SUD Board Votes to Terminate Lake Dimmick Agreement

by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

At the Sept. 24 meeting of the Board of Commissioners of the Sewanee Utility District of Franklin and Marion Counties, the board voted to terminate the contract with the University of the South that grants the utility access to Lake Dimmick during a drought emergency.

Negotiated following the 2007 drought, the contract stipulates that SUD pay the University $10,000 annually for access to Lake Dimmick, as well as 35 cents per 1,000 gallons for the water withdrawn. The board considered a number of factors in reaching the decision to terminate the contract.

The Tracy City water utility currently has a supply and treatment capacity of nearly 1 million gallons per day, enough to serve the needs of Tracy City, Monteagle and Sewanee (200,000–300,000 gallons per day for each town). During the 2007 drought, Tracy City could not meet Monteagle’s needs because its water plant was not operating at full capacity, and SUD sold water to Monteagle. 

Tracy City is in the process of raising the dam at its main lake and by this time next year, will double its supply; the utility also plans to construct a new water plant to increase its water treatment capacity.

If SUD purchased water from Tracy City in a drought emergency, SUD would also need to compensate Monteagle for transporting the water from Tracy City to Monteagle. The cost of purchasing water from Tracy City and transporting the water from Tracy City to Monteagle has not been negotiated. In addition, SUD would be responsible for the cost of installing service line and renting a pump to transport the water from Monteagle to Sewanee. SUD manager Ben Beavers estimated that cost at $20,000.

Since the Dimmick contract was signed in February 2008, SUD has paid the University $60,000 for access to the lake. No water has been withdrawn. The last severe drought before the drought of 2007 occurred in 1987.

The University has said that SUD’s annual fee pays for dam repair at Dimmick. In September 2012, Jerry Forster, who was the University’s chief financial officer, addressed the board regarding the Dimmick contract. He said that because the 29-acre lake poses a flood hazard if the dam fails, in the late 1990s the state required the University to repair the earthen dam; the repair cost was $300,000. Forster said the annual fee paid by SUD was earmarked for possible future repairs.

“It is our hope that SUD will maintain a close and collaborative relationship with the University as we move forward,” said SUD commissioner Ken Smith. “We decided unanimously to terminate the agreement and use this money to focus on other issues such as unaccounted-for, treated water loss. This measure, as well as continued conservation by the University and all of our customers, will ensure that we are adequately prepared for the next drought.” 

Manager Beavers also noted that SUD’s irrigation demand has decreased since the University installed artificial turf on many of its sports fields.

The Dimmick agreement provided “additional drought emergency insurance,” Beavers said. Commissioner Smith asked what other steps SUD might take to ensure adequate supply. Beavers said leak detection and conservation education were the best mitigation strategies to lessen the impact of drought. The $10,000 annually paid to the University would pay the cost of hiring a firm to do annual leak detection and “eventually all the leaks would be found.”

The board voted to terminate the Lake Dimmick agreement and to allocate funds for drought mitigation efforts. Beavers will ask SUD’s attorney to draft the termination notice.

In other business, manager Beavers presented the board with an overview of the long-range capital improvement budget. Several 2013 capital improvement projects will likely come in under budget, Beavers said. 

After a question by Cliff Huffman, board president, Beavers said he would research the cost of paperless-billing software.

The next meeting of the SUD Board of Commissioners is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 22.

IONA Readings and Art Continue

The Autumn Assembly of Authors at IONA: Art Sanctuary continues with a full slate of readings and art exhibits. The public is welcome, all events are free, parking is available, and refreshments are served.

At 7 p.m., today (Friday), Sept. 27, there will be an exhibition of paintings by Sewanee artist Bob Askew. Readers will be Caroline McGee and John Shackelford. IONA founder Edward Carlos will offer a tribute to Scott Bates by reading from Bates’ book “Poems of War Resistance.” McGee is a retired physician who lives in Cowan. She is the author of “Monteagle Mountain Murder.” Shackelford is the Sewanee men’s tennis coach and a longtime Messenger columnist.

IONA will be open 1–3 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 28, for a viewing of Askew’s paintings and other art in the gallery.

At 2 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 29, there will be readings by Peter Trenchi, Luann Landon and Sally Hubbard. Trenchi, an attorney, will read from his Messenger column, “The Village Idiot,” as well as some new humor writing. 

Landon is a longtime Sewanee resident and author of a memoir-cookbook, “Dinner at Miss Lady’s.” She has poems in the current issue of the poetry journal Mezzo Cammin. She will read some recent haiku.

Hubbard describes herself as “the opposite of a fair-weather poet” because her muse speaks during the hardest times. Hubbard will read from her “Caregiver Poems,” written during her husband’s final illness between January and August of 2012.

On Friday, Oct. 4, Mary Priestley will offer an exhibit of her nature art in watercolors. At 7 p.m., the readings will begin with Priestley reading from her botany writings. Laura Lapins Willis will read from her book, “Finding God in a Bag of Groceries.” Virginia Craighill will read poetry and from her nonfiction writing.

Priestley’s nature art will continue on exhibit 1–3 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 5.

At 2 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 6, Kate Murray Brown will read from her children’s book, “Sassafras Tales.” Jeannie Babb will read some of her poetry and short stories. Kevin Cummings will read his poetry.

