Sewanee Summer Music Festival Events

Sewanee Summer Music Festival has a number of events in the coming week that will be of interest to community members and music lovers.

At 4 p.m., on Saturday, June 28, there will be a student chamber concert in Guerry Garth. At 7:30 p.m., the faculty artist series will continue in Guerry Auditorium.

The Cumberland Orchestra will have a concert at 2:30 p.m., Sunday, June 29. It will be followed by a concert by the Sewanee Symphony Orchestra at 3:30 p.m. Both events will be in Guerry Auditorium.

Members of the SSMF will perform at the Monteagle Sunday School Assembly at 8:15 p.m., Tuesday, July 1.

SSMF will be celebrating the Fourth of July with its annual Patriotic Celebration Concert at 7:30 p.m., Friday, July 4, in Guerry Auditorium. Coordinator and artist-faculty member Eric Bubaz is making preparations to craft a series of music that will appeal to a wide audience. 

“The program I’m choosing is mostly a traditional one,” said Bubaz. “It’s meaningful. It goes back to my childhood, and the pieces I connected to as a young person. I hope that it does the same for the audience at the Patriotic Concert… there are both familiar tunes and new surprises.”

The concert program will include selections such as “America the Beautiful,” “American Salute,” “1812 Overture” and “Lincoln Portrait,” among others. SSMF artist-faculty member Mark Babbitt will conduct the group. The Brass Ensemble will be playing at the flag raising ceremony in Abbo’s Alley at 8 a.m., followed by the SSMF Strolling Band as part of Sewanee’s Fourth of July Parade on University Avenue at 2 p.m.

Friday Night Music in Angel Park Continues

Southern Proof will take the stage at 7:30 p.m., tonight (Friday), June 27, at the Angel Park in downtown Sewanee. Local vendors will be offering food, ice cream and beverages. University Avenue will be closed at 7 p.m. for this annual outdoor family-friendly event. 

More than 300 people enjoyed last week’s event, with music by Towson Engsberg & Friends. 

Bring a lawn chair or blanket to enjoy the music and conversation. Future events are: July 11—Hard Times Band and July 18—Boy Named Banjo. 

Friday Nights in the Park is organized by the Sewanee Business Alliance with generous support from area businesses. 

For more information send an email to <info@sewanee.biz>.

Register to Vote for August Elections

The last day to register to vote in the upcoming August election is Tuesday, July 8. 

All voters must present an ID containing the voter’s name and photograph when voting at the polls, whether voting early or on Election Day.

Examples of acceptable forms of identification, whether current or expired, include Tennessee driver licenses, U.S. passports, Department of Safety photo ID cards, U.S. military photo IDs, and other photo IDs issued by the federal or Tennessee state governments. 

Early voting in the Franklin County August elections begins on Friday, July 18. Voting takes place at the Franklin County Election Commission, 839 Dinah Shore Blvd., in Winchester. The office is open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Saturdays during early voting. Early voting ends on Saturday, Aug. 2.

The election will be on Thursday, Aug. 7. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

On the ballot will be local elections (including seats on the school board and the county commission), area judgeships, and primaries for state elections (including the Fourth District seat in the U.S. House of Representatives).

For more information about voting, contact Margaret Ottley at the Election Commission office at 967-1893.

Russian Icon Exhibit at Archives

The University Archives and Special Collections announces a new exhibition in its Museum Gallery.

“Windows into Heaven: Russian Icons from the Lilly and Francis Robicsek Collection of Religious Art,” runs through October 18. The gallery is open 1–5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

This exhibition brings together almost three dozen Russian icons dating from the 18th and 19th centuries, during the time of the Romanovs, selected from the collection of Lilly and Francis Robicsek of Charlotte, N.C. Commentary is provided by the North Carolina Museum of History. There will be related programming throughout the Advent semester.

In order to focus on the “Windows into Heaven” exhibition and departmental responsibilities, University Archives and Special Collections will not be responding to research and other inquiries until after Aug. 10. 

For more information email <Deb​bieLee.Landi@sewanee.edu>. 

