Third Annual Oktoberfest at Otey Parish
Thursday, September 28, 2017
Fall into good spirits and great company with Otey Parish’s third annual Oktoberfest at 5 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 1. This celebration is not one to miss as it will be bursting with food, music and dancing, costume contests and pumpkin decorating. The menu for this feast includes German brats steamed in beer on a hoagie bun, warm German potato salad, sauerkraut with caraway, mouth watering salted soft pretzels and some sweet treats to tantalize any taste bud. Plus beer to wash it all down. There will be hot dogs for the kids.
There is no charge for all of these fun happenings (donations accepted). Rake in all the excitement listening to polka music and dance your best polka. Please feel free to dress to impress in your best Fall/Halloween getup as there will be a prize for the best costume. Bring your kids and their friends too for fun with music, dancing, games, and some pumpkin decorating for all ages. Please RSVP to Frieda Hawkins Gipson at 598-5926 or oteyparish@gmail.com.
SACA Arts & Crafts Fair
Thursday, September 28, 2017
The Sewanee Arts and Crafts (SACA) Fair will be Saturday, Oct. 7, in Shoup Park, across the street from the University Book and Supply Store. The fair, which will happen rain or shine, will be from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event is free and open to the public and is sponsored by SACA. There will be art and crafts for sale including clay, glass, paintings, photography, wood and much more.
Exhibitors include: Linda and Matt Barry, plants; Katherine Becksvoort, books; Clay and Susan Binkley, jewelry; Tracie Boswell, copper jewelry; Natasha Brunton, jewelry; Wanda Cheston, needlework; Susan Church, woodworking; Coyote Cove, natural soaps; Susan Cordell, pottery; Ronnie Crabtree, windchimes; Full Circle Candles, candles; Phyliss Dix, ornaments; Lara Dudley, Christmas cards; Sandy Gilliam, photography;
Burki Gladstone, clay; Mary Beth Green, boxes; Connie Hornsby, fiber art; Dennis Jones, jewelry; Jasper King, chain saw carvings; Bill Knight, wooden toys; Cheryl Lankhaar, oil painting; Marjorie Langston, glass bead; Bill Mauzy, wood bowls; Randy McCurdy, pressed flowers; Mary McEwain, silverware jewelry; Don Nett Moore, driftwood crafts;
Christi Ormsby, clay ware; Luis Richards, tote bags; Darlene Seagroves, quilts; Ginny Capel, Sewanee Sweets; Wesley Smith, pottery; Jeanie Stephenson, bronze; Merissa Tobler, pottery; Carol and Glenn Vandenbosch, mosaic art; Polly Wells, ornaments; Will Winton, watercolors; and Laurel York, block prints.
Community Funding Project Launches New Year
Thursday, September 28, 2017
The Sewanee Community Funding Project (SCFP) is again seeking proposals for physical improvements and amenities on the Domain that will enhance the community and improve the quality of life in Sewanee when completed.
The SCFP is funded by the University of the South and is sponsored by the Community Council. The committee is composed of community council representatives and also members of the community.
The total funding available this year is $20,000.
The Project Request Forms will be available this weekend at the Sewanee Post Office, Regions Bank, the Community Center and at Sewanee AngelFest.
These forms are due Nov. 1, 2017 and April 1, 2018.
Nonprofit groups, organizations and individuals are encouraged to submit proposals. We anticipate a successful year, but only if you pick up a SCFP Request Form, fill it out and email it to sewaneecfproject@gmail.com or mail to Pixie Dozier at 133 Carriage Lane, Sewanee, TN 37375.
Monteagle’s Fire Department Emergency Resolved
Thursday, September 28, 2017
by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer
The town’s fire truck emergency has been resolved Fire Chief Mike Holmes told the Monteagle Town Council at the Sept. 25 meeting.
Cummins in Nashville repaired Engine Number One, which was out of service.
“I used it on a car fire today,” Holmes said. “We’re back up to 100 percent, or let’s say 90 percent.”
The fire department’s other truck has valve leaks, but it’s “usable” Holmes said. The truck passed the pump inspection. Holmes will get quotes on the cost of repairing the 1993 fire truck.
