and Legacy.

The Cowan Center for the Arts Tennessee America 250 grant is bringing a wide array of local Tennessee traditional, bluegrass, and Americana music to the Fall Heritage Festival Tennessee Avenue Stage: Ben Ayers with the Yellow Dandies, Todd Elgin and the Ukedelics, songsters and songstresses Sarah Mallory, Ida York, and Morgan Clonce, the Freedonia Bluegrass Band, the Faith String band, the Hand Family Band, Chuck Holcomb and Friends, and Final Crossing.

On Saturday the Cowan Center for the Arts theater will feature a patriotic showcase by Let’s Make a Note and a presentation of traditional music by Rainey Gray, Glen Kosiorek, and other local musicians.

The Front Street Stage will feature the acts Orange Charlie, James County, Hank Cawthorne, Conner Brooke, Easy Street Sunday, Secret Commonwealth, and Patton James and the Syncromatics.

A complete schedule of performance times and daily events will be available at <www.fallheritagefestival.org> or <www.facebook.com/FallHeritageFestivalCowanTn>.

by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

At the Sept. 1 meeting, the Monteagle Planning Commission revisited data centers in response to the Monteagle Council’s action the previous evening, banning data centers outright instead of adopting an ordinance amendment limiting them to Industrial zoning as a special exception. The Commission also took up another issue on the table as a consequence of a Council discussion the night before: municipal land acquisition for the rehabilitation and enlargement of the pump station behind Waffle House.

The rationale for the proposed ordinance amendment limiting data centers to Industrial zones was that Monteagle has no property zoned industrial. Commenting on the Council’s reason for not adopting the ordinance, Commissioner and Alderman Dan Sargent said, “It was the wrong way to go about it. We felt like we wouldn’t have good footing in a court of law if we were challenged. We would be declaring we were not allowing something in an area that doesn’t exist.”

Town planner Jonathan Rush concurred. “Anything you have as an industrial use, you have to have an industrial zoned area for,” Rush said. “You can’t use zoning to outright ban anything.” Rush pointed out Monteagle had assigned Adult Entertainment to Industrial zoning for the same reason.

“A data center sits in a different category from Adult Entertainment,” said Alderman Grant Fletcher. “We have further justification for not allowing data centers. The difference with a data center is infrastructure limitations. That’s the avenue we’re going to go down with legal to make sure Tennessee code can allow it [an outright ban].”

“It’s zoning without mentioning zoning,” Rush cautioned. He cited the alternative of a moratorium on data centers. “I see a lot of moratoriums in Tennessee based on ‘We’re working toward regulations.’”

At the August meeting, the commission asked Rush to draft a more concise definition of a data center to be used in the proposed amendment. Since the amendment did not pass, the commission did not review and took no action on the definition Rush prepared.

Taking up the municipal land acquisition issue, Commissioner and Alderman Nate Wilson explained part of the current pump station was not on the town’s property, due to a boundary line mistake. Also, the rehab and enlargement of the pumping station required more land and easements, with the total land acquisition less than an acre.

At the Council meeting, Mayor Greg Maloof proposed condemnation of the land needed.

“Condemnation is not a great look,” Wilson acknowledged, “but that would allow us to bypass planning and zoning and for the property transfer to take place more quickly. In other places in Tennessee, acquisitions for municipal services are not subject to planning and zoning.”

“State law says the division of property five acres or less for transfer has to go through the subdivision process,” Rush said elaborating on Wilson’s point. But Rush added, “In many cases, local governments can choose not to be put under enforcement of those regulations.”

Wilson proposed Monteagle exempt land acquisitions for municipal services from the subdivision process, which would require a site plan and hiring an engineer. “[The exemption] would save government money,” Wilson observed. He maintained the subdivision process was not “relevant to municipal services acquisitions.”

Fletcher suggested a one-time exemption.

“Can you imagine a scenario where land acquisition for water and sewer needed to go through the subdivision process?” Wilson asked in reply.

Commissioner Dan Brown spoke in favor of amending the ordinance to allow the exemption. The commission voted unanimously for approval. For the ordinance amendment to be adopted, the amendment must go before the Council for a vote, as well.

by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

“We have the option to not allow data centers. If it goes to court, I think we have a case just from the standpoint of we don’t have the infrastructure to support a data center,” insisted Alderman Grant Fletcher at the Aug. 31 Monteagle Council meeting, arguing for banning data centers outright instead of passing on second reading the ordinance approved in July, limiting the location of data centers. Fletcher prevailed. The Council also grappled with the State Revolving Fund (SRF) refusing to loan the city money for critical sewer needs if Monteagle did not raise water and sewer rates.

