SUD Prioritizes Alto Road Station Repair

by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

At the Jan. 26 meeting of the Board of Commissioners of the Sewanee Utility District of Franklin and Marion Counties, SUD Manager Ben Beavers said SUD has declared a temporary moratorium on adding sewer customers to the area served by the Alto Road pumping station on Roarks Cove Road.

In an inspection by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, the Alto Road station was flagged for exceeding the allowed number of overflows. The facility was already scheduled for repairs, Beavers said. Since the inspection, SUD has replaced two of the pumps and more than half of the pipe. SUD plans to replace additional sections of broken clay pipe identified in a video camera inspection last year.

Commissioner Ken Smith asked if there were any lead pipes in SUD’s service lines. Lead residue in drinking water can result in serious health issues. 

Beavers said there were no lead pipes in SUD’s water mains, but some of the cast iron pipe laid in the 1920s had lead fittings. SUD tests for lead residue every three years, and test results have been well within acceptable limits.

A visitor asked if SUD had a policy providing for customers to make interest-free payments in the event the customer received a high water bill. In December, many customers received unusually high bills due to a longer than customary billing cycle. Beavers said in cases of hardship SUD has given customers up to 18 months interest-free to pay their bill.

The visitor recommended SUD notify customers by email in the event of billing anomalies in the future. SUD plans to update its email database to facilitate communication.

Continuing a discussion about leak insurance, Beavers estimated the cost to the customer at $1.55 per month. If SUD chooses to implement the program, all customers will be automatically enrolled. Customers will have the option to opt out by contacting the insurance company. Under the plan, the customer will not be required to pay for leaked water if the leak occurs on the line between the house foundation and meter, and if the customer can verify repairing the line. The cost of repairing the line and leaks inside the house will not be covered.

Under SUD’s present adjustment policy, SUD forgives half the cost of leaked water when the leak is between the foundation and meter. If SUD implements an insurance program, SUD will no longer offer adjustments. Customers who opt out will be responsible for the full cost of leaked water.

Tracy City and South Pittsburg water utilities plan to adopt a leak insurance program. Customers with questions should contact the SUD office or attend the next board meeting.

The board approved purchase of a new truck for the manager, cost not to exceed the budgeted amount of $26,000. Beavers said the truck he was driving, a 2006 Chevy Silverado, is no longer serviceable. The board declared the Silverado salvage. It will be offered for sale with the stipulation it must be towed from the premises due to faulty brakes and transmission problems.

Incumbent Art Hanson was declared winner of the commissioner election. Hanson will be sworn in at the next commissioner meeting on Feb. 23.

Voter Registration Deadline on Feb. 1

Tennesseans who want to vote in the March 1 presidential preference primary or “SEC Primary” must register to vote by Monday, Feb. 1. This election cycle, the Volunteer State will join six other southern states on March 1 to help decide who could be the next president of the United States.

“It’s important to ensure you are properly registered now so there won’t be any surprises during early voting or on Election Day,” Secretary of State Tre Hargett said.

Early voting begins Wednesday, Feb. 10, and runs Mondays through Saturdays until Tuesday, Feb. 23. Election Day is Tuesday, March 1. Please note that some counties will be closed on Monday, Feb. 15, for Presidents Day.

Hargett urges voters to take advantage of early voting if possible because of unpredictable winter weather and an incredibly long ballot.

“When you consider the number of presidential candidates, as well as the number of delegates, some voters across the state will have many choices,” Hargett said.

Early voting takes place at local election commission offices or at another location designated by the election commission. Some counties also offer early voting at satellite locations. 

For early voting locations, hours and sample ballots, contact your local election office. Contact information for election offices can be found at <http://tnsos.org/elections/elec​tion_commissions.php>.

Tennesseans voting early or on Election Day should remember to bring valid state or federal photo identification with them to the polls. For information about what types of ID are acceptable, visit <GoVoteTN.com> or call (877) 850-4959.

Voters can also download the GoVoteTN app, available in the App Store or Google Play. Voters can find early voting and Election Day polling locations, view sample ballots, see names of elected officials and districts, as well as access online election results through the application.

Holiday Island-Hopping in a Flying Boat

by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer 

Like many folks, Sewanee Spanish professor Angela Alvarez Jordan and her husband, Paul, traveled to visit relatives over the holidays, but the Jordans did things a little differently: they traveled to Columbia, South America, island-hopping in a four-passenger flying boat known as a lake amphibian.

It’s long been the couple’s tradition to visit Angela’s mother and other relatives in Columbia at Christmas time. And several years ago “this daunting idea” occurred to Paul. Rather than flying in a commercial plane, they could fly to Columbia, South America, in the flying boat they kept docked in a hangar at their home on Tims Ford Lake.