Holmes thanked the Monteagle Sunday School Assembly for the “very nice donation” of $1,000, which helped alleviate some of the fire department’s woes.
Utility Systems Supervisor John Condra presented three bids for a hammer on the backhoe.
“We hit rock in the project we’re working on,” Condra said. In the past, the Utility Department rented a backhoe with a hammer when the need arose.
“You’ll need a hammer in the Summerfield project coming up, too,” Mayor David Sampley said.
“The price from Swope is really cheap,” Alderman Chris Ladd said. “My father used to do this kind of work.”
The council approved purchase of a backhoe hammer from Swope at a cost of $10,156.
Condra also raised an issue brought to his attention by Street Superintendent Carl Cantrell.
“Clifftops is taking out and putting in culverts,” Condra said. “There’s no map showing where the residential water service lines are located.”
To avoid water loss from damage to service lines, Condra recommended installing a master meter at the entrance to the residential community and “letting them tend to their own business like the assembly does.” No action was taken.
Reporting on Parks and Recreation, Vice-Mayor Jessica Blalock said she ordered two play sets for Harton Park. The vendor BYO Recreation notified Blalock of a sale. The town received 80 percent and 50 percent discounts, making the $20,000 total cost well under the budget for the Harton Park playground. The play sets carry a 100-year warranty.
Updating the council on enforcement of the new ordinance requiring a fence screening any lots with conveyances in a “junked condition,” Codes Enforcement Officer Earl Geary said notification was sent to four businesses on Sept. 14. The businesses have 30 days to begin construction.
Apprising the council of the police department’s increased responsibilities during Family Weekend at the University of the South, Oct. 5–8, Police Chief Virgil McNeese said three or four officers would be patrolling the Monteagle Assembly during the event.
“The Assembly has 70 houses rented,” McNeese said. The Assembly will pay the officers’ overtime hours.
The council approved a business permit for Up in Smoke Café and Gifts, to be located on College Street. Geary said the business did not need to meet commercial kitchen range-hood and grease-drain requirements since all cooking would take place outside and food would be served using disposable plates, cups and utensils.
The council meets next on Oct. 30.
Reducing Waste Education at SES
Thursday, September 28, 2017
by Bailey Basham, Messenger Staff Writer
Paper or plastic?
This is a familiar question to all shopping for groceries in traditional supermarkets. It is also a question that Shelly MacLaren and the students at Sewanee Elementary School say you should respond to with, “Neither.”
Born out of MacLaren’s trip to purchase a candle and refusing the bag for her single item, “Tigers Don’t Leave Tracks!” is a community-wide initiative encouraging locals to refuse single-use plastics bags and instead opt for reusables. The goal of this project is to educate children in the community to be conscious about reducing waste.
MacLaren said this initiative was built upon one Robin Walker and the SES Parent Organization spearheaded last year in an effort to raise awareness about food waste. Walker said MacLaren ran with it—something she and the parent organization applaud.
“This started with a shopping trip. When I didn’t take a bag from that retailer, they gave a 10 cent donation to a charity. I thought that was a great idea and wondered how that could be put to work on a local basis. I thought this could be a really great way to bring together all the community members,” said MacLaren, Director and Curator of Academic Engagement at the University Art Gallery and Visiting Assistant Professor of Art and Art History.
According to National Geographic, “plastic bags now account for four out of every five bags handed out at the grocery store.” Worldwide, consumption is charted “somewhere between 500 billion and a trillion plastic bags…each year.” Plastic bag usage is the cause of the litter stream outside of landfills.
The Environmental Protection Agency found that less than 1 percent of plastic bags are recycled because it costs more to recycle a bag than to produce a new one. Additionally, plastic bags photodegrade, meaning over time, they break down into small, more toxic petro-polymers. These petro-polymers contaminate waterways and soils, which gives the toxins a path to leeching into our bodies via food and water we consume.
“Many places have banned plastic bags outright, and at the municipal state or national level have banned them entirely. How do we make that change without legislation and as a positive choice? I started talking to people about that program that I had seen at a national retailer. We suggested a program that would direct money to the local elementary school. As I went around speaking to local businesses, I found they were able to participate and most excited about it,” said MacLaren.
Russell Green, University bookstore manager, was involved when the project first began. Green and the bookstore donated 175 reusable bags to SES to be used at the book fair.
“I wanted to take part because I believe you should take any opportunity you get to make a positive impact for your community. And, as someone who attended Sewanee Elementary School as a child, it’s especially important for me to be able to do something meaningful for the school and the students,” said Green.
“Local businesses were really supportive. Everyone is participating in a different way,” said MacLaren.
“We want to help the school and the environment, and I like the idea of young children getting this message,” said Katherine Alvarez Evans of the Lemon Fair. “It’s good for people who don’t usually think that way. Especially in here, we use a lot of packaging. We gift wrap things, and it makes a big difference when someone walks out without tissue paper and a sticker and a bag and all the cute things you associate with gift wrapping,” said Evans.
At the Lemon Fair, 10 cents is donated per bag not taken, and 20 cents is donated per reusable bag used that was bought from the shop.
Mooney’s Market and Emporium, Village Wine and Spirits and the Sewanee Market will donate 10 cents to SES for each shopping trip that uses reusable bags or doesn’t take a bag.
Piggly Wiggly is sponsoring a Litterless Lunch in October for the class with the most nominations. To nominate a class, take reusable bags to the store and write a nomination on the back of the receipt for a class at the school.
The Tigers first lunch audit was on Sept. 21, which MacLaren said she hopes will provide data that she and other local schools can use to further waste reduction efforts in the future.
“I would love to see other schools steal the program in terms of incentivizing reusable bag use and doing their own lunch audits. Instead of the single snack pack of goldfish, maybe you buy the bigger pack and put it in small Tupperware’s instead,” she said.
“This is really to do with a much bigger conversation about how we make change in our communities and at a local level. What really excited me about it was all those conversations were an opportunity to get to know people. We’re all sharing a similar goal of reducing waste, and that’s been a big motivator."
SUD Undertakes Capital Project Review
Thursday, September 28, 2017
Two Commissioners to be Elected
by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer
At the Sept. 26 meeting of the Board of Commissioners of the Sewanee Utility District of Franklin and Marion Counties, SUD manager Ben Beavers asked the board to approve a Capital Project Planning analysis and sought the board’s input on how best to address the need for a Water and Sewer Replacement Fund.
Beavers’ recently contacted the University’s Provost’s Office to set up a meeting assessing the University’s plans for the next five to 10 years. Of particular concern to SUD is how implementing the Sewanee Village plan will impact water and sewer needs.
“Moving the lines will require re-engineering,” Beavers said. The University would be responsible for the cost.
Beavers will also collect long-term planning information from St. Andrew’s-Sewanee School (SAS) and St. Mary’s. He proposed SUD retain the engineering firm Robert Campbell and Associates (RCA), cost $3,000, to analyze the data from the University, SAS and St. Mary’s, and assist SUD with Capital Project Planning. RCA would weigh the pros and cons of proposed projects, identify priorities, and prepare bid proposals.
The board approved Beavers’ request.
Revisiting a customer’s question about the surcharge appearing on customer bills, Beavers said the charge was actually a Water and Sewer Replacement Fund fee.
The board implemented the fee in 2008, Beavers explained. The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) had cited SUD for a Wastewater Treatment Plant violation. TDEC required SUD to designate funds for water resource repair. Prior to that time, SUD had invested very little in infrastructure.
The fee is based on customer consumption, with water and sewer charges calculated separately. Non-sewer customers do not pay the sewer portion of the fee.
In 2009, the consulting firm Raftelis Financials, Inc. recommended raising the fee to $.68/kgal for water and $.70/kgal for sewer. SUD implemented the suggested increase in 2010. The rate has not changed since then.
“It’s money well spent,” Beavers stressed. In a typical year, SUD spends more on water resource repair than the fee generates. The alternative would be to eliminate the fee and raise rates, Beavers said, designating a percentage of revenue for water resource repair.
“I like keeping it neat,” Commissioner Karen Singer said, recommending SUD continue to access a fee specifically designated for water resource repair.
SUD Board President Charlie Smith agreed. “I don’t think we need to do anything.”
Beavers will revise the language on customer bills to more clearly indicate the reason for the charge.
Two commissioner seats will come open for election in January. Commissioner Singer is term limited and cannot run again. Commissioner Randall Henley will seek reelection.
Any SUD customer can serve as a commissioner. The board is charged with nominating three candidates for each open seat. Customers interested in serving should contact Beavers at (931) 598-5611. Prospective candidates can also self-nominate by submitting a petition signed by 10 SUD customers. The deadline for submitting nominating petitions is Jan. 2. Voting will take place from Jan. 2 through Jan. 23, the first SUD meeting of the new year.
A Sewanee Summit landowner addressed the board requesting water service.
“The lot is 825 feet down the road from the existing main,” Beavers said. The Sewanee Summit development is located below the University Forestry Cabin.
“We can’t extend the line for a single customer,” Smith explained.
In the past, SUD ran miles of line in the Jump Off area anticipating development that never occurred, Beavers said.
Pointing to an option for the landowner, Beavers cited the example of Lake Eva area residents who joined together to pay for water service. He estimated materials for the Sewanee Summit project would cost $500, but due to the limestone rock base, trenching work would cost $5-$10 per foot.
The landowner also spoke with the Decherd water utility which quoted a lower price, but he expressed concerns about low water pressure from water traveling uphill.
The SUD board meets next on Oct. 24
Ivan Oransky, Physician and Founder of Retraction Watch, to Give Founders’ Day Address
Thursday, September 28, 2017
Tom Ward, C’67, to receive honorary degree
Dr. Ivan Oransky will be the speaker at Founders’ Day Convocation, which will be at noon, Friday, Oct. 6, at All Saints’ Chapel and will open Sewanee’s 2017 Family Weekend. Oransky will receive an honorary doctor of civil law degree during the ceremony. The Convocation will include the conferral of three additional honorary degrees and the induction of 275 new members into the Order of the Gown. The Convocation will be streamed live; watch it at http://www.sewanee.edu/parents/convocation-live/.
During the Convocation, Jan Davidson, former director of the John C. Campbell Folk School, will receive an honorary doctor of fine arts; the Rev. Tom Ward, C’67 and former University chaplain, will receive an honorary doctor of divinity; and attorney Judith Ward Lineback, C’73, will receive an honorary doctor of civil law.
Please note: Due to the number of Sewanee students receiving their gowns, the University expects All Saints’ Chapel to be filled to near capacity. Guests are welcome to watch the service streaming live in Guerry Auditorium or watch online.
Ivan Oransky, M.D., is a Distinguished Writer in Residence at New York University’s Arthur Carter Journalism Institute, co-founder of Retraction Watch, and editor-at-large of medical news service MedPage Today. Oransky and Adam Marcus founded Retraction Watch in 2010. The site chronicles the continuing rise in scientific retractions and has been cited often in scientific literature as a source for better understanding of the true reasons for retraction. Oransky previously served as executive editor of Reuters Health and held editorial positions at Scientific American and the Scientist. He received the 2015 John P. McGovern Award for excellence in biomedical communication from the American Medical Writers Association. He is a clinical assistant professor of medicine at the New York University School of Medicine and serves as vice president of the Association of Health Care Journalists.
Jan Davidson is a writer, musician, speaker and the retired director of the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, N.C. The school teaches Appalachian traditions—song, art, nature, gardening, cooking, storytelling and writing—to adults in weeklong or weekend classes. During his 25-year tenure, the school’s annual student enrollment grew from 2,500 to 6,000 students, and the number of yearly classes grew fivefold. To preserve the natural beauty of the area, Davidson helped establish conservation easements and wildlife sanctuaries around the 300-acre campus. He also worked to preserve the school’s history, and co-produced “Sing Behind the Plow: John C. Campbell Folk School,” which was nominated for two regional Emmy awards. He has received awards including the North Carolina Award for Fine Arts, the state’s highest civilian honor.
While in Sewanee, Davidson will play with string band the Dog Branch Cats in a special performance at 5 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 5, in Gailor Auditorium. The band was originally formed in 1992 with fiddles, banjo, guitar, bass, and banjo ukulele. The community is invited to attend.