Camp Discover Completes Third Year, Children Learn about Community

For two weeks in June, Camp Discover students explored their community, learned about the stories and music of the area, read books about community and recorded their thoughts in special camp journals. More than 80 children from Tracy Elementary and the surrounding area completed their camp experience on Friday, June 13, with a final celebration and barbecue lunch at the South Cumberland State Park Visitor’s Center that included community and family members.

This marked the third year of Camp Discover, based at Tracy Elementary School. The community-based partnership is a project led by members of the Grundy County community in partnership with Scholastic, Yale Child Study Center and Sewanee. Local organizations also generously contribute to make it possible for Camp Discover to provide its rich program, including Tracy City Elementary, the Friends of the South Cumberland, Morton Memorial Methodist Church and Mountain TOP.

The Camp’s head teacher, Sherry Guyear, working with Tracy Elementary teacher Jan Roberts, brought together a remarkable team of more than 30 local, talented volunteers. Former Tracy City Principal Russell Ladd returned to lead older campers this year. Naturalist Mary Priestley shared her talent and time, working with children on nature journals. The fourth-, fifth- and sixth-graders spent time on the Fiery Gizzard trail and learning about the trees, wildflowers and water creatures of the area. 

Local musicians Cameron, Ruth and Sophie Swallow, Betty Carpenter and Barbara Prunty sang traditional Appalachian songs and helped children create their own music. Campers enjoyed learning folk songs and singing, dancing and making musical instruments.

University art professor Pradip Malde and a number of University and St. Andrew’s-Sewanee School students continued their ongoing work helping campers tell their stories through photography. Digital cameras were donated for all campers to use, recording their observations on field trips to Grundy County attractions.

These field trips were connected to Camp Discover’s theme of community. Campers visited the Cowan Railroad Museum; St. Mary’s Convent and Gardens; the Highlander Folk School; the birthplace of the Tennessee Walking Horse in Pelham, where they listened to stories from Miss Janie Belle; Beersheba Springs, where they heard the music and stories of Big Don Hill and saw one of the old homes; and Coolidge Park in Chattanooga, where they rode the carousel with scenes painted by local artist Lisa Turner.

On days in Tracy, campers read a variety of books together and enjoyed projects related to the literature, to the local region and to the themes of friends, family and community. 

The Discover Together Partnership runs both Camp Discover and the Discover Together Family Co-op for children birth-5 and their families. For more information contact Emily Partin by email, <epartin1@k12tn.net>.

Friday Night in the Park Music Festival Begins

Towson Engsberg & Friends will take the stage at 7:30 p.m., today (Friday), June 20, at the Angel Park in downtown Sewanee. Local vendors will be offering food, ice cream and beverages. University Avenue will be closed at 7 p.m. for this annual outdoor family-friendly event. Bring a lawn chair or blanket to enjoy the music and conversation. Future events are: June 27—Southern Proof; July 11—Hard Times Band; and July 18—Boy Named Banjo. For more information send an email to <info@sewanee.biz>.

“Razzle Dazzle” this Fourth of July

Plan to celebrate a “Razzle Dazzle Fourth of July” in Sewanee. The celebration will begin at 8 p.m., Thursday, July 3, when the Stagger Moon Band will play for the Street Dance at the Sewanee Market.

Fourth of July events begin at 8 a.m. at the 42nd Annual Flag Raising at Juhan Bridge in Abbo’s Alley. The Sewanee Summer Music Festival’s brass quintet will perform, and Scout Troop 114 will raise the flag. Afterward, enjoy a potluck breakfast; Friends of Abbo’s Alley provides coffee and juice. For more information or to volunteer, call Margaret Beaumont Zucker at 598-5214. The Arts and Crafts Fair will open at 9 a.m. in Shoup Park. 

The Fourth of July Cake Contest registration is 9–9:45 a.m., at the Blue House. There will be a youth level (age 12 years and under) and an adult level. Prizes will be awarded for best tasting, best decorated and best representation of the theme. In addition, a best of show award will win a $100 gift certificate and get to ride in the parade.

The “Cat’s Meow” Cat Show will begin at 9:15 a.m. in Manigualt Park. Vendors along University Avenue will begin selling food and drinks at 10 a.m.

The Fourth of July Mutt Show will be in Manigault Park. Registration begins at 9 a.m.; the show begins at 10 a.m. An entry form will be in next week’s Messenger. The Dunking Booth will open at 11 a.m. Children’s Games, the fortune teller and face painting will be 11 a.m.–1 p.m., at the American Legion Hall. 