The data center ordinance approved on first reading in July only allowed data centers as a special exception on property zoned Industrial, the rationale being Monteagle has no property zoned Industrial. Challenging the ordinance before the second reading vote, Fletcher said, “The way we’re going about this, I disagree with. We have the authority to say we don’t want a data center.” Fletcher pointed out numerous other communities in the state had banned data centers.

“It is illegal to declare something to not be a permitted use,” countered Alderman Nate Wilson. “If you need time to study it, you can do a temporary moratorium, but it has to have a term. That’s how Grundy County is doing it. A lot of the bans happening statewide will not hold up in court. People are doing it to make a statement.”

Only Wilson voted yes for approving on second reading the ordinance amendment allowing data centers as a special exception in Industrial zoning. Fletcher’s subsequent resolution passed unanimously: “We do not allow data centers as a permitted use within our zoning ordinances.” Mayor Greg Maloof will research the resolution’s validity and path forward with the city attorney and Tennessee’s Municipal Technical Advisory Service.

In refusing to loan Monteagle money if they did not raise water and sewer rates, SRF maintained the town would be unable to repay the loan and unable to fund the depreciation for the two infrastructure projects, i.e., set aside money for replacing the infrastructure in the future. Monteagle applied for funding to replace the pump station behind the Waffle House, a critical need for sewer service to continue on the west side of town, and for more Inflow and Infiltration remediation preventing groundwater from seeping into sewer lines, reducing the lines’ capacity and increasing the cost for sewage treatment. Monteagle applied for a $5 million SRF loan for the two projects. SRF responded that approval was conditional upon Monteagle increasing water and sewer rates 23 percent. The 1973-era pump station redo will necessitate a 13 percent rate increase, and the I&I remediation will necessitate a 17 percent rate increase by SRF’s calculations. The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation gave Monteagle 120 days to respond to SRF.

Maloof cited SRF’s low interest rate, only 1.8 percent, compared to other lenders as the impetus for pursuing an SRF loan. “Monteagle is playing catchup and the town was growing,” Maloof acknowledged. “We had our first rate increase in recent memory when I became mayor.” Since 2022, rates have increased 52 percent spread out over several years.

“There is a limit to what people can afford,” said Alderman Dean Lay. He strongly opposed a rate increase for water customers who did not benefit from the sewer system. If public sewer is available, customers are billed for sewer even if they do not connect to the system. Aldermen Fletcher and Dan Sargent spoke in favor of spreading the increase over several years. Fletcher also cited the possibility of a rate increase that did not impact all customers, finding other ways to pay for the projects, or only doing one, with the pump station most critical in his opinion.

Wilson suggested charging an impact fee for a new tap, with the fee based on the size of residential units served by the tap, i.e., a lower fee for a single-family home than for a 230-unit motel. He also pointed out Monteagle’s rate structure benefited customers with high use. He proposed considering a “water conservation” rate and adjusting the sewer rate.

“We’re going to have to do something,” Maloof stressed. “We’re looking at different avenues and approaches.”

On the good news front, sisters Pat Fisher and Peggy Helton coordinated a Senior Center project asking restaurants and businesses to make donations to be given as gifts to the first responders who protect Monteagle. The project yielded $5,000 worth of gift cards and gift certificates. The seniors are creating thank you cards to be given to the town’s first responders along with the gift certificates and gift cards in commemoration of the first responders who served and who lost their lives on Sept. 11, 2001.

Updating the town on the Imagine Monteagle sculpture project, Fletcher said the town received a grant from the Lyndhurst Foundation covering 100 percent of the cost of the sculpture. The patio and foundation were privately funded through the Mountain Goat Trail Alliance. The only cost to the town was $1,500 for design drawings.

Looking to Imagine Monteagle’s interest in helping promote tourism, Fletcher proposed hiring someone to manage a social media presence on Facebook and Instagram and to create flyers for events, costing $2,500 annually from the Imagine Monteagle budget. The council approved the request, with Wilson abstaining. He recommended tabling the idea until Monteagle decided whether or not to take over coordinating the Monteagle Mountain Market event. The Chamber of Commerce will not coordinate the event in the future.

Building Inspector Travis Lawyer advised the community he and Codes Enforcement Officer A.J. Wade were removing the vinyl yard and garage sales signs posted throughout the community. “They are illegal,” Lawyer explained.

During the Mayor’s Communications segment of the meeting, Maloof announced the Petro truck stop property sold recently. He anticipates the new owners will meet with the planning commission regarding moving forward.

Sewanee students, faculty, and other community members are invited to the Quad on the morning of Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, to plant American flags to honor the nearly 3,000 lives lost 25 years ago.

The memorial, jointly sponsored by the University Chaplaincy, the Sewanee Fire Department and the Monteagle-Sewanee Rotary Club, will begin at 8 a.m., with the planting of 3,000 flags in memory of the lives lost in New York City, at the Pentagon, and aboard United Airlines Flight 93 as its passengers forced the plane down in Pennsylvania preventing hijackers from diverting it to attack Washington, D.C.

A brief service will begin at 9 a.m., on the Quad, led by the Reverend Chris Epperson, University Chaplain.

The 2001 tragedy, felt across America and around the world, remains fresh for many on the Mountain, where residents include people who were in the U.S. Capitol, lived within a few miles of the Flight 93 crash, lost friends in the towers, or reported on the attack and its aftermath in Washington, D.C. and abroad.

“We commemorate this event to remember,” Epperson said. “It’s a horrific loss of so many lives, and also a loss of innocence for our country and the world, one that reverberates to this day.”

Sewanee Fire Chief Terry Smith said student and community members of his department will honor the first responders who died or suffered exposure that led to debilitating and fatal illnesses as they rushed to save others, as well as the military service men and women who fought in the ensuing Afghan War and the families who still grieve.

Later in the day, Sewanee firefighters will participate in a private 9/11 workout that has become a quiet tradition here and in fire departments around the country. The workout traditionally involves donning full turnout gear and air packs to simulate climbing the equivalent of the 110-floor Twin Towers and carrying injured civilians and colleagues, all while listening to recordings of 9/11 emergency radio transmissions from New York fire and police and other first responders.

“We will honor those people with a field of flags that will represent the thousands of people who died that day. Everybody was affected, through themselves, their families, people they know,” Smith said. “There’s not enough field to hold the flags of all the lives touched by 9/11.”

The 12th annual Monteagle-Sewanee Rotary Club Hunger Walk takes place Sept. 26, 9 a.m., starting at Angel Park in Sewanee. The Rotary Hunger Walk raises funds to combat food insecurity in Tennessee’s South Cumberland Plateau region by supporting its local food organizations, Morton Memorial Food Pantry, Grundy County Food Bank, and the Community Action Committee. All report need is increasing.

Food insecurity across Marion, Grundy, and Franklin counties consistently exceeds national averages, with Grundy experiencing the highest rates, reaching an overall food insecurity rate of 19.8 percent.

Grundy County, overall insecurity, 19.8 percent, child insecurity, 20.9 percent.

Marion County, overall insecurity, 17.3 percent, child insecurity, 17.6 percent.

Franklin County, overall insecurity, 15.2 percent, child insecurity, 18.3 percent.

Child Hunger Vulnerability – In Grundy County, child insecurity is especially severe, with 93 percent of food insecure children living in households that fall below 185 percent of the Federal Poverty level, making them eligible for federal nutrition programs.

The “Eligibility Gap” — Across the region, a substantial number of food-insecure individuals have incomes slightly too high to qualify for SNAP benefits, forcing heavy reliance on community meal programs and food pantries.

Rising Grocery Prices, Rising Hunger — As the cost of food skyrockets, many families are struggling to afford food and other necessities, and food banks are having to fill the gap. Without federal assistance the hunger crisis in the US will worsen.

“Do I keep the lights on or do I pay the rent on time this month?”

“Do I buy gas to get to work or risk running out of fuel to buy enough food to feed my family this week?”

These are the types of tough choices that many on the South Cumberland Plateau are forced to make each day.

You can help. Give online at <https://givebutter.com/hungerwalk2026> or mail your contribution to Monteagle-Sewanee Rotary Foundation, PO Box 336, Monteagle, TN 37356.

Levels of sponsorship – signage and print recognition for sponsors and partners: Gold Title Sponsor, $2,500; Silver Title Sponsor, $2,000; Bronze Title Sponsor, $1,000; Senior Partner, $500; Partner, $300.

Donations of any size change lives! No gift is too small or too large.