Judith Ward Lineback, C’73, was a member of the first class of women admitted to the University of the South, and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa at Sewanee. She received a J.D. from the University of Virginia, clerked for a U.S. District Court judge, and practiced law for 30 years. Her service to Sewanee includes work as a Trustee and as a member of the Board of Regents, of which she was the first alumna chair. During Lineback’s time on University governing boards, the Campaign for Sewanee raised funds to construct buildings including the Fowler Center and McClurg Dining Hall, and to renovate Woods Labs and All Saints’ Chapel. Lineback completed the School of Theology’s four-year Education for Ministry program, and has served on the board of the National Association of Episcopal Schools.
The Rev. Thomas Reid Ward, Jr., C’67, was Sewanee’s 17th Rhodes Scholar. After graduating from the University, he earned degrees in English language and literature from Oxford University. After teaching and coaching at Meridian Junior College in Mississippi, and two years at Sewanee as an instructor in English, he earned a master of divinity degree in 1975 from Virginia Theological Seminary. For almost two decades, Ward served parishes in Mississippi and Tennessee before returning to Sewanee as University chaplain, a position he held from 1994 to 2005. In 1998, he began a practice in centering prayer, a form of meditation that encourages silence and a deeper connection to God. Ward teaches centering prayer, leads retreats, and fosters the practice in local congregations. He works closely with Contemplative Outreach, a network that seeks to foster contemplation, and has served on its advisory board since 1998.
Monteagle Fire on the Mountain Chili Cook-off
Thursday, September 28, 2017
The fifth annual Fire on the Mountain Chili Cook-off and Car Show will be on Saturday, Sept. 30, at Hannah Pickett Park, 16 Dixie Lee Ave., behind Monteagle City Hall.
The Chili Cook-off will be open for tasting at noon where the public can sample chili for $5.
The Tracy City Streetrodders will host the Car Show from 10 a.m.–2 p.m. with more than 100 cars participating. There will be local arts and craft vendors, as well as food and drinks for sale. Proceeds will go to support the Toys for Tots and the South Cumberland Chamber of Commerce.
For more information, go to www.southcumberlandchamber.com
AngelFest Tonight
Thursday, September 28, 2017
The seventh annual AngelFest will be today (Friday), Sept. 29, at Angel Park and throughout downtown Sewanee. Joseph’s Remodeling Solutions is sponsoring the family fun and children’s activities, beginning at 4:30 p.m.
Childrens’ activities include inflatables; animals; musical chairs for the dogs and their humans; cotton candy and shaved ice; crafts; face painting; glow bracelets and temporary tattoos; make your own marshmallow poppers; corn hole; and ladder toss, bubbles and sidewalk chalk. The childrens’ events will end at 7 p.m. Arts and crafts, and a farmers’ market will also be available.
There will be food and drink for purchase from local businesses.
LeRoux, a seven-piece band out of Baton Rouge, will take the stage at 7 p.m.; bring a chair or a blanket. The Reverse Raffle drawing, a chance to win up to $10,000, will be held during the event. Tickets for the raffle drawing, $100, are available from local businesses and online at www.sewaneevillage.com/park/. Proceeds benefit the Sewanee Angel Park and the Community Action Committee.
Trustee Community Relations Meeting
Thursday, September 28, 2017
The Trustee Community Relations Committee will be in Sewanee on Wednesday, Oct. 4. They will meet with the Sewanee Community Council, who will update the Trustees on topics of interest and concern to our community. If you have items that you would like the Council to consider, please contact a Council member. There will be a reception and time for conversation with both groups at 5:30 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 4, at the American Legion Hall.
Members of the Sewanee Community Council are Annie Armour, Rich Barrali, Nancy Berner, Pam Byerly, Pixie Dozier, Mike Gardner, Sallie Green, Louise Irwin, John McCardell, Cindy Potter, Kate Reed, Flournoy Rogers, Theresa Shackelford, Shirley Taylor, Phil White, and Charles Whitmer, and student members Jeremy Carlson and Abbey Schockley.