The Sewanee Chorale, under the direction of Gary Sturgis, will offer a Fourth of July concert at 11:30 a.m., at the viewing stand in front of the University Bookstore. Winners of the Cake Contest will be announced at noon at the Blue House. 

Ray Gotko will perform a Carillon Recital at 1 p.m. Bring a chair to All Saints’ Chapel to enjoy the music. 

The second annual Fourth of July Pie-Eating Contest will be at 1 p.m., Friday, July 4, in Guerry Garth. Contestants will vie for $100 in cash, as well as gift certificates and other prizes. Sign up early (the fee is $5); there are a limited number of spaces. For more information call Ginny at 598-5205.

The Sewanee Fourth of July parade will begin at 2 p.m., starting at the Sewanee Market and ending at the hospital. Floats should be on Lake O’Donnell Road by 1 p.m., bicyclists should meet at 1:30 p.m. at Woody’s Bike Shop. For more info contact Heather Walsh at (678) 617-0505 or email <sewanee4thofjulyparade@gmail.com>. 

Weather permitting, the Air Show will take place at 3:30 pm. The Sewanee Summer Music Festival students and faculty will perform a Patriotic Celebration at 7 pm., in Guerry Auditorium, under the direction of Cesar Leal. At Lake Cheston, Jason & Michelle will perform at 7 p.m.

After dark, the Fireworks Show will be at Lake Cheston. Parking at the lake will be limited to handicapped and special needs only. A map of the activities and listing of events is also available at <TheMountainNow.com>.

Pickup Baseball for Kids of All Ages

There will be pickup baseball this summer for kids of all ages every Thursday at the Sewanee Ball Park on Ball Park Road. Play will be from 9 a.m. to noon. There will be no umpires and no scorekeeping—just kids learning and playing with other kids. Bring a glove; all other equipment will be there. For more information call Helen Stapleton at (931) 636-6704.

School Garden & Orchard at Swiss Elementary

Swiss Memorial Elementary School students, staff, community members and Gruetli-Laager Senior Citizens had a dedication ceremony on May 28 for the new Swiss Memorial School Garden and Fruit Orchard in Gruetli-Laager. Students planted strawberries and a variety of vegetables and flowers. 

Belinda Morgan, the school nurse, and members of the Healthy Schools Team began planning this project last October. “We are very excited to see it finally come to life,” Morgan said.

Matthew and Cammie Monroe of TransPlants Inc. in Beersheba designed the garden, which consists of several raised beds and gravel pathways to provide a safe area for students to move around the garden as they work. Monroe planned the orchard with peach, pear and apple trees as well as grape, blueberry and raspberry bushes. Rain barrels will provide water throughout the year. 

The Road Map for a Healthier Appalachian Tennessee has awarded a grant for a greenhouse.

“This exciting project is an extension of our classrooms and a catalyst to teach nutrition education,” Morgan said. “We will offer a ‘Garden Club’ after school this fall as a hands-on approach to nutrition, food preparation, fitness, and community involvement. Our programs will be sustained by growing plants to use in our garden and also sold as fund-raisers.”

McCardell Honored by Monteagle Sewanee Rotary

On June 11, the Monteagle Sewanee Rotary Club quarterly social was hosted by University Vice-Chancellor John McCardell and Bonnie McCardell at Clement Chen Hall. This event provided a wonderful backdrop for the club to honor Bonnie McCardell as a Paul Harris Fellow “in appreciation of tangible and significant assistance given for the furtherance of better understanding and friendly relations between peoples in the community and across the Plateau.” 

Highlights of Bonnie’s community involvement include her work with “Camp Discover,” as a board member of the South Cumberland Community Fund, and her involvement with the Community Engaged Learning program at the University.

Harris was one of the four founders of Rotary in 1905 and remained a leading light of the organization until his death in the 1940s. In 1957, Rotary International created the Paul Harris Fellowship to further the humanitarian and educational programs of the organization. Past president Bill Davis and Tim Graham, current president of the Monteagle Sewanee Rotary Club, made the presentation.

