Celebrating its 27th summer session, the Sewanee Writers’ Conference (SWC) will continue through Saturday, July 30, and feature readings, panels, and lectures by distinguished faculty and nationally recognized editors, publishers and literary agents. All readings and lectures are free, open to the public, and held on campus in the Mary Sue Cushman Room of the Bairnwick Women’s Center.
At 9 a.m., today (Friday), July 29 readings begin with Gwen E. Kirby, Adam Latham and Megan Roberts, SWC staff. Former Poet Laureate of the United States, Robert Hass, will give a lecture and Ken Weitzman and B.H. Fairchild will read.
On Saturday, July 30 readings will be given by Maurice Manning and Richard Bausch.
A complete conference schedule can be found online at <www.sewaneewriters.org/schedule>. Authors’ books are available at the University Book & Supply Store.
Supported by the Walter E. Dakin Memorial Fund established through the estate of the late Tennessee Williams, the Sewanee Writers’ Conference offers instruction and criticism to writers through a series of workshops, readings, and craft lectures in poetry, fiction and playwriting. The SWC also offers a poetry translation workshop.
For more information, call (931) 598-1654 or visit <sewaneewriters.org>.
Thursday, July 28, 2016
STEM Program for Girls
by Bailey Basham, Messenger Intern
Jamie Treadwell, Education Director at the Hands on Science Center (HOSC) in Tullahoma was one of 15 science education program leaders to attend a workshop in Miami focused on marketing STEM programs to young girls. STEM is an acronym for the fields of science, technology, engineering and math.
The workshop, Exhibit Design for Girls Engagement (EDGE), was facilitated by the San Francisco Exploratorium and funded by a $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation. The goal of the workshop was to educate those in attendance on how to create girl-friendly exhibits and programs.
“There is currently a trend towards girls-only programs so that they are less intimidated,” said Treadwell. “Because STEM has been perceived as a male topic, there are fewer women who seek careers that are math- and science-based. We are trying to change those perceptions to encourage girls to consider careers in the field of science.”
Unlike more traditional marketing strategies, Treadwell said the EDGE workshop taught her that making everything pink isn’t necessarily the way to appeal to girls.
“It’s not about making things pink—even though that’s what everyone thinks. It’s about making it more friendly and familiar, making things have a more homey feel with less technology, steel and chrome,” said Treadwell. “Traditionally speaking, technology is chrome, gears and high-tech. That’s intimidating to women and also a lot of people that don’t consider themselves tech-savvy. By making it more welcoming to girls, you’re making it more welcoming to people in general.”
Following the workshop, Treadwell coordinated a camp specifically for first through sixth grade girls interested in STEM. This camp was recently held at HOSC in July.
Kellye Burns, HOSC intern and physics major at Clemson University, served as a camp director for the STEM program.
For Burns, giving girls the opportunity to study STEM just makes sense.
“Humans love to tell stories, and the greatest story that we could hope to tell is the story of us. It is impossible to talk about human history without talking about the invention of the wheel, the use of simple machines to build the pyramids, the bridges we built, the weapons we redesigned and going to the moon. STEM is the language we use to write our story,” said Burns. “Now imagine only letting half of the population write the story. Take our story and cut it in half. Delete Sally Ride’s trips to space. Delete Madam Curie’s discoveries about radioactivity. Delete Joan Clarke’s work with computers and crypt-analysis. Delete all of the chapters like this, and no one is going to buy the book.
That is why it is important that girls have just as much opportunity to study STEM. It’s not about equal pay. It’s not about diversity. It’s not about using “women” as a buzzword to get more grants. It’s about filling our space in the universe, and men cannot do it alone.”
Burns said it was her goal at the camp to empower the girls with the tools and understanding to overcome the struggles they might face in the world of STEM. The girls left the camp with their interests in STEM validated, but they weren’t the only ones who were rewarded.
“At the end of the camp, every girl walked out excited to talk to their parents about astronomy or about estimating the amount of Ping-Pong balls in a box or about how they got to Skype a female graduate student at CERN,” said Burns. “I watched those young girls become extraordinary.”
The HOSC is located at 101 Mitchell Blvd. in Tullahoma. It is open Tuesday–Saturday, 10 a.m.–6 p.m. For more information go to <www.hosc.org>.
Jamie Treadwell, Education Director at the Hands on Science Center (HOSC) in Tullahoma was one of 15 science education program leaders to attend a workshop in Miami focused on marketing STEM programs to young girls. STEM is an acronym for the fields of science, technology, engineering and math.
The workshop, Exhibit Design for Girls Engagement (EDGE), was facilitated by the San Francisco Exploratorium and funded by a $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation. The goal of the workshop was to educate those in attendance on how to create girl-friendly exhibits and programs.
“There is currently a trend towards girls-only programs so that they are less intimidated,” said Treadwell. “Because STEM has been perceived as a male topic, there are fewer women who seek careers that are math- and science-based. We are trying to change those perceptions to encourage girls to consider careers in the field of science.”
Unlike more traditional marketing strategies, Treadwell said the EDGE workshop taught her that making everything pink isn’t necessarily the way to appeal to girls.
“It’s not about making things pink—even though that’s what everyone thinks. It’s about making it more friendly and familiar, making things have a more homey feel with less technology, steel and chrome,” said Treadwell. “Traditionally speaking, technology is chrome, gears and high-tech. That’s intimidating to women and also a lot of people that don’t consider themselves tech-savvy. By making it more welcoming to girls, you’re making it more welcoming to people in general.”
Following the workshop, Treadwell coordinated a camp specifically for first through sixth grade girls interested in STEM. This camp was recently held at HOSC in July.
Kellye Burns, HOSC intern and physics major at Clemson University, served as a camp director for the STEM program.
For Burns, giving girls the opportunity to study STEM just makes sense.
“Humans love to tell stories, and the greatest story that we could hope to tell is the story of us. It is impossible to talk about human history without talking about the invention of the wheel, the use of simple machines to build the pyramids, the bridges we built, the weapons we redesigned and going to the moon. STEM is the language we use to write our story,” said Burns. “Now imagine only letting half of the population write the story. Take our story and cut it in half. Delete Sally Ride’s trips to space. