Council Responds to Constituent Suggestions, Sets Meeting Dates

by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

At the April 22 meeting of the Sewanee Community Council, district representatives responded to issues and questions raised by constituents at the March 25 constituent meetings. The Council also reviewed meeting dates for next year, and heard from Sewanee Mountain Messenger Editor Laura Willis about The Mountain Now website.

The District 2 and District 4 constituent meetings were particularly well attended. Responding to a request for information, District 2 Representative Pam Byerly said Fowler Center fees are now posted on the University Lease Office web page <www.sewanee.edu/leases/home>. Some constituents complained the district maps were difficult to read. New, user-friendly maps were being created, Byerly said. Constituents from both districts raised issues about the new parking regulations. Byerly said additional signs would be posted to more clearly indicate available parking areas. Responding to a question from District 4 constituents about the dark tint of police car windows, Council Representative Drew Sampson deferred the question to Police Chief Marie Eldridge. Eldridge explained the dark tint was for the safety of the officers.

Proposed council meetings dates for the 2013–14 academic year are the fourth Monday of every month with the following exceptions: in April and May, the council will meet on the third Monday; and in December, on the first Monday. The council will not meet in July or November.

The Mountain Now <www.themountainnow.com> is a new community service provided by the Sewanee Mountain Messenger. Editor Willis said the site provides information on events and a community calendar, as well as links to local resources and blogs by Sewanee residents. Input is invited. Send comments to <news@sewaneemessenger.com>.

Vice-Chancellor John McCardell thanked School of Theology Representative Mollie Roberts and Undergraduate Representative Robert Rosamond for their service to the Council. Roberts and Rosamond graduate in May.

In response to the need for a secretary to take minutes in Robert’s absence, the University will appoint someone to perform the task, returning to a past precedent where the provost took the minutes. Relieving council representatives of the note-taking chore will allow them to participate fully in the discussion and to offer insight at meetings.

A community resident observed that the sign at the Eastern Star Cemetery needs to be replaced. Director of Physical Plant Services John Vineyard replied that he would address the problem.

Several council members expressed an interest in learning more about the University farm as a result of the presentation at the Trustees Community Relations Committee meeting April 18. Farm Manager Gina Raicovich will address the council at the May 27 meeting.

SUD Hears Report on Pilot Constructed Wetland Proposal

by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

In lieu of the regular monthly business meeting, the Board of Commissioners of the Sewanee Utility District of Franklin and Marion Counties met with students of University of the South biology professor Deborah McGrath to review their research into the feasibility of a pilot constructed wetlands as a means of recycling wastewater.

 University of the South students collaborated with student researchers from the University of Georgia to conduct the study. In Georgia, constructed wetlands are used to treat wastewater at 20 facilities. In China, where the method has been in use for more than 1,000 years, there are more than 6,000 constructed wetlands. At the present, there is only one constructed wetlands water treatment facility in Tennessee.

The students distinguished between required monitoring (dictated by government regulations) and the information that could be gleaned from additional monitoring in a constructed wetlands. Regulations require monitoring of nitrate, E. coli bacteria and dissolved oxygen, which is necessary to break down organic material. Regulations do not require monitoring for pharmaceuticals, PCBs, heavy metals and pesticides, which wetlands have been shown effective in removing, although at different levels. A pilot wetlands would allow for comparisons to SUD’s wastewater treatment facility, which employs spray fields and standard sewage treatment like that in Winchester.

The students also researched the income potential of constructed wetlands. Plant growth in a wetlands needs to be periodically burned or harvested. Burning costs money and leaves residual nutrients in the form of ash. Harvested biomass can be used for compost, converted to biomass fuel pellets or converted to biogas with a biodigestor. The students suggested the most feasible and potentially profitable method for Sewanee would be integrating the harvested biomass into the University’s extant composting program. The two biomass pellet facilities in Tennessee are too far away to be practical for a pilot program, and biodigestors are costly.

The student researchers noted that although plant growth in the wetlands aided in the removal of undesirable nutrients, bacteria and microbes attached to the plants were the primary vehicles of nitrate reduction.

In interviews with University students and faculty, the students found an “overall openness and acceptance of recycled wastewater for drinking water.” Preliminary to surveying the non-University community, the students presented the SUD board with sample questions to review and invited their input.

The student researchers pointed out that in addition to providing a source of safe, clean drinking water, the ponds and vegetation in a constructed wetlands attracted wildlife, increasing biodiversity. They emphasized the importance of community outreach geared to erasing the perception of recycled wastewater as dirty and fostering appreciation of the benefits wetlands offered, both for recreation and as outdoor laboratories. 

