by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

The three candidates scheduled to appear on the ballot for the upcoming Sewanee Utility District Board of Commissioners election are Ronnie Hoosier, Donnie McBee, and Phil White. Two seats are open to be filled. SUD customers can vote Jan. 2 through Jan. 20 at the SUD office during regular business hours. Other prospective candidates who wish to appear on the ballot must submit a petition signed by 10 SUD customers no later than Dec. 30. Read on to learn about the candidates’ qualifications.

Ronnie Hoosier grew up in Sewanee and in 1979 went to work for the University as an electrician, a position he held until his retirement after 43 years. Hoosier also served 40 years as a volunteer fireman with the Sewanee Fire Department. He cites his mechanical skills and knowledge as valuable assets he will bring to the SUD board, as well as the experience gleaned from serving two prior terms as a SUD commissioner. Hoosier was forced to step down because he was term limited by the rules in place at the time. “I want to serve the community as a board member and to continue the great work the Sewanee Utility district is already doing,” Hoosier said. “SUD’s challenges are no different from anyone else’s — high inflation and the cost of doing business. I have confidence SUD can meet these challenges head-on and continue to supply safe, clean drinking water to Sewanee and the surrounding area.”

Current SUD board member Donnie McBee is seeking reelection. Aside from two years in Winchester, McBee has lived in Sewanee his entire life. “I care about SUD customers and their concerns as well as the sound operation of the water department as a whole,” McBee said. “This sometimes requires making tough decisions,” McBee acknowledged, “but I enjoy the challenge.” He has a track record of bringing customer concerns to the table bridging the gap between the customer and administration. In the past year, McBee introduced discussions about water service for Deepwoods residents, scheduling of leak repair, and fire department ISO ratings. “The biggest challenges facing SUD are an aging water and sewer treatment plant that requires regular updates to meet the needs of our current customer base,” McBee said. “Looking forward, potential housing developments — including single-family homes and townhouses — will place an additional load on the existing water and sewer system, creating an even greater need for upgrades as our population grows.”

No stranger to community service, Phil White has served 20 years on the Sewanee Community Council and led the movement to fund and construct the dog park. White came to Sewanee as a University student in 1959 and never left. He taught and coached at Sewanee prep schools for over 40 years, winning recognition at the state level for teaching and coaching. In the 1990s White wrote a computer program for SUD. “I am concerned that if requests for new taps keep increasing at the current rate, SUD resources will be stretched thin. I am also concerned about the number of deteriorating supply lines that need to be replaced. The one on my road is over 100 years old. SUD will need to receive some large grants to take care of these needs,” White said. “I am running for SUD commissioner because I have seen other towns suffer when they did not keep their infrastructure sound. I do not want that to happen to Sewanee.”