On Friday, Oct. 11, at 7 p.m., there will be an exhibit with works by Sewanee art professor Jessica Wohl and her drawing and painting students.Sewanee student and Dakin scholar Leah Terry will read from her creative writing. Chris McDonough will read from his blog, “Uncomely and Broken.”

At 2 pm., Sunday, Oct. 13, David Bowman will read from his book, “Sewanee Stone Buildings” and the Rev. Francis Walter will read from his novel. 

Readings and art will continue on Friday, Oct. 18; Sunday, Oct. 20; Friday, Oct. 25; and Sunday, Oct. 27. 

IONA: Art Sanctuary exists “to offer a place for writers and artists to share their creative work with each other and the community, and our emphasis is the source: creativity and spirituality,” according to Carlos. It is located at 630 Garnertown Rd. in Sewanee.

Community Council Endorses Roundabout

by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

At the Sept. 23 meeting of the Sewanee Community Council, the council heard updates on the proposed roundabout, the retirement community survey and the upcoming deer cull. The Council also approved changes to the constitution and bylaws.

Frank Gladu, vice president for administrative services at the University, presented an overview of the roundabout proposed for the Highway 41-A intersection in downtown Sewanee. Vehicles would navigate the roundabout in a counter-clockwise directions. Gladu stressed that roundabouts increase pedestrian safety because pedestrians only need to watch for traffic from one direction and because traffic travels slower, typically about 15 mph. The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) must approve the project. TDOT has reviewed the design, Gladu said, and they “seem receptive.” TDOT suggested state or federal funding might be available. The Council voted to endorse the roundabout project to emphasize community support.

Gladu also reported on the Retirement Community Survey conducted by the market research firm ProMatura to determine if Sewanee could support a retirement community on campus. Eight groups who potentially have interest in a Sewanee retirement community were invited to participate in the survey. Twenty percent of those receiving questionnaires have responded so far, Gladu said. (ProMatura said a 7–10 percent response rate was typical.) The survey included questions about the type of residences preferred, such as homes compared to various apartment arrangements. Three possible campus locations have been identified. The survey closes on Sept. 30. To request a questionnaire call (800) 201-1483. 

Among the factors to be considered is whether Sewanee could sustain a retirement community, Gladu said. He cited the statistics that the average age of individuals entering a retirement community was 84, and the average stay was two years, meaning on average there is a high turnover rate.

University Domain Manager Nate Wilson updated the council on this year’s deer cull plans. Statistics show a 25 percent drop in the deer population since this time last year, Wilson said, and a 40 percent drop in the past two years, but the population reduction is “not evenly distributed.” To address this, the cull will target herds that frequent certain locations, a strategy first used in 2012. The full schedule of deer cull dates and times and zone boundaries will be published in the Messenger. [See page 6 for the pre-cull hunt information and zone map.]

In the past, meeting minutes were taken by the council member elected secretary. To allow full participation of the members in discussion, meeting minutes are now taken by a non-council member. To reflect the change in procedure, the council voted to remove references to the secretary from the constitution and add the following sentence to the bylaws: “A secretary designated by the council will take minutes.”

The next meeting of the Sewanee Community Council is scheduled for Monday, Oct. 28.

Hike Foster Falls with Priestley

Foster Falls has long been a favorite spot for fall wildflowers, but this is a first as a herbarium-sponsored walk. Meet at 1:30 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 29, at the Foster Falls parking area for this one-to-two hour easy walk with Mary Priestley in the power line right-of-way above the gorge. 

Contact the South Cumberland State Park Visitors’ Center for directions at (931) 924-2980.

Wear appropriate shoes on this walk. 

Risks involved in hiking include physical exertion, rough terrain, forces of nature and other hazards not present in everyday life. 

Picking flowers and digging plants are prohibited in all natural areas.

For more information call the Herbarium at 598-3346.

Area Residents Support the Affordable Care Act

A group of interested residents of Franklin, Grundy and Marion counties gathered at the Federal Courthouse in Winchester on Sept. 19 to demonstrate their support for full implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). They were also supporting the extension of Medicaid benefits in Tennessee to all who qualify based on income. 

Flo Wilson of Monteagle began the rally with a few remarks on the importance of moving forward to ensure that everyone who needs health insurance can get it for the coming year, either through the insurance exchange set up by the federal government or through Medicaid. 

Pat Pulliam of Sewanee spoke of her own experiences with health care expenses and insurance, and strongly supported the full implementation of the ACA so that all could be covered by some kind of affordable care. Several other participants spoke out with their view.

Members of this group had written letters to U.S. Rep. Scott DesJarlais, which were collected and delivered to the Congressman’s district office manager at the Federal Building. Attendees were urged to share their views in writing with the governor and state legislators, as well, in order to address the Medicaid issue. 

This event was part of recent similar gatherings on health care issues around the state and the nation sponsored by Organizing for Action.

What to do this weekend?

Across our area this weekend, there are great opportunities for live music, movies and plays, a September version of Sewanee’s beloved dog show, gallery exhibitions and readings, antiques appraising, the Angel Festival in Sewanee, the Polly Crockett Festival in Cowan and more. Check out the full calendar of events on page 16 or online at <TheMountainNow.com>.

Make Your Voice Heard

The Community Relations Committee of the University’s board of trustees will meet on Wednesday, Oct. 9. To submit items for the agenda, please contact Barbara Schlichting at 598-1998 by Wednesday, Sept. 25.

This committee was formed in May 1989. According to the report in the May 12, 1989, issue of the Messenger, “For the first time ever, representatives of the University of the South’s board of trustees held an open meeting to hear concerns of residents and to open a channel for communication.”

More than 40 citizens attended this first meeting, where the mood was described as “genial.” Concerns discussed at that first meeting were leasehold appraisals and job opportunities on campus.

Since then, the Community Relations Committee has met each year with residents to address issues of mutual concern. Topics that have come before this committee in the past include affordable housing, Sewanee Elementary School, emergency services on the Domain, Emerald-Hodgson Hospital, Folks at Home, child care issues, the deer cull and downtown development.

The committee’s charge is: To consider and report to the Board of Trustees on issues relative to the relationship between the University corporation and the people of the village of Sewanee. It is of concern to the Board of Trustees that it be informed of matters relating to the furnishing of municipal services by the University corporation to Sewanee.

Franklin Co. School Board Hears About New Reading Program

by K.G. Beavers, Messenger Staff Writer

The Franklin County school board met in regular session on Sept. 16 to elect officers, hear a report on the new reading program and to discuss system goals.

Kevin Caroland was elected chairman; Cleijo Walker was elected vice chairman; and Betty Jo Drummond was elected as the Tennessee legislative network representative.

Elementary Supervisor Fineé Downing gave an hour-and-a-half presentation on the new reading program, followed by a question-and-answer session. The new reading program was implemented two weeks before the start of this school year in order to raise reading scores across the county.

In the Aug. 5 school board meeting, Rebecca Sharber, director of schools, presented the testing results. Because most schools in the county had declined in testing results, Sharber is implementing five new strategies to help reach annual measurable objectives. These included more focus on instruction, especially in math and reading. A new reading program has been implemented at the elementary schools that requires 105 minutes of uninterrupted reading in all classes. In August, Sharber described this new reading program as an effort to support the schools as professional learning communities, where teachers will plan, assess, talk and collaborate on what is working well and which students are not learning. There are also instructional coaches and more help with technology.

As a district, Franklin County’s reading scores ranked (on a scale of 1–5, with “5” as the best) a “1” in overall, “1” in literacy, “2” in numeracy, and “1” in literacy and numeracy on value-added effectiveness. 

In Franklin County grades 3–8, the percentage of students meeting the goals for “proficient or advanced” decreased on all four TCAP tests. In reading, 47.6 percent were proficient or advanced, which is a decrease of 1.9 percent over last year. In math, 42.9 percent of students were proficient or advanced, a decrease of 1.7 percent over last year. In science, 61.8 percent of the students were proficient or advanced, down 1.6 percent over last year. In social studies, 85.6 percent were proficient or advanced, a decrease of 1.4 percent from last year.

The new reading program, created by Pearson Education, is called “Reading Street.” This program “supports achievement, is researched-based, scientifically proven and aligned with the Common Core,” said Downing. 

“The program is designed to teach, improve and enrich reading/language arts, writing, science and social studies,” she said. “This is a program that needs to be implemented with fidelity.”

As part of this new program, elementary students in grades K–5 have reading class 105 minutes a day. The 105 minutes is broken down into sections, including 30 minutes where the teacher reads the script to the children, 45 minutes of center activities and another 30 minutes of teacher interaction. Lesson plans are available to the teachers, but the materials for the workstation learning centers are not. 

“This program was rolled out rather hastily, and we won’t know until the end of the year whether we will see results or not,” said Chris McDonough, school board member. “I think a solution may have been to implement this program at the schools that are not doing well, not across the board, in order to get concrete evidence.”

“I do understand that something had to be done to raise achievement scores,” McDonough said, “but teachers have had a lot thrown at them in the last couple of years. There have been so many things changing in our education system, from evaluations to changes in tenure and salaries, and the way they are supposed to teach. They feel as if the rug has been pulled out from under them,” he said.

“I am worried about teacher morale at this point. This is something you need to be aware of. It is a chastisement to what they have always done,” said McDonough.

The question I have is how do we all get on the same page?” said McDonough.

Sharber noted that the county school system would have to figure out a way to make this work. 

“Principals have been asked if they need help with instructional supplies money,” said Sharber. “The teachers do have support from instructional coaches.” 

“There are those who don’t want the new program to work, and all I can ask is you do your best to help our children,” said Sharber.

“The first year of a program is the toughest year. We should really see an impact in three to five years. But we will see progress at the end of the year,” said Downing.

“The timing was not good to roll out another program,” said Chris Guess, school board member.

“Maybe we need more time. If we can’t meet a specific goal in two months, we need to make sure we are addressing those concerns,” said Caroland.

“This program is time-consuming and expensive when teachers have to make their own centers,” said Drummond. “I hope this does not affect their teacher value-added score at the end of the year.”

Guess asked if feedback was being given from administrators and teachers that could be used to enhance the program. Drummond noted, “nothing we are hearing could be used to enhance the program.”

A teacher in the audience said after the meeting, “I am a teacher with 40 years of experience, and I am being treated as if I were a first-year teacher. Most teachers don’t have a problem with the reading program or because they are afraid to work hard. The way the program is implemented is the problem. We are being treated as if we don’t know how to teach.”

System goals for 2013–14 include that all students will reach high standards, at a minimum of attaining proficiency or better in reading/language arts and math; and that all students will experience academic growth.

See <http://www.boarddocs.com/tn/franklin/Board.nsf/files/9BES5A6B9C1E/$file/Adoption%20%26%20Approval%20of%20System%20Goals.pdf> for more information on the system goals.

South Cumberland Land Trust to Add 95 Acres

The board of the South Cumberland Regional Land Trust (SCRLT) announced at its annual meeting on Sept. 14 that a gift of 95 acres of contiguous conserved land will be donated to the Trust later this year. The property, known as the Ravens Den Sanctuary, has been protected since 2007 by a conservation easement held by the Tennessee Parks and Greenways Foundation.

In 1993, the current landowners began purchasing the property with the intention of forming a land trust to protect it. 

“Over the past 20 years, we have developed a relationship with the SCRLT and Jumpoff Community Land Trust and decided that this would be an excellent partnership” said Kathleen O’Donohue, one of the six land-owners. 

“With the help of the Jumpoff Community Land Trust and another land trust community, we have created a lease that will allow us to live on the property and protect it for generations to come,” she said.

The landowner donors are Barbara Parks, Carol Graham, Kathleen O’Donohue, Nancy Finley, Rose Norman and Susan Gorrell.

For more information about the land trusts, go to <http://www.scrlt.org/> and <http://www.tenngreen.org/website/>.

Sewanee Joins “Say Yes to Education”

The University of the South has joined the Say Yes Higher Education Compact, which offers free tuition to eligible students from urban school districts. Sewanee is one of 11 new members of the compact announced on Sept. 17 in Washington, D.C., by Say Yes to Education and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York.

Say Yes to Education Inc. is a national nonprofit organization that helps children in urban school districts go to and pay for college. 

Based in New York City, it serves nearly 65,000 children in kindergarten through 12th grade, and has been working with the Syracuse school district since 2008 and with the schools in Buffalo since 2012. The organization expects to expand nationally in the coming years.

In addition to scholarships, the organization and its local partners provide an array of services to students and their families that are intended to eliminate any obstacles to academic success. Those services include mental health counseling, medical care, academic tutoring and legal assistance.

The University has taken several steps over the last three years to make a college education more accessible for students, including a 10 percent tuition reduction in 2011, a tuition freeze for current students in 2012 and guaranteeing tuition to remain level for four years for new students in 2012 and 2013.

“The University of the South is delighted to join the Say Yes Higher Education Compact,” said Lee Ann Backlund, Sewanee’s dean of admission and financial aid. It represents one more way we can continue Sewanee’s tradition of making a high-quality education possible for capable students, without regard to financial need. The support Say Yes provides to younger students and Sewanee’s commitment to making higher education more accessible should be a great match for deserving students.”

Along with Sewanee, the new institutions—which bring to 54 the total number in the Say Yes Higher Education Compact—are Cornell University, Hamilton College and Paul Smith’s College of the Adirondacks in New York; Dartmouth College in New Hampshire; Rice University in Texas; Pomona College in California; Denison University in Ohio; Princeton University in New Jersey; and Rhodes College and Vanderbilt University in Tennessee.

The University of Pennsylvania and Syracuse University were the founding members of the Say Yes Higher Education Compact. Over the last several years the compact grew to include colleges in the Northeast and particularly New York, and in 2013 has expanded to premier private colleges and universities nationwide.

For more information about the Say Yes to Education program go to <www.sayyestoeducation.org/>.

Crime Reporting in Sewanee Reconsidered

Two recent assaults on college students have University officials explaining how crime is reported in Sewanee and what residents need to be aware of as they move through our community.

On Sept. 3, Sewanee’s dean of students, Eric Hartman, sent an email message to college students that described two nighttime assaults on female students who were each walking alone on University Avenue. 

In his message, Hartman reminded students to “exercise caution, be aware of your surroundings and report any suspicious activity to the Sewanee Police Department,” as well as providing the contact information for a variety of resources such as the Sewanee Police, the Sexual Assault Crisis Response Team, and the University’s health services and counseling services offices.

Upon learning of this email, some Sewanee residents expressed concern about what had happened and questioned if there was danger to the broader community.

“If this had been an ongoing serious threat to others, we would have alerted the entire community,” Police Chief Marie Eldridge said on Sept. 11. Eldridge encourages all residents to sign up for the alert messaging system [see article on page 6 for details].

“Safety is the responsibility of every individual,” Eldridge reminded residents. “Take your own safety seriously. We can check buildings and patrol the area, but when the police respond, it is most often a reactive response. We need everyone to take responsibility for their own personal safety.”

University Police are continuing to investigate both incidents referred to in Hartman’s email message.

In the first instance, at approximately 1:30 a.m., Aug. 29, a female student was walking on University Avenue near Hoffman Hall when a vehicle pulled up behind her and stopped. A man got out of the vehicle, and with the assistance of another man, picked up the woman and put her in the vehicle. The woman was unharmed physically and was released from the vehicle shortly after being abducted.

In the second instance, in the early morning of Sept. 1, a female student reported that she had been assaulted while walking on University Avenue. The victim reported that a man stopped to talk to her and asked to accompany her to her dorm room. When she refused, the perpetrator grabbed her by the arm and hit her. She escaped and returned safely to her dorm. 

Eldridge said there is no reason to believe the two incidents are related, and SPD continues to patrol the campus actively. 

“Sewanee is not immune to crime,” Eldridge said. “We all need to be prepared and cautious. No one—college student or community member—should be walking alone late at night. We always encourage students to use the ‘buddy system.’ It is safer than walking alone.”

The University has a notification system in place, Hartman said. The team reviews each situation independently, based on the facts and the timeliness of receiving those facts, he said. The campus notification policy states:

“There are times when students, faculty, staff and the broader Sewanee community need to be notified of a situation. All such situations are evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Police and dispatchers are authorized to send emergency alerts. Police, dispatchers and designated administrators are authorized to send timely notifications. 

“Emergency alerts may be triggered by crimes, as well as such diverse events as severe weather (e.g., an approaching tornado), natural disasters (e.g., an earthquake), outbreak of communicable disease (e.g., meningitis) or an accident inside a campus building (e.g., a lab explosion).

“Timely notifications usually apply to crimes and if an incident presents a continuing safety threat, such as a series of armed robberies taking place in different campus parking lots over several weeks. Other possible incidents could include aggravated assault or arson, to name only a few.”

University Provost John Swallow said that Hartman’s message was part of a national effort led by the federal Office of Civil Rights to ensure that colleges and universities encourage appropriate and correct reporting of specific crimes.  —Reported by Laura Willis

Ballard Resigns at Otey

The vestry of Otey Memorial Parish Church announced on Sept. 12 that the Rev. Joe Ballard will resign as rector of the parish.

“The vestry has received this announcement with regret and sadness, understanding the difficulty of this decision for Fr. Joe,” said a letter the vestry sent to friends and members of the parish.

Ballard’s last Sunday at Otey will be Sept. 15, when there will be an opportunity to express appreciation to him and to his wife, Bobbye, for their service to the church. Ballard has been rector at Otey for five years.

In his own letter to the parish dated Sept. 11, Ballard described the serious health problems he is experiencing. He wrote that he is resigning “with the encouragement of my doctors—they do not believe I can ‘slow the slide’ in my health while working here as parish priest and rector.”

“Under Fr. Joe’s leadership, the last five years have seen a renewal of our ministry in the community at Otey Parish,” the vestry wrote. “We are thankful to God for the leadership of Fr. Ballard, and for all that has been accomplished: Otey is and will remain a vibrant, living faith community.”

Civic Association Hears About Marker at SES, Community Parks Planning

by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

More than 50 people attended the Sept. 4 dinner meeting of the Sewanee Civic Association, the first meeting of the academic year. The agenda included reports about plans for a marker commemorating the desegregation of Sewanee Elementary School (SES) and the community park project.

Efforts to desegregate SES in the early 1960s led to a lawsuit resulting in the 1964 desegregation of all Franklin County Public Schools. In observance of the 50th anniversary of desegregation, the Civic Association requested permission from the state to post a commemorative marker at SES. Past Civic Association president Elizabeth Clark Duncan said they anticipate a reply from the state on the proposed wording in October. One side of the marker will list the eight families named in the lawsuit, which was unique for involving both white and African-American plaintiffs. The other side will read [in part]: “The Sewanee community raised funds to add four new classrooms to the Sewanee Public School…eliminating the argument that there was insufficient space to educate all of the community’s children together.”

The Civic Association is trying to gather contact information on the families and others involved in the lawsuit in an effort to include them in the dedication ceremony set for Jan. 20, 2014, to coincide with Martin Luther King Day. If you can help, email Cameron Swallow at <cameron.swallow@gmail.com>.

The Civic Association will pay for the marker, estimated to cost $1,000, with money raised from the fee for being on the Sewanee Classifieds email list.

Emily Puckette reported on the survey conducted by the Parks Committee to gather community input about plans to construct a community park and playground. She was pleased that 150 community members responded. Of the five proposed sites—Elliot Park, the Sewanee Community Center, Woodlands, the ballpark and St. Mark’s Community Center—two-thirds of those responding named Elliot Park as their top choice. The most frequently suggested equipment for a park were a climbing structure, swings and a slide.

All parks must be Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant, Puckette said. Half of the play components need to accommodate disabled children, and walkways and ground surfaces need to be wheelchair accessible. Director of Parks Steve Burnett said the Parks Committee would analyze the survey data, determine the location and footprint of the proposed park, then submit Requests for Information to possible vendors. Other projects that are part of the committee’s charge include the Little League and soccer fields.

Kiki Beavers updated members on the 2013–14 Community Chest fund drive, co-chaired by Beavers and Theresa Shackelford. Last year the organization raised nearly $100,000, exceeding the goal, which enabled the Civic Association to honor requests for emergency funding received during the summer.

JoAnn McKiernan announced AngelFest 2013, held in conjunction with the Angel Park initiative. Scheduled for Friday, Sept. 20, there will be children’s activities from 4 to 7 p.m., including a treasure hunt with prizes donated by local businesses. In the evening, Towson Engsberg and Friends and Stagger Moon Band will perform.

The next Civic Association meeting is scheduled for Wed., Oct. 3. The program will feature Jim Davidheiser, professor of German, who will talk about the dual-education system that he believes is key to Germany’s economic success.

To learn more about the Sewanee Civic Association go to its website at <sewaneecivic.wordpress.com>.

