by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

At the Oct. 28 Sewanee Community Council meeting, Traffic Committee Chair Michael Payne reported on plans for more speed humps on campus and a Project Funding grant request to help offset the cost. Election Officer Ben Tarhan updated the council on additional candidates qualifying for the upcoming council representative election.

“The new speed humps the University put in have been beneficial,” Payne said, “and have served the intended purpose to slow vehicles down to a safer speed. The University has $6,000 in available funds to put towards additional traffic calming speed humps.” Payne proposed the council contribute $6,000 in matching funds and has applied for a Project Funding Grant for that purpose. Twelve-thousand dollars would pay for at least four complete sets, with speed humps on both sides of the road. Payne suggested the speed humps be installed on streets with high traffic flow and no sidewalks.

Provost Scott Wilson said the speed humps recently installed on Green’s View Road and Tennessee Avenue were paid for with a Tennessee Department of Safety grant with the requirement, “to make the campus more secure.” The criterion guided the decision to put the speed humps where there was significant student traffic. In discussions with the police, Alabama and Kentucky Avenue were also mentioned as possible locations, Wilson noted. Council member Evelyn Patton recommended Kennerly Avenue be considered, as well, and representative Marilyn Phelps recommended Florida Avenue. Payne stressed the decision about where to put the speed humps would fall to the University.

Updating the council on the Project Funding grant application process, council member June Weber said the application deadline had closed. The committee received five applications with the requested amounts totaling more than the $16,304 available. The program offers $10,000 annually in grants, but last year the full amount was not awarded, upping the available amount this year. “All the applications were very good,” Weber observed. “We hope to have an answer in a couple weeks.” The council will vote by email to avoid waiting until the January meeting to announce a decision.

Tarhan said the deadline for turning in signature petitions for the council election had been extended to Oct. 30. No candidates had declared themselves for Districts 1, 2, and 3 as of the original Oct. 14 deadline. Superintendent of Leases Sally Green reported recently receiving qualifying petitions from Walker Adams for the District 2 seat and from Ed Hawkins for the District 3 seat. Tarhan is trying to find a candidate for District 1. He anticipates early voting at the Lease Office will continue.