Raising Money for a Van at Canon Gideon’s School

Build it “One Piece at a Time,” is the theme of a fund-raiser for the Rev. Canon Gideon Byamugisha’s Hope Institute and Hope University in Uganda. The event will be 4–7 p.m., Saturday, July 12, at St. Mary’s Sewanee.

Organizers hope to raise $13,000 so that the Friends of Canon Gideon Foundation Foundation (FOCAGIFO) will be able to help purchase a 14-passenger Toyota van. Guests will be encouraged to buy “one piece” of the van, ranging in price from windshield wipers to the transmission for the vehicle. 

There will be live music by Bazzania, a picnic on the bluff and information about Canon Gideon’s school.

FOCAGIFO is a nonprofit organization. All donations are tax-deductible. John Roberts Toyota in Manchester is one of the sponsors of the event. Bring a lawn chair and a beverage to enjoy the evening.

For more information contact Sally Hubbard by email to <sally@hubbard.net> or phone 598-5338.

Plan for a Razzle Dazzle Fourth of July

This year’s Fourth of July celebration in Sewanee, a “Razzle Dazzle Fourth,” will include some of the community’s favorite events.

The second annual Fourth of July Pie-Eating contest will be at 1 p.m., Friday, July 4, in Guerry Garth. Contestants will vie for $100 in cash, as well as gift certificates, services and other great prizes as they eat their way to pie nirvana. Sign up early, as there are a limited number of spaces. A small fee of $5 per contestant will be charged to cover costs. Sign up by calling Ginny at 598-5205 or show up before the contest.

Returning after its 2013 rain delay, the Fourth of July Mutt Show will be in Manigault Park. 

Registration begins at 9 a.m.; the show begins at 10 a.m. Lizzie Duncan will be back as the show’s emcee. All dogs are welcome to compete—no talent necessary. 

The categories for this year’s show have changed: best dressed, Razzle Dazzle doggie, owner/dog look-alike, best trick and judges’ choice. Entrants may register for one category or one category plus judges’ choice. An entry form will be in upcoming issues of the Messenger.

Dr. Matt Petrilla’s fabulous trophies will be awarded to winners. In case of rain this year, the Mutt Show will be held in the indoor riding arena at the Equestrian Center.

The Fourth of July Cake Contest will offer two levels of competition. There will be a youth level, to include all bakers 12 years and under, and an adult level to include all bakers age 13 years and older.

Within each level, a prize will be awarded in each of three categories: best tasting, best decorated and best representation of the theme, “Razzle Dazzle Fourth of July.”

In addition to the three categories, a grand prize ($100) will be awarded to the best all-around cake. The best all-around prize is offered by acclaimed IvyWild Restaurant owner and chef Keri Moser, who will present the prize at 12 p.m. The winner of the best all- around cake will also have the opportunity to wear the winner’s special hat and ride in the parade.

Winners of the best tasting, best decorated and best representation of theme categories in the youth competition will each receive $5 and a Blue Chair Café gift certificate for two ice cream cones.

Winners of the best tasting, best decorated and best representation of theme categories in the adult competition will each receive a $50 IvyWild gift certificate.

Cake registration and set-up will take place from 9 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. at the Blue House on University Avenue. Registration will close at 9:45 a.m., when the judging will begin. Winners will be announced at 12 p.m. Following the awards presentation, the community is invited to view and sample the cakes.

The contest is an annual event sponsored by the Sewanee Women’s Club with the generous co-sponsorship of IvyWild Restaurant and the Blue Chair Café and Tavern.

For more information call Flournoy Rogers at 598-0733 or Mandy Grubbs at (931) 691-4310.

People interested in being food vendors need to register by June 30. A limited number of spots are also available for Thursday night’s street dance festival downtown and at the Lake Cheston fireworks display Friday. All vendors must register to expedite proper placement along the parade route. Vendors not registered may not receive a placement area for either venue.

To register email <luwin@bell​south.net> with name, phone numbers, list of foods/drinks offered and email for the vendor distribution list that will provide more information. Because Sewanee is not incorporated, vendors are not required to have a business license.