AngelFest Features Family Fun on Sept. 20

The third annual Sewanee Angel Festival, organized by the Sewanee Business Alliance, will offer activities for community members of all ages at this year’s expanded event on Friday, Sept. 20.

With the sponsorship support of Joseph’s Remodeling Solutions and area businesses and nonprofits, the 2013 Angel Festival will have children and family activities beginning at 4 p.m.

There will be a Treasure Hunt for a treasure chest full of prizes. Bring a nonperishable food donation to the Community Action Committee’s booth to get a Treasure Hunt game card. Game cards can also be purchased for a donation of $2. Each of the businesses listed on the game card will stamp the card when treasure hunters stop by their booth or business. When the game card is filled with stamps, players will put the card into a Treasure Box and be eligible to win the treasure chest of prizes!

At 4:30 p.m., students from Donna’s School of Dance will perform.

At 5 p.m., the Phil White Dog Park is sponsoring a Dog Costume Contest at the Angel Park Pavilion. Since the Fourth of July dog show was canceled, part of that popular event returns for  AngelFest. Prizes will be awarded for dog-owner look-alike, the dog that looks most like an angel, and the most unusual dog costume.

At 7 p.m., the Angel Park turns into a concert venue, with music filling the town with the sounds of Towson Engsberg and Friends and the Stagger Moon Band. Bring a lawn chair and enjoy the music that will continue until 11 p.m.

The Sewanee Business Alliance is committed to developing the Angel Park and Pavilion as a center for families, businesses and local nonprofit organizations to come together to enjoy Sewanee and to build relationships across the community.

Smith Renews for Valles Caldera Board

President Obama announced on Sept. 6 that he will reappoint Ken Smith of Sewanee to serve another four-year term as a member of the Valles Caldera Trust, a nine-person board that oversees the Valles Caldera National Preserve in New Mexico. Smith was nominated by Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich.

Smith is a professor of forestry and geology at Sewanee. He will serve on the board with the supervisors of the Santa Fe National Forest and Bandelier National Monument, as well as with six other experts. 

“It is an honor to be reappointed by President Obama, and I look forward to once again sharing my experiences on the Trust with my students and colleagues at Sewanee,” Smith said. 

“We had three Sewanee students working on the Preserve last year,” he said. “In the near future, I will be interacting with the Preserve managers as they deal with the aftermath of two large fires which have burned through in the past three years, as well as discussing issues concerning the financial sustainability of the Preserve,” he said.

Grundy County Faces Looming Budget Crisis

by Emily Partin, Special to the Messenger

As a county commissioner, this is my explanation of the current state of the Grundy County budget. I present this as an attempt to provide the public with needed information. 

The commissioners have approached the issue with due diligence. The budget is lean. The money needed is to balance the budget, not build the jail. The operation of the new jail is a factor in the current decision-making. If you read the entire report you will be better informed. Please take the time to become informed.

So where are we today? Not in as good shape as many of us thought. The county’s fund balance is $770,889 in the black, but the problem is that it is shrinking. 

Having money in a “fund balance” is necessary to maintain good standing with creditors. Consider your own checking account. Most of us try to keep a little money in the bank to cover any checks we write before our monthly paycheck gets deposited. If we do not have any extra, we run the risk of having an overdrawn account.

Until recently, Grundy County has been very fortunate to have a healthy fund balance because we were able to create a nice little “nest egg” during years when revenues were greater than expenditures. This is no longer true. For the past few years the situation has reversed, and expenditures in the county have exceeded revenues. 

How is revenue generated at the county level? Generally speaking, Grundy County government runs on funds collected from personal property taxes, sales taxes, fines and fees, and state-generated revenue from gasoline and other taxes. When setting a budget, as commissioners, we have to estimate how much money will come from all of these sources. We try to make a conservative estimate so as not to “count our chickens before they hatch.”

How, then, did expenditures get ahead of revenues? There are many reasons for this, all of which are legitimate. Maintenance on county buildings, state mandated cost-of-living increases in salaries for staff and officials, outsourcing of inmates due to overcrowding at the jail, increase in medical bills for inmates and increases in utilities are just a few examples of budget expenditures that have increased and will likely continue to do so. 

To keep up with these increasing costs, the county has dipped into the fund balance instead of increasing revenues by raising taxes. Obviously, we cannot continue to do this. The fund balance is shrinking, and costs continue to rise. In fact, we are now faced with an even greater expenditure ahead, the operating of the new jail that is expected to be completed in the summer of 2015. 

The time has come when the county commission must generate more revenue. Taking this step will not be popular because, no matter what we do, it will hit the citizens in their wallets. We have to look at what is most effective.

MGTA Announces Capital Campaign With Major Challenge Gift

The Mountain Goat Trail Alliance, in partnership with the Land Trust for Tennessee, has begun a major new capital campaign, with a significant boost from one of the Mountain Goat Trail Alliance’s (MGTA) board members. 

To kick off the effort, the Ward and Shelley Cammack Family Foundation Inc. is making a $10,000 challenge gift, recently announced by MGTA board member Ward Cammack and his wife, Shelley Cammack. 

“The intent of this gift is to make it contingent upon attracting additional and substantial commitments at this crucial juncture. We want to help make this rails-to-trails conversion a reality by bringing in additional gifts to match that of the Foundation,” the Cammacks said.

The goal of the campaign, co-chaired by Steve Burnett and Gayle VanHooser, is $83,000. The campaign is focused on raising the funds to acquire a majority of the rail bed that would complete the trail between Monteagle and Tracy City, and for operating expenses. 

“With the financing for phase II of the Mountain Goat Trail between Sewanee and Monteagle well in hand, we are focusing our fund-raising efforts on phase III, the Monteagle-to-Tracy City segment,” said MGTA board president Janice Thomas. “The Cammack Foundation’s challenge gift will allow us to build on the momentum created by our recent successes, and to take one step closer to our goal: completing the Mountain Goat Trail from Cowan to Palmer.”

Land Trust for Tennessee and MGTA staff are collaborating on materials, fund raising, publicity and other aspects of the campaign. In addition, the Land Trust will facilitate the process of acquiring land along the Mountain Goat Railroad corridor. 

“We are so pleased to partner on this extraordinary opportunity for the future of the Southern Plateau,” said Jean Nelson, president, The Land Trust for Tennessee. 

The Mountain Goat Trail is a rail-to-trail community outdoor recreation project to convert an abandoned railroad right-of-way into a multi-use recreational corridor between Grundy and Franklin Counties on the Cumberland Plateau. When complete, the trail will extend more than 35 miles from Cowan to Palmer along the historic Mountain Goat Railroad, which once brought coal and passengers to and from the Plateau. The trail will connect communities to some priceless natural areas, including Fiery Gizzard, and provide economic development opportunities and health benefits throughout the area. 

To learn more about the Mountain Goat Trail or make a donation to the campaign, visit <www.mountaingoat​trail.org>.

The Land Trust for Tennessee is a private, not-for-profit 501(c)(3) charitable organization, founded in 1999. Its mission is to preserve the unique character of Tennessee’s natural and historic landscapes for future generations. To date, The Land Trust for Tennessee has protected more than 88,000 acres of land and is working with numerous other landowners across the state. 

The Land Trust works with willing landowners to find ways to preserve forever the historic, scenic and natural values of their land. The organization is supported primarily by financial contributions from individuals and foundations. The Land Trust has offices in Nashville and Chattanooga. 

More information is available at <www.landtrusttn.org>.

Sewanee Arts Festival Begins Wednesday; Events Through Sept. 21

The University of the South is hosting a Sewanee Arts Festival, beginning on Wednesday, Sept. 11, and continuing through Saturday, Sept. 21. (Some exhibits will be open before and after these dates, but most talks and special events are scheduled during the festival period.) 

Events will include dance performances, photography exhibits, plays and readings and music—including a concert by the Blind Boys of Alabama. All events, except the Blind Boys of Alabama concert, are free of charge. 

The University Art Gallery opens the 2013–14 exhibition season with Pradip Malde’s “The Third Heaven, Photographs from Haiti, 2006-2012,” on view through Oct. 18. Malde will offer an artist’s talk in Convocation Hall at 4:30 p.m., Friday, Sept. 13, followed by a light reception. 

Monica Bill Barnes & Company, a contemporary American dance company, will perform at 7:30 p.m., Wednesday and Thursday, Sept. 11 and 12, at the Tennessee Williams Center. This event is part of the Performing Arts Series. Admission is free, but reservations are encouraged; send an email to <mcook@sewanee.edu>.

An exhibition of 16 photographs by William Eggleston will be on view from Thursday, Sept. 12, to Friday, Dec. 20, in the University Archives and Special Collections. Photos are from the collection of university regent Chris Hehmeyer. The exhibition is open 1–5 p.m. weekdays.

An exhibition of Charley Watkins’ paintings and photography, with special performances and readings, at IONA Art Sanctuary, Friday–Sunday, Sept. 13–15. Founded by Sewanee artist Ed Carlos to offer a place for writers and artists to share their creative work with each other and the community, IONA is located at 630 Garnertown Rd., Sewanee (off Hwy. 56-S from 41-A). Kiki Beavers and Kevin Cummings will read at 7 p.m., Friday, Sept. 13. Linda Heck will offer music and readings. On Saturday, Sept. 14, at 2 p.m., there will be readings by Pat Wiser, David Landon and College students who study theatre with Landon. 

Laura Lapins Willis will read from “Finding God in a Bag of Groceries” at 7 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 15, at Rivendell Writers’ Colony. A reception will follow. Free admission, but reservations are requested by calling 598-5555.

There will be a reading by a cast of College students of “Requiem for August Moon,” a new play by Tennessee Williams Playwright Elyzabeth Wilder, at 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 17, at the Tennessee Williams Center.

Rodney Jones and Maurice Manning will have a poetry reading at 4:30 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 18, in Gailor Auditorium, as part of the Sewanee Writers’ Conference Reading Series. 

The third annual Sewanee Angel Festival will be 7–11 p.m. Friday, Sept. 20, in downtown Sewanee. Music will be by Towson Engsberg and Friends and the Stagger Moon Band. 

Saturday, Sept. 21, an exhibition by Watkins Art Institute students and St. Andrew’s-Sewanee graduates Ian Corvette and Kellen Mayfield will be on view at IONA Art Sanctuary from 1 to 3 p.m. 

A gallery walk and receptions on Saturday, Sept. 21, on the University of the South campus will feature three exhibitions of contemporary photography with a distinct food and drink pairing in each gallery: the Carlos Gallery at 4:30 p.m., Archives and Special Collections at 5:15 p.m. and the University Art Gallery at 6:15 p.m.