But when Paul mapped a route through the Caribbean, he discovered the amphibian’s 40-gallon fuel capacity was inadequate. Four hundred miles was the most they could travel on a single fill-up. With strong headwinds, they could run out of fuel on the 363-mile jaunt from La Romana to Aruba. After searching more than a year for auxiliary tanks, Paul settled for all he could find: two under-wing tanks salvaged from a wrecked plane.

The next hurdle came when the insurance company refused to insure the plane unless Paul acquired his instrument rating and upgraded the amphibian with GPS instrument navigation equipment. Paul turned 70 last year and with the instrument rating challenge behind him, he decided to put the amphibian Christmas trip at the top of what Angela calls his “bucket list.” 

Months of careful planning followed, but there were still risks. Their fuel capacity was sufficient, but didn’t provide much wiggle room if bad weather dictated a route change. And while the amphibian was equipped for landing on calm inland water like a lake, the small craft could easily be capsized by seven-foot ocean waves. Angela’s mother, Elena Gomez, advised her daughter, “Don’t do it!” Paul suggested that Angela could fly in a commercial jet and meet him there. Undaunted, Angela insisted on flying with him.

The Jordans count Dec. 18 as the day their journey officially began, flying from Ft. Lauderdale to the Bahamas. On day two they traveled to Turks and Caicos. Day three they planned to land at La Romana in the Dominican Republic, but “things didn’t work out,” Paul said.

Anticipating fair weather, Paul didn’t file an instrument plan. When cloud cover forced them to fly below the clouds, head winds gobbled up their precious fuel. Using the GPS, they found a nearby airport of entry and received permission to land. They spent the next two days in El Catey waiting for the weather to clear. On Dec. 22 they set out for La Romana a second time. When cloud cover moved in again, they veered off course and followed the coast rather than risk flying below the clouds at a mere 500 feet above the mountaintops. They arrived in La Romana without incident. 

On Dec. 23, they completed the longest leg of the trip from La Romana to Aruba, and they were back in the air again early on the morning of Dec. 24. “There it is,” Paul announced triumphantly, just 45 minutes after they’d taken off. “You can see Columbia!,” Angela recalled, the memory of the excitement bright in her voice. A little over two hours later they landed in Barranquilla, Angela’s place of birth. When they touched down, they were both yelling, “We made it!”

Angela kept her family informed of their progress via group messaging. She said her mother “stayed close to the computer,” anxious about their safety. “You should never get it in your mind that you need to get to a place by a certain day,” Paul insisted. Safety trumps timeliness.

An electrical engineer specializing in cable car inspection and repair, Paul has frequent business in Puerto Rico, and the Jordans stopped there to visit friends on the return trip. The detour added a 400-mile leg to their journey. “We used 42 gallons of fuel,” Paul said, more gas than the amphibian held before he modified the craft adding two extra tanks.

In mid-January the Jordans celebrated Paul’s 71st birthday and their 35th wedding anniversary. It was an especially joyous occasion for the couple. 

“The trip brought us closer,” Angela said. “Getting to each country was an accomplishment we shared.”

Community Funding Project Invites Proposals

The Sewanee Community Funding Project Committee invites individuals and groups to submit proposals for projects that enhance the community and improve the quality of life for area residents. 

Application forms are available at the Sewanee post office or by sending an email to <SewaneeFundingPro​ject@gmail.com>. The deadline for submissions is March 1.

In the summer of 2014, the Sewanee Community Council approved increasing the municipal service fee paid by all leaseholders to generate funds to be used by the Community Council for physical improvements and amenities on the Domain. Charged with the task of deciding how those funds will be used, the new committee will receive and evaluate proposals. The Council makes the final approval of the committee’s recommendations.

The $10,000 in funds can be used for “practical, functional or educational purposes or somewhere in between,” said Sarah Marhevsky, chair of the committee. “Do you want the sidewalk that goes almost to Wiggins to go all the way? Do you want to see a bike repair kiosk downtown or some more flowers somewhere? What else is on your wish list?”

Applicants submitting proposals can identify new projects, as well as projects that are part of an already existing initiative undertaken by a group or organization.

Seven projects were approved last year, the first year of the program. $10,000 was awarded in 2015.

Four of last year’s projects have been completed: creation of the Robin Room at the Sewanee Community Center for free activities; installation of a special-needs swing at the Woodlands Park; assistance with improvements at Thurmond Library in Otey Parish House; and support for the new playground in Elliott Park. 

Projects yet to be completed include a Girl Scout Silver Award project to update kiosks at three Perimeter Trail locations; a Little Free Library and butterfly garden planned for Sewanee Elementary School; and improvements at the Sewanee pound.

The application form asks how the project will benefit Sewanee and its residents, the estimated cost and budget, who will be doing the work and who will be accountable for completion. For more information email <se​waneepro​jectfunding@gmail.com>.

“Encounters” Opens at University Gallery

The University Art Gallery presents “Encounters,” an exhibition of recent figurative paintings by Christina Renfer Vogel. In this body of work Vogel concentrates on chance meetings, observing quiet moments within larger, more complex situations. Dense fields of color press against placeless figures, threatening to swallow them. With her depictions of ordinary encounters, Vogel both revels in her medium and investigates physical and psychological connections between viewers and subjects. 

The exhibition will be on view in the University Art Gallery from Feb. 5 through April 10. The artist will discuss her work at 4:30 p.m., Friday, Feb. 5, in Convocation Hall, with a reception to follow. On Saturday, Feb. 27, Vogel will lead a figure-drawing workshop in the gallery. Space is limited; to reserve a place email <sjmaclar@sewanee.edu>. 

Christina Renfer Vogel lives and works in Chattanooga. She joined the faculty at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in 2013, after teaching at the University of Nebraska at Omaha and working in development at the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts. She has exhibited nationally in solo and group shows, and has been an artist-in-residence at the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, the Vermont Studio Center and the Kimmel Harding Nelson Center for the Arts. 

Vogel is a recipient of awards including a 2015 Professional Development Support Grant from the Tennessee Arts Council, a 2014–15 UTC Research and Creativity Activity Grant, a Nebraska Arts Council Independent Artist Fellowship and a grant from the Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation. She earned a BFA in painting from the Tyler School of Art, Philadelphia, and an MFA in painting from the Massachusetts College of Art, Boston.

Sewanee’s University Art Gallery is located on Georgia Avenue; the gallery is free, accessible and open to the public. Hours are 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Tuesday through Friday, and noon–4 p.m., Saturday and Sunday. Please call 598-1223 for more information or go online to <www.sewanee.edu/gallery>. 

STEM Names Lamborn as New Vicar

The Southeast Tennessee Episcopal Ministry (STEM) recently announced that the Rev. Amy Bentley Lamborn has accepted the call to be vicar of STEM. She began her work on Jan. 1. STEM was founded in 2002 and now includes Epiphany, Sherwood; Christ Church, Alto; Holy Comforter, Monteagle; Christ Church, Tracy City; and Trinity, Winchester. 

Lamborn was ordained in 1996 and has served the Episcopal church in a variety of ways: as a deacon in a small college town, on a diocesan staff, as a curate in a large urban cathedral and as a rector of a suburban parish. She served as a hospital chaplain and a supply priest in the Diocese of New York. She served on the faculty of the General Theological Seminary, 2011–15, as professor of pastoral theology. She has also done clinical training in psychotherapy at the National Institute for the Psychotherapies and the Jungian Psychoanalytic Association and spiritual direction training at the Haden Institute.

A 1996 graduate of the School of Theology at Sewanee, Lamborn returned to Sewanee when her husband, Rob, accepted the call to be rector at Otey Parish. She earned her bachelor’s degree in English literature from Union University; she earned her Ph.D. in psychiatry and religion at the Union Theological Seminary in 2009. The Lamborns have a 12 year-old daughter, Caroline, who is a seventh-grader at St. Andrew’s-Sewanee. 

“I am so excited about serving as vicar of STEM,” Lamborn said. “The people in each of the individual churches are committed to their communities of faith. They are resilient folks, and so many of them are eager to deepen the life of faith and spiritual practice. 

“Together, the STEM churches are poised to work collaboratively and to join in creative ways with other Episcopal institutions and ministries around the Cumberland Plateau. I look forward to discerning with them the ways we are called to be God’s people in this place and time.” For more information or to contact Lamborn, email < stemvicar@gmail.com>.

Free Tax Assistance for Elderly & Low-Income

Area residents who make less than $54,000 or who are disabled or elderly will have the opportunity to get free Internal Revenue Service-approved assistance with preparing and filing their federal income tax returns this year, thanks to a program sponsored by the Babson Center for Global Commerce at the University of the South. Residents of Franklin, Grundy and Marion counties are all eligible for the free service.

The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program will be available on a first-come, first-served basis at Holy Comforter Episcopal Church in Monteagle and Otey Parish Church in Sewanee. 

VITA will be available 4–7 p.m., Monday, Jan. 25, at the Community Action Committee at Otey Parish in Sewanee. Additional hours in Sewanee will be announced at a later date.

Regular hours at Holy Comforter begin Jan. 31 and will be noon–5 p.m. on Sundays, and 5–7 p.m. on Tuesdays.

The VITA program will not operate on March 13, 15 or 20. The deadline for filing income tax returns is April 15.

The VITA volunteers, who include University students and community members, have received IRS-approved training and will help taxpayers fill out their returns via computer and file them electronically with the IRS. With electronic filing, tax refunds can be processed more rapidly, and refunds can be deposited electronically into taxpayers’ bank accounts.

The IRS anticipates that about 70 percent of taxpayers will be eligible for tax refunds this year. In 2015, the national average refund was $2,797. Last year, more than 85 people took advantage of the VITA service locally, and they collected refunds of more than $20,000. The volunteers are trained to ensure that filers get benefits to which they are entitled, including Earned Income Tax Credits.

People wanting to take advantage of this free service should bring with them the following items:

• Proof of identification (photo ID) for each filer.

• Social Security Cards (if return is filed jointly, all cards must be available, and both individuals must be present to sign the return).

• Filers without Social Security cards must bring an IRS Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN ) assignment letter.

• Wage and earning statements (W-2, 1099, etc.).

• Dividend and interest statements.

• Birth dates of the filer(s), spouse and dependents.

• Banking account and routing numbers for direct deposit, which can be found on a blank check.

This service is completely free of any expense to the taxpayer. In 2015, the local VITA program was selected for a random site audit, and the program received a perfect score from the IRS. For more information about the schedule or other questions, contact the program director, Ben Carstarphen, via email, <carstjb0@sewanee.edu>, or by phone, (704) 675-1025. 

Funding for the VITA program is provided by the University’s Canale Endowment.

Lecture on Rebranding by Alumna on Wednesday

Martha (Marty) Boal Willis, C ’82, the chief marketing officer for Oppenheimer Funds, will present a lecture on “Going Against the Herd: How We Defied Conventions by Defining Our Brand,” at 4:30 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 27, in Gailor Auditorium. A reception will follow the talk. Willis is the Babson Center for Global Commerce’s Graham Executive-in-Residence for the 2016 Easter semester.

Willis’ talk will focus on her firm’s 2015 launch of a major rebranding effort that urges investors to focus on long-term optimism other than short-term market negativity. The campaign, called “Invest in a Beautiful World,” stresses the value of long-term global investment. 

Willis has a long history of support for the University, including a six-year term on the board of regents, serving as chair from 2009 to 2011. She also chaired the University’s investment committee from 2004 to 2009. Willis and her husband, Bill, are the parents of three children; one, Caroline Willis, also attended Sewanee and graduated in 2011. The Graham Executive Residencies are made possible by a generous gift from Diane and the late Henry H. Graham Jr. For more information go to <www.sewanee.edu>.

Health Insurance Enrollment Deadline Nears

Sunday, Jan. 31 is the final deadline for Tennesseans to enroll in coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace during the third Affordable Care Act open enrollment period. With just nine days left, the clock is ticking, and Tennesseans should act now to make sure they have time to shop around, consider their options and enroll in the plan that best fits their needs and budget. 

“So far, nearly 233,000 Tennesseans have enrolled in coverage during this open enrollment period—but there are still many who stand to benefit and need to take action before January 31,” said Enroll America Tennessee State Director Jacob Flowers. “Last year we saw an unprecedented surge of interest leading up to the final deadline, and we expect to see the same this year as we approach the end of the month. That’s why we are encouraging people to start the process now to make sure there’s plenty of time for them to find the best plan for their family.”

During this open enrollment period, there are new plans and new prices available on the Health Insurance Marketplace, so all Tennesseans should explore the options available to them. All Marketplace health plans are required to cover the basics—from preventive care, emergency services, prescriptions and more. And quality protection comes at an affordable price for most Tennesseans, thanks to the financial assistance available to lower the cost of plans. In fact, 84% of the more than 233,000 in Tennessee who have signed up so far are receiving financial help.

In order to help Tennesseans explore their options, there are a variety of resources available so that consumers can be confident that they are choosing the best plan for them. For instance, there is free, local in-person help available across the state. To find a certified assistant who can sit down one-on-one and answer questions about coverage and benefits, go to<www.GetCoveredTenn.org> or call (844) 644-5443 to schedule an appointment at a convenient time and location.

Get Covered America also has a free, easy-to-use digital tool called the Get Covered Plan Explorer, which helps consumers navigate the plans available to them and estimate their total health care costs for the year, so they can pick the plan that best fits their needs and budget.

Those who don’t have health insurance in 2016 may face a fine of $695 or 2.5 percent of their income (whichever is greater). And that is on top of having to pay out-of-pocket for routine medical care and unexpected emergencies. Tennesseans shouldn’t delay and risk paying the fine and high medical bills, when they can have quality, affordable health insurance that will cover the essentials and protect them from the unexpected.

Enroll America is the nation’s leading health care enrollment coalition. An independent nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, Enroll America works with more than 6,700 partners in all 50 states to create cutting-edge tools, analyze data, inform policy and share best practices in service of its mission: maximizing the number of Americans who enroll in and retain health coverage under the Affordable Care Act. 

The Get Covered America campaign was created in 2013 to inform millions of eligible consumers about their new health insurance options, and has been tested, refined and proven successful through two enrollment cycles. Get Covered America programs and tools are now being utilized by partners in enrollment efforts nationwide, supported by more than 100 Enroll America staff working nationally and on-the-ground in targeted communities across the country.

—Information provided by
Get Covered America

Sewanee Basketball Off to a Great Start

For the first time since the 1996–97 season, the Sewanee men’s basketball team has started its conference season with a perfect 4-0 start. The Tigers are now 4-0 in Southern Athletic Association (SAA) play with a convincing 77-52 victory over rival Centre College at home on Jan. 16.

The 1996–97 team finished 19-7 overall and 11-3 in conference play. 

This season Sewanee is now 11-4 overall after remaining perfect in SAA play. The win over Centre is the first time since the 1997–98 season that the Tigers have swept Centre twice in a season. The visiting Colonels fell to 10-5 overall and 2-2 in SAA play.

Sewanee wasted little time building its lead in the game on Jan. 16. After Centre took an early 6-2 advantage, the Tigers answered back with a 13-3 run over the next seven minutes.

Eventually, the Tigers took a 12 advantage, when Sewanee closed the first half on an 11-5 spurt. A big reason for the Tigers’ early success was a combination of great outside shooting and strong defense. The Tigers made six threes in the first half on just 13 attempts. Defensively, Sewanee limited Centre to a 34.8 field goal percentage and six turnovers in the first half.

After the intermission, Sewanee kept rolling. The Tigers outscored Centre 44-31 in the final 20 minutes, which allowed Sewanee to build its largest lead of the game, 27 points, when freshman Chris Kuelling hit a corner three.

Overall, Sewanee made an impressive 49.0 percent of its shots. The Tigers also outrebounded Centre, 31-27.

Individually, Sewanee’s balanced offense was led by junior Brody Stone and senior Seth Brown. Both players finished with 12 points. They were joined by freshman Cody Jones and junior Clay Born, each with nine points. As a team, 11 of the Tigers’ 14 players recorded at least two points.

Anima Baroque at SAS

St. Andrew’s-Sewanee School will host Anima Baroque Music Ensemble at 7 p.m., Friday, Jan. 29, in McCrory Hall for the Performing Arts on the SAS campus. The concert is free and open to the public. Anima will present “Postcards from Orpheus.” 

This is an unusual opportunity to see Anima Baroque perform in this region, as most of their concerts take place in New York City. The musicians specialize in music for small ensemble and voice from the baroque and late Renaissance era, played on period instruments. 

The group features soprano Beth Anne Hatton, baroque violinist Vita Wallace, viola da gamba and lirone player Motomi Igarashi and baroque harpist Christa Patton. Anima’s performances are fresh, sincere, joyous and powerful, and connect today’s listeners with the music of 400 years ago.

Online Survey Seeks Opinions on Sewanee Water

As part of the ongoing constructed wetlands research collaborative between the University of the South, the University of Georgia and Sewanee Utility District, Sewanee residents are invited to take an online survey about water awareness. 

The survey has a new, shortened URL: <www.tinyurl.com/z3dpllw> and will be open until Monday, Jan. 25.

The intent of this survey, according to Sewanee biologist Deborah McGrath, is to help the collaborators better understand what our community knows about water issues, and how we can do a better job of communicating and involving the public in local water issues. The constructed wetland research is aimed at understanding the effectiveness of wetland processes in removing contaminants, such as pharmaceuticals. 

As part of the research project, McGrath said that the project will have focus groups with citizens some time during the spring. 

School Board Approves Study of Middle Schools

by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer 

At the Jan. 12 meeting of the Franklin County Board of Education, the board voted to allocate funding for a planning study investigating different scenarios and options for renovating the county’s two aging middle schools. The board also approved several policy revisions.

Last November, the capital building planning committee, chaired by North Middle School Principal Stanley Bean, expressed a need for guidance in drawing up plans for renovating the county’s nearly 50-year-old middle schools. After reviewing bids from engineering firms, the committee recommended the board allocate funding for a study by the Nashville based firm Olive, Little, and Gipson, Inc. The firm hopes to have recommendations to present to the board by the end of the school year.