Why Did the Turtle Cross the Road?

by Kristen Cecala, Special to the Messenger

With the arrival of warm weather, you may have noticed our slow-moving, reptilian neighbors have emerged onto the roads. Sewanee is home to several turtle species, including box turtles, snapping turtles and red-eared sliders that often cross the roads that bisect their habitats. Pond-dwelling turtles such as snapping turtles require aquatic habitat for overwintering and foraging but must lay their eggs in sunny terrestrial habitats that ensure proper egg development. 

The search for high-quality nesting habitat often requires that they cross the road. 

For some turtles, grassy roadsides represent ideal nesting locations. Likewise, terrestrial box turtles cross roads not only for egg-laying but also to access overwintering locations, food, water and mates. 

Turtles are long-lived animals that may not breed until they are 10 years old, and each hatchling has less than a 5 percent chance of making it to adulthood. Therefore it is essential to the long-term viability of turtle populations to protect the adult turtles that are producing eggs every year. Turtles are declining throughout the southeastern United States for a multitude of reasons, but cars are now one of the leading threats to turtles as they slowly cross roads to complete their life cycle. 

How can you help turtles? 

Look for turtles on the road and help them cross. First and foremost, be safe when pulling over to the side of the road and in crossing the road. Move the turtle safely to the side of the road to which it was traveling. If you place the turtle back on the side it came from, it will often try to cross the road again. For larger turtles, such as snapping turtles, never pick them up by the tail, and take care to avoid being bitten. To move these large turtles, you may pick them up by the back of their shell and pull them to the other side of the road pointing their heads away from the road. 

Don’t take turtles home. Turtles have detailed knowledge of their home ranges that have taken a lifetime to acquire. They know where to find food, water and shelter from cold weather or predators. In novel habitats such as your backyard, they become confused and begin to wander, which increases their risk of starvation, freezing, predation and road mortality.

Reduce large-scale mowing during turtle nesting season. The height of turtle shells means that they can be damaged from the rotating blades of mowers. Turtles are on the move in June to find mates and lay their eggs, and hatchlings emerge from nests in August and September. Limiting mowing during these times reduces the risk of injury.

Notify Kristen Cecala of locations where you see turtles crossing roads. Turtles brought to her from the Domain will be measured, aged and marked for inclusion in a database designed to predict the future of turtles on the Domain. Call 598-3153 or email <kkcecala@sewanee.edu>.

Cecala is an assistant professor of biology at Sewanee.

Buses Will No Longer Pick Up Marion County Students

by Kevin Cummings, Messenger Staff Writer

For decades Marion County schoolchildren living in the Jump Off community near Sewanee could ride the bus to Franklin County schools, but that practice is being eliminated for the 2014–15 school year. In the midst of financial struggles, Franklin County School System leaders have ended busing for students who live just outside the county.

Chris McDonough, Sewanee’s representative on the Franklin County Board of Education, said he is sad about the change.

“Some of those students may happen to be from Marion County, but they think of themselves as being part of the larger community,” he said. “My understanding is that we need space for Franklin County students on the bus. At the end of the day, the bus is funded by Franklin County tax dollars for Franklin County students.”

Those students can still attend Franklin County Schools, but transportation will not be provided for them.

No one from Jump Off spoke at Monday’s Board of Education meeting, but a group of families in the Huntland area passionately challenged the board to reverse a bus decision there. Beginning in August, a bus will no longer carry 13 Huntland-area students to Broadview Elementary, South Middle or Franklin County High School. Students can attend those schools, but now must find a ride.

“My kids don’t want to change schools,” said Derek Crawford, a Huntland father of three. “My little girl’s pretty mad about it, as a matter of fact.”

Some parents said they could not provide rides, and students will lose out because Huntland School does not offer the same programs. School leaders said eliminating out-of-county pickups and streamlining routes saves the system money and also frees up bus space.

“Out in north Franklin County, I have a bad overcrowding problem,” said Ellis Counts, director of transportation for the school system. He said at times bus drivers in north Franklin County have come close to parking and waiting for a relief bus because of overcrowding. Board chairman Kevin Caroland said school leaders will revisit the Huntland bus change at the July 14 board meeting.

In other business at Monday’s board meeting:

— Rebecca Sharber, director of schools, said eight candidates have applied to be the new principal of South Middle School. Sandra Stewart retired at the end of the school year. The deadline for applications is June 13, and she expects to hire someone soon.