To aid in educating the public, the students created a short video on the functioning and benefits of constructed wetlands. The video discussed the drought of 2007, when nearby Monteagle ran out of water, Sewanee was down to a 35–40 day supply and metropolitan areas like Atlanta, Ga., were under severe water restrictions. The areas in Georgia served by constructed wetlands suffered no water shortage and sold water to other utilities.

Because Sewanee is at the top of the watershed, it provides an excellent opportunity for examining the effectiveness of wetlands in removing substances not typically tested for, such as pharmaceuticals and heavy metals, McGrath said.

In the film, SUD manager Ben Beavers stressed that if SUD were to construct a pilot wetlands, the water to be used for drinking water “must be as good or better than the water from the watershed.”

Theatre Sewanee Presents “An Evening of Shakespeare”

Theatre Sewanee will present its spring production, “The Marriage of True Minds: An Evening of Shakespeare,” at 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday, April 26–27, and at 2 p.m., Sunday, April 28, at the Tennessee Williams Center.

The production, directed by professor David Landon, will explore the theme of marriage in Shakespeare, featuring scenes from “Romeo and Juliet,” “As You Like It” and “Much Ado About Nothing,” as well as scenes from “Hamlet,” “Othello” and “All’s Well That Ends Well.”

The evening will also feature original music by James Carlson, choreography under the supervision of Chase Brantley and Rebekah Hildebrandt, and an acting ensemble of talented undergraduates: Elise Anderson, Chase Brantley, Michael Caskey, Lily Davenport, Rebecca Hildebrandt, Burkette Huey, Charlotte La Nasa, Alex Linton, Haley Poole, Cody Snead, Megan Quick, Sarah Weldon, Pagie Wilson, Hunter Woolwine and Audrey Yatdon Tchoukoua. 

The stage design—taking its inspiration from Shakespeare’s Globe—is by Andrew Philpo. Costumes are by Jennifer Matthews, lighting is by Beckett Scott, and technical direction is by Samantha Gribben. The stage manager is Tyler Fawcett. 

The performance is free, but reservations are recommended and can be made by calling 598-3260.

Coalmont Students to Debut in Grundy Area Arts Council Project

The Coalmont Elementary School Stage will become a 1931 setting, as a group of the school’s students will bring to life a story penned by beloved local author May Justus. 

At 7 p.m., Saturday, April 27, and 4 p.m., Sunday, April 28, the group will perform “The Other Side of the Mountain.”

The theater project’s director, Catalina Jordan Alvarez, chose and adapted Justus’s book “The Other Side of the Mountain,” with copyright permission granted by the University of Tennessee. 

This is a Grundy Area Creative Endeavors (GrACE) pilot project, made possible by the Community Fund for the South Cumberland Plateau.

The students playing all the roles are fourth- and fifth-graders Bailey Brown, Katie Brown, Brittany Cunningham, Will Jackson, Charlee Meeks, Harley Nunley, Ally Ramsey, Haley Sanders, Christopher Smallwood and Savannah Smith.  McKinley Thomas, Caitlyn Layne and Emily Olivia Rhea have joined the production crew as backstage and prop managers.

Production assistance includes sound design by Linda Heck and Addison Willis; set design by Ruth Isabel Guerra; lighting design by Dan Pate; and production facilitation by Linda Heck.

This seed project and the April performances are dedicated to the memory of Dorothy “Dot” Minkler, who was a student of May Justus, a founding member of the Grundy Area Arts Council and an inspiration to many who hold the Plateau community dear.

American Legion Hall Needs New Windows

The American Legion Hall, Post No. 51, in Sewanee is in desperate need of new windows. The group has organized a fund-raising effort to replace the windows in the building that was constructed in the 1940s.

Donations have already been received for a few of the windows, but more than $5,000 is still needed.

The American Legion is a nonprofit organization, and donations are tax-deductible.

The cost of each new window and the labor associated with the replacement is $385. Donations of any size are appreciated and may be made in honor or in memory of a loved one.

Checks may be sent to American Legion Hall, P. O. Box 3101, Sewanee, TN 37375. For more information call Charley Watkins at (931) 308-7920.

CAC Open on Saturday

The Community Action Committee will be have extended hours this weekend, open 9–11 a.m., Saturday, April 20, so that it can share fresh fruit and vegetables with people in need.  Items available include  bell peppers, apples, oranges, grapefruit, grapes, squash, cucumbers, onions, bread, avocados and loads of lettuce.

CAC’s office is temporarily located at the Yellow House at 258 Lake O’Donnell Rd., Sewanee.

The CAC is an outreach ministry of Otey Parish, with generous support from the Sewanee Community Chest and individuals across the Mountain. The CAC provides food, financial assistance and educational support for persons in the greater Sewanee community. For more information contact the CAC at 598-5927.

Troxel in Concert Sunday

Singer-songwriter Bea Troxel will be in concert at 7 p.m., Sunday, April 21, in McCrory Hall for the Performing Arts, at St. Andrew’s-Sewanee School. Joining her will be Joey Mooradian  

Troxel and Mooradian are both sophomores in the College. Troxel started writing and playing music in high school with the band  Bea, Rita and Maeve. They made an album and then went their separate ways into college.

Both artists play folk-acoustic music: Troxel plays to the softer side of the genre, while Mooradian tends to enjoy some electric guitar.

Proceeds from this concert benefit the SAS Theatre trip to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in July.

Tracy City Looks Ahead to a Bright Future

by Seth Layne, Special to the Messenger

What would $1.5 million do for a community such as Tracy City? We will soon have an answer to this question. For the last several months, individuals have been working tirelessly. The city has been awarded  grants that total about $1.2 million. With a $300,000 loan that fulfills the matching requirements of the grants, the small town of Tracy City could see a life-altering amount of money used for the mutual benefit of its citizens. The grants include renovations to the old Grundy County High School, new sidewalks and street lamps in downtown and the construction of Tracy’s portion of the Mountain Goat Trail.

The old, beautiful building that was Grundy County High School is dear to many people. The grant for renovations to the facility would focus on bringing the building up to code, renovating the front wing and restoring the gymnasium. The city hopes the building will be used for a variety of purposes, such as sporting events and rental space for the public. The classrooms will also be available for lease for anything from doctor’s and lawyer’s offices, to clinics and shops and parties, as well as vocational classes from local technical schools.

Tracy City was accepted recently to the Tennessee Main Street Program. This highly competitive program accepted only six towns in the state this year. The city has two grants for sidewalks and street lamps to beautify downtown and to make it easier for citizens and tourists to enjoy the many opportunities. These grants will be instrumental in helping Tracy’s Revitalization Committee achieve its goals of enhancing Main Street and making the city a great place to visit.

The Mountain Goat Trail is a remarkable venture. Many remember the train that used to come from Cowan to Palmer, the Mountain Goat. Many have told about how the conductor would throw candy and gum to children as it passed through town. The railroad in Grundy County used to be a vital part of the area’s culture. With the leadership of the Mountain Goat Trail Alliance, Tracy City has approved funds for easements and construction of walking and bike trails for the five-mile portion in Tracy City. This paved trail will preserve the history of the great Mountain Goat and will provide the citizens of Tracy and the surrounding area with a beautiful place to exercise and to enjoy their town. 

The process of attaining a loan has not been easy. A $300,000 loan for a small town such as Tracy City can be a risky thing. It has been met with stiff opposition by some in our community. A primary argument against the loan is that the city simply cannot afford it, while others argue that it will do nothing to improve the city. Upon my [author Seth Layne’s] request, Brad Harris from the Municipal Technical Advisory Service (MTAS) visited from Knoxville to look at the city’s 2012 audit. After reviewing the city’s finances, Harris assured the Board of Mayor and Aldermen that the loan is feasible, given the city’s current financial standing. Upon approval from the state comptroller’s office, Tracy City will proceed with all necessary measures to accomplish these goals.

The Board of Mayor and Aldermen of Tracy City requests that the public partner with them in this revitalization of Tracy City. As a community, Tracy City has never been more ready for positive change. The city has been given an extraordinary opportunity to make this into what its citizens already know that it is—a wonderful place to live and a beautiful place to visit. For more information, please visit the Facebook page at <www.facebook.com/TracyCityTn>. 

Seth Layne is a Tracy City Alderman.

Civic Association Honors Helen Bailey and Sewanee Youth Soccer / New Award Given to Elizabeth Clark Duncan

by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

 In keeping with a time-honored tradition stretching back 30 years, the highlight of the April 17 Sewanee Civic Association meeting was presentation of the Community Service Award. Choosing to recognize both an individual and an organization in 2013, the Civic Association named Helen Bailey and Sewanee Youth Soccer as the award recipients.

Kathleen O’Donohue, who nominated Bailey, described her as a behind-the-scenes presence, “humble and quietly effective.” As a Sewanee Elementary School (SES) teacher from the mid-1970s to 1994, Bailey’s “gentle, caring discipline” inspired students to rise to her high expectations. After retiring, Bailey became an avid community volunteer, giving generously of her time to SES, the Community Action Committee, Folks at Home, Emerald-Hodgson Hospital Auxiliary, Otey Parish and Thurmond Memorial Library, stepping forward to do whatever needed done. Bailey was also celebrated for her habit of walking to wherever she goes in the community.

 Sewanee Youth Soccer (SYS) began in 1988, establishing affiliation with the American Youth Soccer Organization in 1994. SYS offers children from the Mountain an opportunity to play soccer in an environment of balanced teams, positive coaching and equal participation, guided by a philosophy of  “everyone plays.” 

Yearly, more than 30 volunteers come together to make SYS possible. Community members, aided by University and St. Andrew’s-Sewanee School students, maintain and line the fields, coach, referee and run the concession stand, attending to the details that makes SYS a special place for Mountain children. 

Volunteers Jen Bachman and Ty Burnette accepted the award on behalf of SYS. Burnette also praised Kiki Beavers, who presented the award, saying, “Without Kiki, SYS wouldn’t have happened.”

Civic Association president Theresa Shackelford announced a new award to recognize a Civic Association member for their contributions to the organization. 

The first Sewanee Civic Association Lifetime Achievement Award was given to Elizabeth Clark Duncan. Past president Duncan continues to serve on the board and as manager of Sewanee Classifieds email list. Shackelford credited Duncan with “rejuvenation” of the organization.

Plaques listing the Community Service Award recipients and the Lifetime Achievement Award recipients will be displayed in the Sewanee Community Center.

In the business portion of the meeting the membership approved the budget for fiscal year 2013–14. Classified subscriptions, dues and meals support the anticipated expenses that include the fee for the Classifieds host Group Spaces, reinstating tax-exempt status and liability insurance for the board, officers and members.

The membership also approved the slate of officers for the coming year: Susan Holmes, president; Kiki Beavers, vice-president; Kim Seavey, secretary; Lisa Rung, treasurer; and Lynn Stubblefield, member at large.

Parks committee chair Stephen Burnett reported that Memorandum of Understanding agreements had been signed with the University and the dog park board to formalize Civic Association oversight of the dog park. Burnett said the parks committee is also overseeing repair of the Little League scoreboard, so games can be held there. 

The Civic Association does not meet during the summer; the next meeting will be in September.

So Many Activities This Weekend!

This is one of those weekends on the Mountain when we wonder how anyone goes to all the great events taking place. Here’s an overview of the terrific opportunities this weekend. There’s more information throughout this issue.

Today, April 12

-an intrigue at Convocation Hall

-Organ recital, All Saints’ Chapel

-World healing meditation, 

Community Center

-Trails & Trilliums preview, 

Monteagle Assembly

-Perpetual Motion, Guerry

-Roosevelt Live! atMcCrory

-Voice Recital at St. Luke’s

-“Silver Linings Playbook,” SUT

Saturday, April 13

-Fishing Rodeo for Kids on
Hidden Hollow Lake

-Food with Friends Lunch at
Holy Comforter Church,
Monteagle

-Trails & Trilliums at Monteagle Assembly

-Art on the Rise at SAS

-Change for Paws on the Quad

-Perpetual Motion at Guerry

-“Silver Linings Playbook,” SUT

Experts Debate Hydraulic Fracturing on Tuesday

How is hydraulic fracturing done in Tennessee? What are the benefits to the state and what hazards does the process pose? Geologist Scott Gilbert and anti-fracking activist Eric Lewis will address these questions at a debate-style panel discussion at 7 p.m., Tuesday, April 16, in Convocation Hall. Sewanee geology professor Martin Knoll will present an introduction to the hydraulic fracturing process to provide context for questions posed to the two panelists.

Concern about the possibility of hydraulic fracturing in this region is increasing since a swath of East Tennessee (including Hamilton, Marion, Franklin and Grundy counties), Alabama and Kentucky was found to rest on a rock formation known as “Chattanooga Shale.” Chattanooga Shale is an extension of the formation that has sparked a natural gas boom in Pennsylvania and triggered complaints about environmental damage and health hazards.

The program is sponsored by the Babson Center, the environmental studies department, the forestry and geology department, the Green House and the Cumberland Center for Justice and Peace. For more information contact Leslie Lytle at 598-9979 or email <sllytle@blomand.net>.

Gilbert has a B.S. in geology from Tennessee Tech University. During his 22-year career with Highland Drilling, he oversaw casing programs and supervised drilling and rig deployment for hundreds of oil and gas wells in Tennessee and Kentucky and helped implement Highland’s contract with the Department of Energy to plug and abandon more than 600 wells. In 2002, he joined Nami Resources, which later became Vinland Energy, to serve as chief geologist and vice president of exploration. At present, Gilbert is manager of exploration for Monteagle Oil & Gas, LLC, where he generates prospects and oversees leases, acquisitions, well planning and permitting.

 Lewis holds a B.S. in political science from the University of Illinois. He has three decades of experience working to address environmental issues. Lewis served on the Governor’s Panel on Forestry Management in the early ’90s. He is president of the Swan Conservation Trust established to preserve forest lands in Tennessee and administrator of the Cumberland Green Bioregional Council, which works to promote environmental education. Lewis is a founding member of the Coalition for a Frack-Free Tennessee, the Tennessee Forest Defense Council and the Nashville Peace and Justice Center. His green construction business, Solar Works, has been building energy-efficient residential and commercial structures since 1979.

Civic Assn. Gathers for Final Meeting

The Sewanee Civic Association’s final meeting for the Easter term is Wednesday, April 17, at the EQB House. 

The program will be the presentation of the 30th annual Person of the Year Award. Past recipients include Dr. Matt Petrilla, Harry and Jean Yeatman, Marshall Hawkins, Karen Keele, Tom Watson, Susan Binkley and Blue Monarch.

Social time with wine begins at 5 p.m., and a buffet dinner begins at 5:30 p.m. The business meeting begins promptly at 6 p.m., followed by a brief program. Please note that the meeting will begin an hour earlier so guests can attend the St. Andrew’s-Sewanee School Spring Concert at 7 p.m. that evening.

The program portion of the evening is free and open to the public. Dinner is available for $12 per person.

The business portion of the meeting will include election of officers for 2013–14, an amendment to the bylaws for the fiscal year and an update on parks. The Sewanee Civic Association is also seeking nominations for the 2013–14 Community Chest stewards. 

The Sewanee Civic Assocation brings together community members for social and community awareness. Any adult who shares concerns of the community is invited to attend and become a member.

Sewanee Community Meeting and Picnic on Thursday

The community relations committee of the University’s Board of Trustees will have its spring town meeting at 5 p.m., Thursday, April 18, at the Sewanee Community Center. 

Following the meeting, at 6:30 p.m., there will be a community picnic at the Angel Park to which all members of the community are invited. (Rain location: American Legion Hall.)

The event is free, but guests are asked to call or email with their name and the number of persons who will be attending the picnic. 

Call 598-1070 or email <slcarr@se​wanee.edu> with this information no later than 4:30 p.m., Tuesday, April 16.

Sewanee Children’s Center Offers Summer Program

The Sewanee Children’s Center (SCC) will offer half-day and full-day (8 a.m.–5 p.m.) weekly summer experiences June 3 through Aug. 2 for children from 18 months to 8 years of age. Sign up children for one or more weeks right away; discounts are offered for participation in four or more weeks. 

In addition to the summer program, SCC is now registering children for the 2013–14 school year. The school-year program begins on Aug. 12. Full-day child care is available for children from 18 months to 5 years old, and the after- school program is available for children ages 6 to 8.

The SCC’s teaching staff draw from developmentally appropriate preschool pedagogies such as Reggio Emilia, Montessori and Waldorf to provide a high-quality, child-centered and fun-infused approach to learning. While awaiting the renovation of its long-time home at Otey Parish, SCC is currently located in Lower Cravens Hall on Kentucky Avenue in Sewanee. The Children’s Center began in 1948. 

The center will host a nationally known family and children’s music act, “Farmer Jason” (Jason Ringenberg from Jason and the Scorchers) at 1:30 p.m., Saturday, May 4, in Upper Cravens as a fund-raiser for the Center. Mark the date on your calendar; there is advertising space available on the promotional items for this event. Contact Paige Schneider by email at <pschneid@sewanee.edu> about the May 4 performance.

For more information or to register a child for the summer or fall program, call SCC director Larry Sims at 598-5928 or email <sewaneechildrenscenter@gmail.com>.

School Board Accepts Teleconferencing Grant

by K.G. Beavers, Messenger Staff Writer

The Franklin County school board met in regular session on April 8 to vote on the Telehealth Grant and the proposed 2013–14 school budget.

The school board also learned that it won an award from the Cenergistic company for its energy conservation program. For the last 15 months, all of the schools have been working on energy conservation as a way to save money on utility bills. In the last 15 months the Franklin County schools has reduced its carbon footprint by 2,570 cubic tons or a savings of approximately $484,523.

The school board voted 7-0 to approve the Telehealth Grant, a two-year $499,000 telemedicine grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The telemedicine program is a way to connect a student to medical providers while the student is at school. The equipment can also be used for teleconferencing.