Director of Schools Amy Lonas said proceeds from the sale of the Oak Grove School property will be used to help offset the $29,000 cost of the study. The Oak Grove School property sold for $30,000. The sale proceeds are also being used to rehabilitate property purchased for a soccer practice field at Huntland School.

The board approved four policy revisions. The changes defined circumstances when recording of board meetings would be allowed; set new graduation requirements for special education students; defined the circumstance in which employees are eligible for family and medical leave; and set December ACT scores as the criterion in determining class ranking, rather than April scores.

The board met at Rock Creek Elementary School. Prior to the meeting, the fourth-grade class presented a moving and artfully choreographed musical, Salute to the Military. At the conclusion of the program, members of the audience who served in the military were asked to stand. Among Franklin County educators recognized were Lonas, who served in the Air Force, and Anna Mullin of Sewanee, who served in the Marines. Mullin teaches geometry at Franklin County High School and is the Tennessee School Board Association teacher representative for Franklin County.

Lonas praised Rock Creek Principal Celina Benere for embracing technology as a learning and teaching tool. Benere expressed gratitude for the dedication of Rock Creek teachers and staff who worked together like a “family.” She pointed to several innovative programs at the school. The Rocket Reading Rewards promote “fun” reading by rewarding students for the time they spend reading for pleasure. In the Whole Brain Teaching methodology recently employed on a pilot basis, students engage all five senses in the learning process.

The next meeting is on Feb. 8.

SES Girls Win Basketball Tourney

The Sewanee Elementary girls’ basketball team defeated Broadview Elementary on Jan. 9 in the Rebelette New Year’s Holiday Classic Tournament, winning the tournament. The team won earlier in the tourney against Farrar Elementary and Huntland Elementary to place them in the championship game. 

The SES Tigers played awesome defense and great offense throughout the intense game. Broadview had an impressive defensive full-court press strategy. 

The top scorers of the game were Madison King with 12 points and Lakin Laurendine with 11 points. Ada Watkins and Emily Bailey each also scored a basket for the Tigers. 

SES Tigers were crowned the tournament champions with a final score of 27-14. 

The team is coached by Barbara King and Tia Stevenson.

SUD Addresses Water Billing Concerns :: New Commissioner Will be Elected in January

by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

Some Sewanee Utility District (SUD) customers in the Jump Off, Midway, St. Andrew’s-Sewanee School and Sherwood communities received unusually high water bills in December. Many contacted the SUD office, expressing confusion and dismay.

“There were no meter problems,” SUD manager Ben Beavers said. 

The higher than normal bills occurred because the billing period for affected customers was more than two weeks longer than the usual billing period, Beavers explained. The Thanksgiving holiday also fell in this period, which may have increased water usage for some households due to guests and children home from college.

The longer billing cycle resulted from a change in the date of the meter reading. The meters were not read until completion of the warranty work replacing the encoder receiver transmitters, a communication component on each meter. The meters of the customers who received high bills were read on Dec. 16 or Dec. 17, instead of Dec. 1, Beavers said. The computer software generating bills erroneously printed the dates of the billing period as Nov. 1 to Dec. 1.

Next month, the affected customers will receive a bill reflecting a short two-week billing period from Dec. 16 or Dec. 17 to Jan. 1, which Beavers expects will be a much lower reading than usual. Beginning in Jan. the billing cycle will return to the regular monthly schedule coinciding with the calendar month.

High water bills are typically the result of a leak on the customer’s side of the meter. Once water passes through the meter, it is the customer’s responsibility, according to SUD policies.

If the customer is in doubt about the water usage recorded on the meter, SUD will have the meter tested at the customer’s request. The customer will be required to pay a meter testing deposit of $50. SUD will remove the meter and have it tested by an outside agency. If the meter proves to be within the accuracy guidelines established by the American Water Works Association (AWWA), the meter is deemed to be accurate. If the meter tests accurate, the customer forfeits the meter testing deposit and must pay the bill in question. If the meter fails to meet AWWA standards, SUD will refund the deposit, repair or replace the meter and adjust the customer’s bill by the percentage of error shown in the test. SUD’s experience is that as meters age, they tend to record less water than actually passes through them, erring in the customer’s favor.

SUD recently replaced all its meters, a process that began in 2014. For customers with a slight water usage increase in the past two years, it could be due to more accurate metering after the new meter was installed. SUD elects commissioners in January of each year. Voting for the one opening on the board began on Jan. 4 and ends at 4:30 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 26; voting is conducted at the SUD office on Sherwood Road. 

Commissioner Art Hanson, who currently holds the seat, was the only SUD customer to express an interest in serving on the board and is therefore the only candidate on the ballot; there is a place for write-in candidates. The SUD board advertised this opening in the Messenger. Commissioners must be SUD customers. They are limited to two consecutive four-year terms.