County Commission Grapples with Rezoning
Thursday, September 21, 2017
by Bailey Basham, Messenger Staff Writer
September’s County Commission meeting saw the appointment of Carolyn Wiseman to the seat left vacant in District 2 after Director of Schools Stanley Bean’s departure in July.
Commissioner for District 3 Dave Van Buskirk, who nominated Wiseman, said she will be a great addition to the commission.
“Carolyn ran in the election last time against Stanley Bean and narrowly lost. This is basically the way the commission has replaced the candidates who move on, at least for the last two years. I know her very well from working with her through the Chamber of Commerce, and I know she is very passionate about Franklin County. She is very thorough on the things she investigates, and above all, she has great common sense. I think she will be a great addition,” said Van Buskirk.
Also heard at the meeting was the highly disputed request for rezoning by Woody Ashley of Woody’s Tree Service. The Franklin County Regional Planning Commission recommended the rezoning of 5.63 acres of land near Highway 64 from agricultural and residential to industrial.
Back in July, the county purchased land from Ashley to prevent the smoke from his tree service making its way through the county.
“He owned a parcel of land that joined the industrial park. He had the property up for sale. Purchasing the property did help the atmosphere in the park since he did burn there,” said County Commission Chairman Eddie Clark. “No one complained to me, but my understanding is that the high school is right behind it, so there were some complaints.”
John Meeks, a self-proclaimed lifetime resident of Franklin County, was against the rezoning.
“My property is the next house down, and in that area, within a half mile radius, there are three churches and approximately 30-35 homes. That’s where I was raised, that’s where I raised my family, and that’s where we’re raising our grandkids,” he said. “I don’t want to wake up in the morning and smell smoke. That’s why you moved it from Winchester. I oppose it, and I want it to be known that I do.”
Also against the rezoning was resident Randy Butner.
“The only objection is that we don’t need the health hazard going to all the homes. You know what it did to Medina Road. That smoke is going to go all over and surround even more than a half mile if the wind blows,” said Butner.
Russell Leonard, Ashley’s attorney, told the commission the land is needed for Mr. Ashley’s work.
“To prevent this gentlemen from operating his business is a bit drastic. There’s burning all over the county on occasion. I see it from where I live. There are all kinds of industries and individuals who burn often. I hope you would consider the need that this man has for disposing of these materials in a fashion that is not bad for the county and necessary for him to complete his work. Unless the county is willing to donate grounds for Mr. Ashley and others with a tree service, then I would suggest that burning is the most efficient and logical way to dispose of these things,” he said.
State representative and Franklin County resident David Alexander said his recommendation would be to vote no on the rezoning.
Ashley’s motion for rezoning failed.
“I’m happy that it was rejected and I don’t want to get up every morning and smell smoke. It affects the whole community. They bought the property to get rid of him, and they’re wanting to send him out to our area. They’re no better than we are. We’re tax payers just like them,” said Meeks.
Approved at the meeting was a contract between Franklin County and Simplex, a company specializing in sprinkler systems for protection in the case of fires.
“This has to do with the sprinkler system in the Senior Citizens’ Center,” said Clark. “Their system wasn’t working, and we have an agreement with these people in some other county buildings.”
Finance Director Andrea Smith said there is an annual maintenance fee over the length of the contract.
Several elections and appointments were made before the conclusion of the meeting.
Eddie Clark was appointed to serve another year as chairman. Angie Fuller was appointed as chairman pro temp. Lindsay Ladd was appointed to serve the rest of Brandi Scott’s term on the Animal Control Board. Barbara Lucas was appointed to a 4-year term with the Board of Zoning Appeals, and David James to the Regional Planning Commission.
The next county commission meeting will be Monday, Oct. 16 at 7 p.m.
School Board Considers New Middle School Sites; Elects Officers
Thursday, September 21, 2017
by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer
Accessibility issues dominated the Franklin County School Board’s discussion about proposed sites for the new middle school at the Sept. 14 meeting. Research by board member Lance Williams identified four prospective sites: Bible Crossing Road, Sharp Springs Road, Baxter Lane in the vicinity of Franklin County High School, and a site near North Middle School.
Tim Little representing the engineering firm Oliver, Little, and Gipson (OLG) said three of the proposed sites met the 40-acre minimum requirement.