— Board members continued discussion of the 2014–15 school system budget, which is pending consideration by the Franklin County Board of Commissioners. If it clears the county’s finance committee, the earliest that commissioners will consider the school budget is in July. The budget includes a 7-cent property tax hike for schools. Caroland said county mayor Richard Stewart conducted a straw poll, and most commissioners said they will not support a property tax hike. If commissioners reject the budget, the school board will be forced to make deeper cuts and submit a new budget.

Friday Nights in the Park Kicks Off June 20

Friday nights in Sewanee just got better. Starting on June 20 the downtown village of Sewanee will come alive with food, drink and live music at Angel Park. University Avenue will be closed at 7 p.m. for this annual outdoor family-friendly event. Local vendors will be offering food, ice cream and beverages. 

The music will begin at 7:30 p.m. each night. Bring a lawn chair or blanket to enjoy the music and conversation. Performing under the Angel Park Pavilion this year will be: June 20—Towson Engsberg & Friends; June 27—Southern Proof; July 11—Hard Times Band; and July 18—Boy Named Banjo.

For more information send an email to <info@sewanee.biz>.

Summer Music Festival Earns ASCAP Award

Sewanee Summer Music Festival is one of 27 American orchestras to be honored with a 2013–14 ASCAP Award for Adventurous Programming at the League of American Orchestras National Conference in early June. 

Sewanee Summer Music Festival (SSMF) was selected as the second-place recipient in the festival category, along with first-place winner Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music (Santa Cruz, Ca.) and third-place recipient Aspen Music Festival and School (Aspen, Colo.). 

SSMF was selected for this award because of its contemporary programming in the 2013–14 season, featuring works from composers such as Mason Bates, Jan Bach and Thomas Sleeper, as well as a commissioned piece by current SSMF artist-faculty member Sidney King. The League and ASCAP present the awards each year to orchestras of all sizes for programs that challenge the audience, build the repertoire, and increase interest in new music. Approximately $750,000 has been bestowed on orchestras since the awards were established in 1947. 

“We are humbled to be presented with this award,” said Katherine Lehman, festival director. “To be recognized by ASCAP and the League of American Orchestras is a huge honor. Sewanee Summer Music Festival believes the exploration of new music is vital to artistic and cultural growth, both in Middle Tennessee and in the global music arena.”

The Sewanee Summer Music Festival is an internationally acclaimed summer festival combining a month-long program for advanced music students and a professional concert series. This year’s Festival will be June 21–July 20. A major highlight of the Sewanee Summer Music Festival 2014 repertoire is a world premiere of an original work by banjo virtuouso Béla Fleck on July 19. Other contemporary music highlights will include Kevin Puts’ “Millennium Canons,” Michael Daughtery’s “Raise the Roof” for timpani and orchestra (featuring soloist John Kilkenny), and a performance of Fleck’s “The Imposter” at the concert on July 20. Tickets and this season’s full calendar of events can be found at <sewaneemusicfestival.org>.

Selective enrollment of students from around the world, a unique curriculum, frequent performance opportunities and close mentoring with renowned artists position the young musicians at Sewanee Summer Music Festival as leaders in a changing musical landscape.

The League of American Orchestras leads, supports, and champions America’s orchestras and the vitality of the music they perform. 

“We are proud to partner with ASCAP in recognizing the ever-growing commitment of America’s orchestras to the music of our time,” said League President and CEO Jesse Rosen.

The League’s diverse membership of approximately 800 orchestras across North America runs the gamut from world-renowned symphonies to community groups, from summer festivals to student and youth ensembles. The only national organization dedicated solely to the orchestral experience, the League is a nexus of knowledge and innovation, advocacy and leadership advancement for managers, musicians, volunteers and boards. Its conferences and events, award-winning Symphony magazine, website and other publications inform music-lovers around the world about orchestral activity and developments. Founded in 1942 and chartered by Congress in 1962, the League links a national network of thousands of instrumentalists, conductors, managers and administrators, board members, volunteers and business partners. Visit <americanorchestras.org> to learn more.

Established in 1914, ASCAP is the first and leading U.S. performing rights organization representing the world’s largest repertory, totaling over 9 million copyrighted musical works of every style and genre from more than 500,000 songwriter, composer and music publisher members. ASCAP has representation arrangements with similar foreign organizations so that the ASCAP repertory is represented in nearly every country around the world where copyright law exists. ASCAP protects the rights of its members and foreign affiliates by licensing the public performances of their copyrighted works and distributing royalties based upon surveyed performances. 

County School Board Requests 7-Cent Property Tax Increase

In an effort to solve the continuing budget crisis in the Franklin County School system, the board of education has requested a 7-cent property tax increase. The Franklin County Commission will have to decide whether to accept this recommendation.

The school board and Director of Schools Rebecca Sharber have been struggling to have a budget for the 2014–15 year that would have a $3 million fund balance. With the proposed property tax increase, the fund balance would be approximately $2.4 million.

At the April 7 meeting of the school board, the draft budget showed a $1.2 million shortage, which included increases in insurance costs and retirement. At that time, the board asked Sharber to come back with a budget that had a $3 million fund balance. 

Sharber reported she was unable to get there. Since then, she has been working with system staff to reduce projected expenses. Recommending a 7-cent tax increase was required to get the fund balance closer to $3 million. An earlier plan had recommended a 33-cent property tax increase. A majority of the county commissioners indicated they would not support such a large tax hike. 

Because the school board cannot levy taxes, the final decision about the increase must be made by the commissioners. There has been no increase in appropriations from the county commission to the school system for 10 years. The Franklin County commissioners will meet again on June 16.

Sewanee Community Invited to Take Survey

In conjunction with the community meetings in Sewanee regarding the downtown planning process, a survey is being conducted so that the broader community can share their thoughts and opinions. 

Please use the link <https://sewanee.wufoo.com/forms/sewanee-village-community-survey/> to access the survey and offer input for the planners. The survey is open through June 13.

Participation in this project will help as the planning moves forward.

St. Andrew’s Chapel Centennial Mass • Presiding Bishop to Preach and Celebrate

The Most Rev. Dr. Katharine Jefferts Schori, Presiding Bishop and Primate of the Episcopal Church of the United States, will preach and celebrate the Holy Eucharist at a special Centennial Mass at St. Andrew’s-Sewanee School’s St. Andrew’s Chapel on Saturday, June 7. The presiding bishop’s visit coincides with the school’s Alumni Weekend [see story on page 6] and is in tribute to the Centennial Celebration of St. Andrew’s Chapel.

The service begins at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday. The Chapel doors will open to the public at 9:10 a.m. There will be a live video stream into McCrory Hall for the Performing Arts for overflow seating. Guests will be seated in McCrory Hall once the Chapel has reached capacity. Holy Communion will also be offered to those seated in McCrory. Visitors are asked to park in the McCrory Hall/Gym lot.

The Rev. John Thomas, SAS head of school, said, “We are grateful to Bishop Jefferts Schori for making time in her busy schedule to be with us as we celebrate the birth of the physical manifestation of the spiritual center of our community.” 

The Centennial Celebration also kicks off the school’s Chapel Centennial Campaign to restore and renovate the much loved but well used and deteriorated building.

The cornerstone for St. Andrew’s Chapel was laid in 1913 by Bishop William Alexander Guerry of South Carolina, the first Mass was sung in the Chapel on February 22, 1914, and the structure was consecrated in May of that year. Except for brief interruptions over the years for renovations, students have gathered in the Chapel at least three times a week for prayer and community. The Chapel is the setting for alumnus and Pulitzer Prize-winning author James Agee’s novel, “The Morning Watch,” a recounting of a young boy’s experience during the Easter vigil.

SUD Board Reviews Water Loss; Hears Request for Adjustment

by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

At the May 27 meeting of the Board of Commissioners of the Sewanee Utility District of Franklin and Marion Counties, the board asked Manager Ben Beavers about old supply lines being a possible cause of unaccounted-for water loss. The board also heard an appeal from a customer who received an unusually high bill due to a water leak.

Unaccounted-for water loss is the difference between water produced at the water plant and water recorded on customer meters. SUD’s unaccounted- for water loss, 27 percent, is slightly lower than last year, although still a cause for concern. Commissioner Art Hanson speculated that supply lines no longer in use could be the source of undetected leaks if the old lines were uncapped and under pressure at the junction with in-use lines.

Beavers acknowledged old supply lines as a possible source of water loss, but said significant leaks would be visible as groundwater or result in marshy areas unless the water ran into a stream bed.

Beavers said SUD had maps dating back to 1953 showing the location of all the supply lines in use at that time, as well as maps from the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s showing the location of supply lines. However, Beavers said, until recently, no systematic records were kept indicating when lines were taken out of service and whether or not the lines were capped. SUD now caps all lines taken out of service and records their location. Beavers plans to investigate out-of-use lines as a possible cause of water loss when the meter replacement program is complete. (SUD hopes its ongoing program of replacing customer meters will help reduce unaccounted-for water loss, since old meters typically give a false low reading.)

A SUD customer whose last water bill was $1,186 more than normal asked the board to reduce the amount owed. The customer’s meter showed 60,000 gallons more water used than normal usage. The excessive use was due to a malfunctioning toilet. The customer, a part-time resident, was out of town and unaware of the problem. SUD discovered the excessive use when reading the meter and shut off the water to the residence on May 5.

SUD Board President Cliff Huffman said the board would “need to rewrite the policy” to authorize an adjustment to the customer’s bill. According to SUD’s bill adjustment policy for water leaks, leaks between the meter and the foundation of a home qualify for a 50 percent bill reduction, but the policy does not provide for bill adjustment for leaks within the residence.

Beavers said SUD could provide relief in the form of “payments for as long as you need with no interest and no penalty.”

Offering especially pertinent advice to SUD customers who plan to go on vacation in the coming months, commissioner Karen Singer said, “When you leave town, we recommend you turn off your water.”

The SUD board will not meet in June. The next regular business meeting is scheduled for July 8.

Local Groups Secure Bonnaroo Grants

The South Cumberland Community Fund and the Mountain Goat Trail Alliance have been awarded grants from the Bonnaroo Works Fund.

The Community Fund’s award of $3,500 will support the fund’s initiatives in education, cultural enrichment and community-building. “The people of the South Cumberland Plateau are creating innovative and successful programs to improve the quality of life here. The Bonnaroo Works Fund grant gives the Community Fund another way to support those programs,” said Scott Parrish, Community Fund board chair.

The MGTA’s grant of $5,000 will go toward construction of Phase II of the trail from Monteagle to Sewanee. “Bonnaroo’s emphasis on creating healthy communities fits right in with our mission to offer recreational and health benefits, as well as economic opportunity, to the area,” said Janice Thomas, board president of the MGTA.

The Bonnaroo Works Fund supports community projects and educational, arts and environmental programs. For more information go to <www.bonnaroo.com/get-involved>.

Blue Monarch Founder Receives Rotary Award

The South Pittsburg Rotary Club recently awarded Rotary’s highest recognition, the Paul Harris Fellow, to Susan Binkley. This award, named for the founder of Rotary, was established to recognize those that live Rotary’s motto, “Service Above Self.” 

Club member Beth Duggar said, “The South Pittsburg Rotary has donated $1,000 to Rotary International’s Foundation in Susan’s honor. She is the epitome of ‘Service Above Self.’” 

Binkley is the founder and executive director of Blue Monarch, a local residential nonprofit organization that provides services for women and children recovering from abuse and addiction. More than 500 women and children from 34 counties across the state of Tennessee have been served since Blue Monarch was established in 2003.

Assistant District Attorney Steve Blount, was invited to introduce Binkley. 

“The costs for incarceration are huge and increase yearly,” Blount said. “When we send mothers to prison, we must also pay huge sums to take care of children. We must look for alternative programs, because prison cannot be the only answer for this problem. Where do we look? We look to people who have visions of alternative programs. 

“We look to people like Susan Binkley and programs like Blue Monarch, where instead of incarceration, separation, destroying the family unit, and spending larger and larger amounts of tax payer money, we attempt to keep families together, to rehabilitate, to restore and to save taxpayer money,” Blount said.

“This award was a tremendous honor for me,” said Binkley. “My relationships with folks from Rotary have always played critical roles in the creation and development of Blue Monarch. And it was also special to be introduced by Steve Blount. His influence and encouragement in the beginning of this journey helped to shape the way we operate today.”

For more information about Blue Monarch go to <www.bluemonarch.org> or call (931) 924-8900.