Commissioner Ken Smith’s term expires in January 2017. The terms of commissioners Karen Singer and Randall Henley expire in January 2018. Commissioner Ronnie Hoosier’s term expires in January 2019.

All SUD board meetings are open to the public. The SUD board meets on the fourth Tuesday of each month, unless otherwise announced. The board next meets on Jan. 26, when ballots for the election will be counted.

Easter Convocation at All Saints’ on Monday

Opening Convocation for the Easter semester of the University of the South will be at noon, Monday, Jan. 11, in All Saints’ Chapel. Honorary degrees will be presented, and new members will be inducted into the Order of Gownsmen. 

Leon Botstein will give the Convocation address and will receive an honorary degree. Honorary degrees will also be presented during the Convocation to Harvard English professor James Engell and Brian Seage, bishop coadjutor of the Diocese of Mississippi. 

Botstein is an orchestra conductor, musicologist and college president who has pursued dual careers in music and education. He is the music director and principal conductor of the American Symphony Orchestra and president of Bard College in Annandale, N.Y., a member of the Association of Episcopal Colleges. Since becoming president of Bard College in 1975, he has extended the college’s reach internationally, guiding the creation of new programs on several continents, while also leading Bard to become a forerunner in art and culture. 

Botstein, who is the Leon Levy Professor in the Arts and Humanities at Bard, has been a pioneer in linking the liberal arts and higher education to public secondary schools. During his 40-year tenure, Bard has established eight graduate schools, the Bard College Conservatory of Music and the Levy Economics Institute. As music director of the American Symphony Orchestra and founder and co-artistic director of the Bard Music Festival, Botstein is known for his innovative programs and interest in contemporary and neglected repertory. He will receive an honorary doctor of music.

Engell is Gurney Professor of English and professor of comparative literature at Harvard University and a faculty associate of the Harvard University Center for the Environment. Engell has taught at Harvard since 1978, and has taught environmental seminars at the National Humanities Center and for a consortium of nine North American and Asian universities. 

His award-winning book, “Environment: An Interdisciplinary Anthology,” was the first major anthology to apply a fully interdisciplinary approach to environmental studies. His 2005 book, “Saving Higher Education in the Age of Money,” addresses the value of the liberal arts and the choice today’s students are offered between the practical sciences or business and economic success or the traditional liberal arts and expected poverty. 

Engell earned both a bachelor’s and a doctorate degree from Harvard, devoting more than 40 years to the institution, and has received numerous teaching awards at his alma mater. He will receive an honorary doctor of letters.

The Rt. Rev. Brian R. Seage was elected bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi in 2014, succeeding the Rt. Rev. Duncan M. Gray III as the 10th bishop of Mississippi. In the Diocese of Mississippi, Seage served as a Fresh Start facilitator and on the diocese’s executive committee. He was also a member of the diocesan Restructure Task Force. Seage previously was the rector at St. Columb’s in Ridgeland, Miss., where he served since 2005. 

He holds an undergraduate degree from Pepperdine University and a master of divinity from the Episcopal Theological Seminary of the Southwest. An evangelist at heart, he is committed to inviting, transforming and reconciling. Ordained a priest in 1998, Seage grew both attendance and programming at the churches he served in Mississippi. He will receive an honorary doctor of divinity.

Convocation will be streamed live for those who are unable to attend. For more information go to <sewanee.edu>.

New Leader for Regional Health System

LifePoint Health announced on Jan. 4 that Rob Followell has been named market president of Southern Tennessee Regional Health System (STRHS), effective Jan. 29. In this role, Followell will serve as chief executive officer (CEO) for STRHS’ Winchester and Sewanee facilities, as well as market president of the four-hospital health system, which also includes facilities in Lawrenceburg and Pulaski. 

STRHS is part of LifePoint Health, a healthcare company dedicated to making communities healthier. 

Followell will replace Jerry Dooley, who has led STRHS on an interim basis since July 2015. 

“We are fortunate to have someone with Rob’s capabilities and experience assume this important leadership role moving forward,” said Robert Klein, chief operating officer of LifePoint Health’s Central Group. 

“Rob is an effective and creative executive with proven leadership skills and abilities. He has worked in many diverse health systems and operational situations. He is a perfect fit to lead STRHS and its four hospitals into the future.” 

Followell has more than 20 years of experience, including service as CEO at North Knoxville Medical Center; Greenbrier Valley (W. Va.) Medical Center; Chilton (Ala.) Medical Center; and Chestatee (Ga.) Regional Hospital. For more information go to <southerntennessee.com>.

Helton Receives Award from Animal Harbor

Dr. Traci Helton was presented with the Jean Patton Humanitarian Award in November at Animal Harbor’s Party for Paws event. The award, established in 2003 in honor of Jean Patton, is presented each year to a person who has made a significant contribution to the Humane Society’s mission to reduce pet overpopulation and improve the lives of companion animals in Franklin County. 

Helton is originally from upstate New York and is a graduate of Cornell University and the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine. She came to Franklin County in 1995. Mobile Veterinary Services was started in 2003, allowing her the opportunity to treat animals all across the county. In 2013 she opened her clinic, Midtown Veterinary Services and Hospital, in Winchester. Helton is certified as an animal chiropractic by the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association and has a certificate in veterinary acupuncture from the Chi Institute in Florida. 

Helton has supported Animal Harbor by coming to the shelter every month to issue health certificates to dogs scheduled for transport on the Rescue Waggin’. She also makes house calls to foster parents’ homes to check out their pups. Helton helped Animal Harbor spay or neuter 166 feral cats as part of the Trap-Neuter-Return project.

“Thank you so much for this honor and recognition. I am fortunate to be able to earn my living providing medical care to companion animals. I strive to make pet’s lives and their caretaker’s as full and enjoyable as possible,” Helton said. 

“Dr. Helton works every day to improve the lives of companion animals in Franklin County,” said Patricia Dover, Animal Harbor president. “We are honored to present her with the Jean Patton Humanitarian Award.”

School Board Considers Options for Schedule Changes at FCHS

by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

At the Jan. 4 meeting of the Franklin County Board of Education, the board heard recommendations from the scheduling committee formed last August to examine alternatives at the high school level. The committee was created to address concerns about the short amount of time—12 weeks—from the beginning of school until students would be evaluated under the new Tennessee Ready assessment. Committee members ultimately decided the time window for testing was not the most important factor for Franklin County schools, but rather the time needed to support student learning and prepare students for the next level of education.

The current Franklin County High School schedule consists of four 90-minute instructional blocks on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, with instructional blocks shortened to 80 minutes on Wednesday to make time for teacher collaboration. Occasionally, instructional blocks are shortened to 78 minutes to accommodate special activities such as pep rallies.

Schedule committee chairman Greg Mantooth, who is principal at Franklin County High School, said the committee investigated and dismissed as inadequate a seven-period schedule and a modified block schedule. The seven-period schedule (with students enrolled in a course for the entire year) limited opportunities for students to take enrichment classes, and the shorter class time limited lab and work-based learning experiences. With the modified block schedule (where students receive instruction in a subject  every other day), teachers reported students had difficulty retaining information. Both alternatives were rejected.

The committee faced the challenge of identifying a schedule consistent with implementing state-mandated Response to Instruction and Intervention (RTI²) practices at the high school level, a teaching model intended to focus on individual student needs that was previously only required in lower grades. The committee recommended a 78-minute block schedule with a daily 35-minute RTI² block mid-morning for intervention.

“All students would receive intervention,” Mantooth said, “some in the form of remedial help and others in the form of enrichment.” Students not requiring remedial help would receive enrichment during the daily RTI² block.

The Lawrence County Schools RTI² scheduling model guided the committee in making its recommendation to the board. The committee foresees a likely need for RTI² teachers in English, math, the sciences and reading. Mantooth will review registration projections to determine hiring needs and present them to the board.

The committee also suggested the board consider reducing the number of credits required for graduation from 28 to 26. Together with block scheduling, the reduced credit requirement would allow some students to graduate in December rather than June, and allow others to attend school part of the day and work part of the day during their senior year.

The board also received reports on Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs offered at Franklin County High School.

Students enrolled in Mechatronics learn to troubleshoot and program systems employing a combination of mechanics, electronics, automation, robotics and information technology. In another class, students utilize a 3-D printer to turn digital designs into three-dimensional models. In one project, a student successfully designed an addition to his father’s prosthetic arm. Students in the welding program do virtual welding on a computer screen, avoiding the dangers inherent in the high-heat process, before going into a real shop and putting their newly acquired skills into practice. The Automotive College and Career Readiness programs teach auto maintenance, light repair and collision repair, preparing students for the on-the-job experience and post-secondary instruction required for certification.

Board member Christine Hopkins stressed the importance of all students knowing that the high school offered the CTE courses, “because that’s where the jobs are.” CTE instructors conduct career fairs at the middle schools each spring to inform students about opportunities available to them at the high school level.

The board next meets at Rock Creek Elementary School on Tuesday,
Jan. 12, a departure from the regular meeting day on the second Monday of the month. A musical presentation beginning at 6 p.m. will precede the meeting, scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m.