The future of Sewanee’s downtown area and the prospect of a retirement community were the primary items on the agenda at the April 3 town meeting of the University’s Trustee Community Relations Committee at the St. Mark’s Community Center. Also discussed were plans for a community cleanup day and the issue of paying a “living wage” to University employees.
Leslie Newman, chairwoman of the committee, recognized the Trustees in attendance and then asked everyone in the meeting to introduce themselves.
Frank Gladu, vice president for administrative services at the University, reviewed the history of downtown planning in Sewanee. He described how the consultants at Project for Public Spaces helped with vision planning for the area. Now, Gladu said, the University is working with an architectural firm that has been holding community workshops for conversation about next steps.
“We’ve been meeting with people from the Community Council, the Sewanee Business Alliance and groups on campus,” Gladu said. The next step will be development of an action plan with short-term, medium-range and long-term projects. Housing in the downtown area is among the interests of the University.
The traffic circle (or “roundabout”) planned for the intersection of Highway 41-A and University Avenue is proceeding with the Tennessee Department of Transportation.
“I hope we’ll start seeing surveyors in the area soon,” he said. TDOT has told Gladu that it has the funds available for the construction of the project. Gladu re-emphasized that the roundabout will not require the movement or closure of any buildings at the intersection. Gladu offered to answer questions from any individual who had concerns about the plans.
Sewanee resident and University trustee Louis Rice spoke on behalf of the Sewanee Business Alliance and offered thanks to Gladu and to the University for their support of local businesses.
In response to a question from a community member, Gladu said that parking in the downtown area is one of the issues being addressed by the ongoing planning, as well as walkways, lighting and the potential of additional streets.
Gladu then turned to the issue of a proposed retirement community in Sewanee. ProMatura, a consulting company hired by the University, surveyed a sample of alumni, area residents, and community members about their interest in a retirement community.
“The point of the survey was to learn, ‘Is there really a demand for this?’” Gladu said, because the University will need to attract a developer to invest, build and operate such a community. The survey had a 14.7 percent response rate, considered very good by ProMatura. “We learned that there is demand for about 77 units per year,” Gladu said. This number confirmed that there is demand for this idea. He said independent and assisted living are likely to be part of any Phase I development; nursing/skilled care and dementia care would be considered later. “We are talking to developers and operators now to gauge their interest in our project,” he said.
Community Council member Pam Byerly announced the Sewanee cleanup event scheduled for Saturday, April 19. Garbage bags will be provided and the county will pick up all the trash on the following Monday. (See page 1 for more details.)
The Rev. Joe Porter of Sewanee raised the issue of paying a living wage to University employees. He reminded the group that the General Convention of the Episcopal Church had passed a resolution in 1994 that all of its institutions and affiliates pay a living wage. Porter said he hoped the University would follow this directive.
“We are way behind in how we take care of the foundational employees of this place, the hourly employees,” Porter said. “They see all these capital projects going on around campus, and they feel that they are at the bottom of the priority list.” Porter praised Vice-Chancellor John McCardell and his administration for the many good things it has accomplished. However, he said, “This is a Gospel issue, and I want to see if we can’t do what we are called to do as Christians.”
Donna Pierce, University counsel, offered a response to Porter, describing how the University had made substantial progress in this area in the last four years. While the federal minimum wage is currently $7.25 per hour, the University’s minimum wage is $9.15 per hour for regular employees.
“The University is very concerned about these issues,” Pierce said. “And we are concerned about compensation as a whole. An additional one-third of an individual’s compensation goes toward benefits.” She described the University’s direct payment to employee retirement plans and the 60 percent of health insurance premiums paid by the University, as well as the disability, sick and family leave provided.
McCardell also spoke in response to Porter’s concerns. “In our strategic plan, improving compensation is one of our highest priorities,” he said. “We haven’t made as much progress as we’d like, but we continue with this commitment.”
Steve Burnett, a Trustee and member of the Sewanee Civic Association, gave an update to the group about SCA’s work on parks and playgrounds. He described how the Phil White Dog Park offered an opportunity for the University and SCA to establish model guidelines about collaborative park projects and their governance.
After surveying the community about its interests and concerns, he and committee co-chair Emily Puckette determined that the first park to be addressed is Elliott Park, adjacent to the University Book Store. Following that, the parks/playgrounds where attention will be focused are the Sewanee Community Center, Woodlands, the soccer and baseball park, and St. Mark’s Center.
Burnett also reported that the Sewanee Community Chest is only $1,450 short of its goal for the year.
After the meeting was adjourned, participants shared a picnic at the Angel Park and the American Legion Hall.
—Reported by Laura Willis