The Performing Arts Series presents the Blind Boys of Alabama, legends of gospel music whose collaborations have included Bonnie Raitt, Tom Waits, k.d. lang, Lou Reed, Peter Gabriel and Asleep at the Wheel, at  7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 21, in Guerry Auditorium. Tickets are $25 for adults, $20 for seniors and $10 for non-Sewanee students.

Community Chest Requests Due Sept. 13

The deadline for applications to the Sewanee Community Chest is Friday, Sept. 13.

Sponsored by the Sewanee Civic Association, the Community Chest raises funds for local organizations. 

Each year the Community Chest raises funds for organizations that serve the common good. Sponsored by the Sewanee Civic Association, the Sewanee Community Chest supports youth sports, outreach, community and educational programs across the Plateau.

To get a copy of the application send an email to <se​waneecom​munitychest@gmail.com>. For more information go to <www.sewaneecivic.wordpress.com>. 

Through the generous commitment of the community last year, the Community Chest was able to help 25 organizations with funding. Donations to the Community Chest are accepted at any time at P.O. Box 99, Sewanee, TN 37375.

EHH Campus Will Be Tobacco-Free Nov. 21

by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

In an effort to provide healthy environments for its patients, visitors, physicians and employees, the campuses of Southern Tennessee Medical Center  (STMC) in Winchester and Emerald-Hodgson Hospital (EHH) in Sewanee will become tobacco-free effective Nov. 21, 2013. Anyone on property owned or leased by STMC/EHH, including students, visitors, staff, patients, contracted workers and volunteers must refrain from using tobacco products.

“It’s time, probably past time,” said EHH administrator Ralph Underwood. The administrative team for STMC/EHH has talked about adopting a tobacco-free campus policy for four or five years. “Several of our sister hospitals have already done so,” Underwood said.

For EHH the boundaries of the campus include all outside entrance areas and the employee parking lot in the rear. The front parking lot is shared with physicians’ offices. Underwood hopes they will support the tobacco-free policy. University Health Service, located in the same building complex, is governed by the University policy. “Smoking and the use of smokeless tobacco is prohibited in all residential facilities and on balconies. Smoking is prohibited within 50 feet of buildings.”

The STMC/EHH Tobacco-Free Campus policy implementation coincides with the annual Great American Smokeout traditionally observed on the third Thursday of November. The event dates back to November 18, 1976, when the California Division of the American Cancer Society successfully prompted nearly one million smokers to quit for the day.

“As healthcare professionals, we have a responsibility to lead by example,” said Philip Young, chief executive officer of STMC/EHH.

STMC/EHH issued a public statement examining the reasons for the tobacco-free campus policy and offering help to individuals who wish to quit smoking: “As a healthcare institution, STMC/EHH sees firsthand the devastating effects of tobacco—from cancer and heart disease to asthma and emphysema. Tobacco usage slows the healing of wounds, increases infection rates after surgery and often causes poor birth outcomes. We understand that this policy may be difficult for tobacco users and have no intention of forcing anyone to quit. We are simply asking to please refrain from usage while on our campuses. We will be providing educational materials and resources as well as smoking cessation counseling to assist you if you choose to quit smoking.”

Bike Lane Rules

With the installation of new bike lanes on University Avenue, Sewanee Police Chief Marie Eldridge offers the following information from the Tennessee Code Annotated (TCA) about the rules and regulations governing bicycles.

In Tennessee, a bicycle has the legal status of a vehicle. This means that bicyclists have full rights and responsibilities on the roadway and are subject to the regulations governing the operation of a motor vehicle. Tennessee traffic laws require bicyclists to: ride on the right-hand side of the road with the same direction as traffic; obey all traffic signs and signals; use hand signals to communicate intended movements; equip their bicycles with a front white light visible from 500 feet and either a red reflector or a lamp emitting a red light which shall be visible from a distance of at least 500 feet to the rear.

In addition, the Tennessee Child Bicycle Safety Act requires that all bicycle operators under 16 years of age must wear a bicycle helmet on any highway, street or sidewalk, and all child passengers under 40 pounds or 40 inches must be seated and secured in a child restraining seat or a bicycle trailer.

Some key provisions of the TCA include:

Any person operating a bicycle upon a roadway at less than the normal speed of traffic at the time and place and under the conditions then existing shall ride as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway, except under any of the following situations: when overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction; when preparing for a left turn at an intersection or into a private road or driveway; or when reasonably necessary to avoid conditions including, but not limited to, fixed or moving objects, parked or moving vehicles, pedestrians, animals, surface hazards, or substandard width lanes that make it unsafe to continue along the right-hand curb or edge. 

Persons riding bicycles upon a roadway shall not ride more than two abreast except on paths or parts of roadways set aside for the exclusive use of bicycles. 

The operator of a motor vehicle, when overtaking and passing a bicycle proceeding in the same direction on the roadway, shall leave a safe distance between the motor vehicle and the bicycle of not less than three feet and shall maintain the clearance until safely past the overtaken bicycle.

No person operating a bicycle shall carry any package, bundle or article that prevents the driver from keeping at least one (1) hand upon the handlebars.

For the full list of laws that apply to bicycles go to <www.tdot.state.tn.us/bikeped/bikelaws.htm>.