In the budget discussion, Director of Schools Rebecca Sharber reported on the Basic Education Program (BEP) estimates. The BEP is Tennessee’s funding formula for public education. “The 1.5 percent increase for salaries and the capital outlay inflationary funds have been added together. This means we will receive less money than last year. Because of the change in revenue, we will need to use more of our fund balance,” said Sharber.

The school board is projecting $41,799,205 in revenue and $44,044,692 in expenditures, leaving a $2.2 million deficit. The estimated undesignated fund balance on June 30 would be $1,490,698. The school board approved the budget and the cafeteria budget.

“As all of the budgets go through the process, there may be changes,” said Sharber. The budget process includes department heads meeting with the county commission’s finance committee and the finance committee presenting the budgets to the county commission. Final approval of the budgets is scheduled for July.

The board also approved revisions to the Section 4 and Section 6 policies, and the 2013–14 and 2014–15 school calendars. The biggest change was to Policy 4.600, Grading System, where grades K–2 move toward the common core transitional grading scale. This consists of numerical grades of 4, 3, 2 and 1 to be used in ELA (English, Language Arts) and math. For grades 3–12, students will still receive grades of A through F.

To allow for students, faculty and staff to attend the 2013 Franklin County Fair, Friday, August 23, will not be a school day. May 27, 2014, is now the abbreviated day. In 2014–15, August 22, 2014, will not be a school day and May 29, 2015, is the abbreviated day.

The board also approved the Tennessee Education Association resolution after amending the language that included reference to the Fair and Clear Teacher Evaluation Act. The school board amended the language to the resolution because most of the board members had not read the act in its entirety. For more information on the act, go to < http://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/Default.aspx?BillNumber=HB0537>.

The next school board meeting will be at 6:30 p.m., Monday, May 13, at the board office, 215 S. College St., Winchester.

TDEC Hosts Hazardous Waste Disposal Saturday

The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation’s mobile household hazardous waste (HHW) collection service will be in Winchester from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 6. Corrosive, flammable, toxic or reactive materials used in the home, car and truck or garden and lawn can be safely disposed of on this day.

“Our household hazardous waste mobile collection service provides the people of Tennessee with a safe, environmentally friendly way to dispose of unwanted household chemicals and other potentially hazardous wastes at no cost,” said Bob Martineau, Environment And Conservation Commissioner. 

“This service travels across the state holding collection events in local communities, and we encourage all Tennesseans to take advantage of the opportunity to utilize it.”

The collection point in Franklin County is the Interlocal Solid Waste Authority (also known as the Joyce Lane Recycle Center), 487 Joyce Lane in Winchester. The local contact is John DeMoll at 967-1139. 

Since the program’s inception in 1993, households have properly disposed of more than 20 million pounds of material. HHW material is considered flammable, toxic, reactive and/or corrosive and should not be placed with regular garbage. 

Items to dispose of include cleaning fluids, pesticides, mercury thermometers and thermostats, 

fluorescent bulbs, lithium and button batteries, aerosols, adhesives, medications, brake fluid, swimming pool chemicals and paint thinner. 

When transporting materials to the site, place containers in sturdy boxes lined with newspaper to prevent spills and cross-contamination in the trunk of a car or back of a truck. 

Be sure to keep materials away from children and pets. 

Materials should be kept in the original container whenever possible. If not, place the waste in a plastic jug with a secure lid and label its contents. 

Items that are not accepted are medical or infectious waste, ammunition, explosives, alkaline batteries, paint, electronics, radioactive waste, smoke detectors, any empty containers and waste from non-household sources such as businesses, schools, farms and churches. 

For more information go to <www.iswarecycle.net/blog/index.php?id=9142346605518243642>.

Organ Recital Series Opens

The Easter Term Organ Recital Series takes place Fridays at 4:45 p.m. during the month of April. The series begins today (Friday), April 5, with professor of music and university organist Robert Delcamp playing French romantic organ music, including favorites by Eugène Gigout, Gabriel Piernè, Léon Boellman, César Franck, Louis Vierne and Charles-Marie Widor. 

On Friday, April 13, choir president Michael Petrosh will present his senior recital. The series concludes on Friday April 26, with assistant university organist Jason Farris playing organ music for Eastertide. 

Come after work to enjoy an hour of organ music played on the magnificent Casavant organ in the glorious ambience of All Saints’ Chapel.

The programs are free and open to the public.

Shakerag Workshops Celebrate 10th Year

Shakerag Workshops will celebrate its 10th anniversary in June, with classes taught by returning and new faculty members. Held at St. Andrew’s-Sewanee School, Shakerag Workshops, an adult arts workshop program, began in 2004 with six one-week-long classes in clay and digital arts during the middle weeks of June. Ten years later, Shakerag will offer 16 classes in a wide variety of media over two different sessions, June 9–15 and June 16–22, with about 150 participants coming from all over the country. 

 “It has been exciting to watch Shakerag Workshops grow from such a small program ten years ago,” said director Claire Reishman. Founding staff members Merissa Tobler, Rachel Malde and Christi Teasley, along with Reishman, have expanded the program to include book arts, weaving, dyeing, felting, quilting, painting, photography, embroidery and paper-making. Teachers through the years have come from Australia, Scotland and France, in addition to all areas of the United States. Participants in 2013 include many local and returning students, as well as new students from throughout the United States. 

 Shakerag Workshops attracts a diverse group of participants who enjoy the social gatherings surrounding the classes and gourmet meals almost as much as they enjoy the workshops themselves. Most classes are open to a wide range of participants, and beginners and professionals take classes together. The inclusive atmosphere of Shakerag is one of the hallmarks of the program, and teachers over the years have commented on the vitality of classes which include participants with a variety of experiences. 

“Though the program has grown,” Reishman said, “we have worked to retain the sense of closeness among faculty and students that we had as a smaller program, and our participants say that they leave Shakerag feeling refreshed and energized to continue developing their artistic interests.”

 Workshop participants and the general public are invited to attend artists’ talks each evening and the Shakerag Lecture Series on Wednesday evening. Sewanee biologist and author David Haskell will speak during the first session on Wednesday, June 12; on Wednesday, June 19, Susan Knowles, an expert in Tennessee marble, will be the second Shakerag Lecturer. 

 The Shakerag Workshops website <www.shakerag.org> has more information about Shakerag classes and a more detailed description of the program. Reishman is still accepting applications for classes this summer, and local applicants receive a 35 percent discount in tuition and meals. 

For more information, contact Reishman at 598-5651, ext. 3165, or email <info@shakerag.org>. 

2013 Senior Art Majors Show: an intrigue

The University Art Gallery presents “an intrigue,” a selection of works by Sewanee’s senior art majors Kathleen Catherall, Emily Duncan, Frank Hand, Cara Martin, Virginia McCall, Sally Mills, Meg O’Neill, Sarah Peacock and Sarah Grace Pendergrass. 

The new show will open at 4:30 p.m., Friday, April 12, in Convocation Hall with introductory remarks by the artists and a reception. The artists will formally present their work in a series of talks, 1:30–4:30 p.m., Saturday, April 13, in Convocation Hall, 

“To intrigue” implies attraction or arousal—the wakening of curiosity or fascination—in addition to plotting, scheming, deceit and even artifice. It implies an appeal to what interests people; it implies creation, though highly designed and manipulative. Still, intrigue maintains an elusive quality. This word proves, in many ways, applicable to the activity of the artist. An intrigue, a plot, a design, an artifice—is this the artist’s objective? Is it the art object itself? Works selected for this exhibition participate in the multiplicity of implications carried by the word intrigue. The artists, led by curiosity, pose questions about human existence and begin to construct potential answers. In many cases, both the questions and answers remain elusive.

In the works presented as a part of this exhibition, the Sewanee art majors of 2013 investigate different aspects of the human experience. Several of the artists explore what it means to live in human society. 

Frank Hand’s drawings illustrate the social dynamics of sameness and distinctiveness as figures variously fade into and emerge from an intricate fabric, texture or network of other individuals. Sarah Peacock explores, through photography, what it is to inhabit particular social circles and their corresponding environments. Meg O’Neill’s photography explores the tension between self-imposed isolation and the construction of barriers, and the simultaneous invitation of attention and appeal for emotional connection. 

Works by several of the artists are concerned with the human body. Virginia McCall’s garments treat body as a façade that might either assume or violate socially created gender expectations. Kathleen Catherall’s drawings, paintings, sculptures, and videos call attention to the way in which the body is manipulated, brought under the control of outside forces and subjected to automatically triggered responses.

Others examine the human from philosophical perspectives. Emily Duncan’s drawings and photographs explore existential questions as they relate to the interaction between personal experience, memory and time. The painted surfaces of Sarah Grace Pendergrass consider epistemological questions as derived from an understanding of the human body that relies on multiple (and contradictory) models. 

Even those works that do not deal directly with human subject matter contemplate the objects that attract human fascination—objects cared for, preserved, loved and played with by people. Cara Martin, through the craft of crochet, performs simultaneously protective and suffocating gestures upon collected natural objects and forms. Sally Mills, driven by her own fascination with paint and the painted surface, renders the shiny and alluring surfaces of beloved childhood toys. 

All of these works participate—through drawing, painting, sculpture, photography and video—in an activity in which humans become both the subject and object of intrigue. 

Sewanee’s University Art Gallery is located on Georgia Avenue. It is free, accessible and open to the public. 

Hours are 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Tuesday through Friday; and 12– 4 p.m., Saturday and Sunday. 

Call 598-1223 for more information.

Franklin County School Board Looks at Budget, Grant and Calendars

by K. G. Beavers, Messenger Staff Writer

The Franklin County school board met in a work session on April 1 to discuss the Telehealth Grant and the proposed 2013–14 budget. Under new business, the school board discussed revisions to the Section 4-Instructional Services policies and the school calendars.

Andra Mays from the Tennessee Education Association (TEA) appeared before the board to present a resolution for board approval. The TEA is supporting the Fair and Clear Teacher Evaluation Act (SB 0838/ HB 0537), which would make some common sense changes to the teacher evaluation system. 

The bill, sponsored by Senator Bill Ketron (R-Murfreesboro) and Representative Jim Coley (R-Bartlett) would require teachers be evaluated based on their own work as teachers and the success of their students. For teachers in non-tested grades and subjects, 50 percent of their evaluation comes from student academic achievement based on standardized testing. Teachers in non-tested grades and subject include art, librarians and physical education. They are evaluated on subjects they do not teach.

The bill is also proposing to use a pre- and post-test system that accurately gauges student learning. For more information on the bill, go to <www.legis​lature.state.tn.us/>.

Reporting on the Telehealth Grant, Bonita Nolan from the Coordinated School Health Office said a specific plan was still not in place. “Writing the protocol is a major undertaking and the doctor’s office wants to have approval in place first,” said Nolan. The school board will vote on this issue in the next meeting.

Concerning budget amendments, Director of Schools Rebecca Sharber reported some changes in the reinstatement of capital outlay inflationary funds from the BEP. The state had stopped giving those funds three years ago. “We can use the $232,000 in any manner we want,” said Sharber.

There is also a change from the state to the Adult Education Program, where the program moves to regional. Franklin County did not receive the grant to have the regional supervisor. 

“The county which received the grant had to pledge how they will operate and run our program,” said Sharber. “This means the supervisor position is eliminated, and we would use that money to pay the adult education teachers.”

The state is also proposing a 1.5 percent salary increase. Sharber said they would receive some guidance this month on how to use the money. Other changes to the budget include a one-time technology grant in order to get ready for the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers testing.

For the resolution amending the general-purpose school budget for disposal fees, the board decided to disregard this resolution. Sharber reported in an August 8,1994, Solid Waste Management board meeting, the board voted to charge a disposal fee to county departments and that those departments “shall be notified in time to make adjustments to their budgets.” 

“No notification has been found to budget this line item and pay,” said Sharber. “Disposal fees have been paid for Franklin County High School and the board of education office, but the other schools have never received a bill. A contract has not yet been found,” Sharber reported. The Franklin County Solid Waste department is only going back three years to collect the disposal fee of $92,000 from this year’s budget. Disposal fees have been added to the 2013–14 budget.

Sharber reported the biggest change to the budget was the 8 percent increase in medical insurance. 

The school board is proposing $42,386,658 in revenue with an estimated $44,105,362 in expenditures. The estimated undesignated fund balance would be $1,979,631 on June 30. The proposed 2013–14 school board budget will be voted on in the next school board meeting and presented to the Finance Department on April 15.

The school board discussed changes to the Section 4 Policies, Instructional Services. The biggest change is to Policy 4.600, Grading System, where grades K–2 move toward the common core transitional grading scale. This consists of numerical grades of 4, 3, 2 and 1 to be used in ELA (English, Language Arts) and math. For grades 3–12, students will still receive grades of A through F.

The 2013–14 and 2014–15 school calendars have gone through the calendar committee and been approved by the teachers. The school board has since received a request from the Franklin County Fair Board to allow students, teachers and faculty a day off from school in order to attend the county fair. 

Proposed dates are August 23, 2013, and August 22, 2014. If passed, May 23, 2014, would become the abbreviated day, and May 27 would be the administration day. For 2014–15, May 28 would become the abbreviated day, and May 29 would be the administrative day. The school board will vote on the changes in the next meeting.

The next school board meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m., Monday, April 8, at the board office, 215 S. College St., Winchester.