Board member Christine Hopkins said the site that was too small was “the most accessible,” offering three entrance opportunities.
“Purchasing adjoining parcels is a possibility,” Williams said. The school system would need to purchase four parcels to put together 40-acres at the 28-acre Baxter Lane site. The site also borders Hwy. 64 and Modena Road. Franklin County owns the 28-acre tract.
Hopkins stressed the importance of determining whether the sites under consideration were serviced by city, county or state highways. Board member Chris Guess will research the issue. The board will continue the discussion at the Oct. 2 work session.
The board elected Cleijo Walker to continue as board chair and Lance Williams to continue as vice chair for the 2017-2018 school year.
The board approved several minor policy revisions. Significantly, the revised School Support Organizations policy requires a school system employee to serve as a liaison between support organizations and the school system.
Assistant Superintendant Linda Foster stressed the “vital role” parent organizations and parent teacher organizations played. The policy, however, prohibits school employees from serving as officers in support organizations, since the organizations frequently collect donations and make contributions to the schools and school programs. For a school employee to serve as an officer “would make this a school activity,” Foster said. The liaison “cannot touch the money” and serves in an advisory capacity.
Having a school employee liaison also has the advantage of providing continuity, Director of Schools Stanley Bean pointed out, since support organization governing officers often change from one year to the next.
The board also approved a Voluntary Pre-K Attendance policy recommended by the Tennessee School Board Association. The new policy sets criteria for student dismissal in cases of repeated absence.
Pre-K is voluntary, and there are limited spaces available. The new policy provides a means of making spaces available if students are not attending, board member Sara Liechty noted.
The board reviewed suggested policy changes streamlining the approval process for field trips and excursions. Bean recommended further simplification. He proposed assigning final approval for overnight trips to the director of school and final approval of day trips to the principal. The board will revisit the policy amendment at the Oct. 2 working session.
Kelly May, director of the nonprofit Rain Unlimited, appealed to the board to transfer ownership of the Townsend School property to the organization for use as a teen center and hub for nonprofits, providing office and meeting space. The board received a similar request from a group seeking to establish a Head Start program at the former Townsend School. Other entities have expressed an interest in purchasing portions of the property. The neighboring community favors tearing down the building and using the site for a park and memorial.
The board’s next regular meeting is Oct. 9.
Sewanee Deer Hunt Begins Sept. 23
Thursday, September 21, 2017
The 2017 hunting season in Sewanee begins Sept. 23 and runs discontinuously until Jan. 12, 2018. Hunters approved by the University may take part in this hunt. This year marks the 15th year of organized hunting on the domain after a resolution passed by the University Trustees in 2001 requested that the deer herd be controlled.
Since that beginning, the program has continually evolved in response to herd populations, community input, and ever-expanding datasets on the impacts of the herd on the ecological and human community.
The current hunt is organized around the 2016 White tailed deer management plan, http://www.sewanee.edu/media/offices/domain-manage.... This document outlines both the population and habitat goals, and the steps involved to reach those goals. In general, our goal is to bring the population down to the population the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency feels is sustainable (approximately 25-30 deer per square mile) in a way that maximizes safety, minimizes impacts to the non-hunting members of our community, and maximizes student-led monitoring of the ecological and social impacts.
This year there are significant changes to some of the hunting areas around Brakefield Road and a newly formatted community map to ensure that hunting areas are easier to locate. The changes are intended to: 1) focus hunting in areas where census data shows unsustainable populations; 2) pause hunting in areas where population targets have been met; and 3) provide non-hunted recreation areas when possible.
The area north of the water tower on Brakefield Road, including the water tower trail, KA Point and all firelanes around the equestrian center, are closed to hunting this year. This area has seen significant hunting pressure over the last 10 years and census data indicates the population is at a healthy level. Hunting continues this year on the south side of Brakefield Road from just past Wiggins Creek subdivision to Gate 11, and on the north side of the road from Gate 3 to beyond Gate 7. These areas are expanded from last year’s hunt to reduce browse pressure on the forest understory. The hours of hunting will remain unchanged from last year and as always, all trails and firelanes remain open to recreational use during the season.
As in previous years, there may be a surplus of animals available for local families. If you are interested in picking up a field dressed deer for processing, please email domain@sewanee.edu. For more information on the University hunting program and specific rules and times, please visit http://www.sewanee.edu/offices/oess/the-domain/eco...
Jail Art Program Show and Sale
Thursday, September 21, 2017
Grundy County Sheriff Clint Shrum in partnership with the local nonprofit organization, Arts Inside, is pleased to announce an art show created by the women in the detention center’s art program. The event will be at 1 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 30, at the Grundy County Courthouse in Altamont. The public is cordially invited to attend to enjoy refreshments and the art display. Artwork created by the women will be displayed and offered for sale. Prices range from $5 to $50.
Class participants apply and go through a selection process before admission to the program. The class meets weekly and at each session participants create a different form of art including basic line drawing, weaving, basket making, painting and more. The program teaches participants to tap into their creative potential to help bring beauty and joy into their lives.
The art program is offered through the Recovery and Reentry program at the jail. The Recovery and Reentry program is led by Alicia Shadwick, Pre-Release Case Manager and Americorps VISTA, Tim Moser. Arts Inside is led by former South Cumberland Community Fund Americorps VISTA, Hilda Vaughan and local resident and volunteer, Millicent Foreman.
The art program began in January 2016 and is a new initiative of the Grundy County Sheriff’s Office Recovery and Reentry Program, which offers inmates educational programs, a dog training program, career readiness courses, a greenhouse and gardening program, a brain health program, and peer-based recovery groups.
The art show is co-sponsored by the Sheriff’s Office, the Mayor’s Office, the South Cumberland Community Fund, the Americorps VISTA program, and The University of the South. Refreshments are provided by Chef Rick from Sewanee Dining.
University of the South Choir to Perform Evensong on Sunday
Thursday, September 21, 2017
by Kevin Cummings, Messenger Staff Writer
The University of the South Choir will sing a special evening service at All Saints’ Chapel on Sunday, Sept. 24, at 4 p.m.
Part of the Anglican tradition, Choral Evensong, essentially singing the evening prayer, dates back to the Reformation in the 16th century. Sophomore Oliver Postic, the choir’s bass section head, said Sunday’s service will be moving and sacred.
“Our purpose of leading worship every Sunday morning becomes more important during Evensong because the music is the focal point of the service,” he said. “I believe that by singing the evening prayer, a choir is able to make the words transcend the books that bind them.”
Soprano section leader Matti Hitel, a sophomore from Riverside, Conn., and daughter of a choirmaster, said she loves the experience of performing.
“The feeling of singing during Evensong is unlike any other service,” she said. “Whether we are singing an eight-part blaring anthem or a unison plainsong chant, there is something so meditative about it all. To me, the silence is the most mesmerizing. In the rests of a piece, even more so than the notes, I feel chills in my bones.”
Geoffrey Ward, University organist and choirmaster, explained what people can expect on Sunday.
“People will experience a service that is primarily sung from different parts of the chapel,” he said. “The University Choir will sing an introit from the back of the chapel before processing to the front of the chapel leading a congregational hymn. Most of the service is sung from the front of the chapel, both accompanied by the organ and acappella.”
Rev. Melissa Hartley is officiant for Evensong and William Stokes, seminarian and 2016 Sewanee graduate, is the service organist, Ward said.
The University Choir has about 50 members and about half of them are singing their first Evensong.
In getting ready for the performance, Ward said much of the preparation involves the transitions.
“The introit flows into a hymn and then responses and a psalm before the first reading,” he said. “It is something that the first-time choristers need to experience more than anything. Evensong moves at a quick pace when you are immersed in leading the worship service.”
Another Choral Evensong is scheduled for Oct. 29 at 4 p.m. at All Saints’ Chapel.
“Choral Evensong is a meaningful aspect of the worship experience for members of the University Choir as well as the Sewanee community,” Ward said. “We hope to see more interaction and engagement with students, staff and faculty of the University, as well as the greater Sewanee community.”
The choir’s biggest performance of the year, the Festival of Lessons and Carols, is Dec. 2-3.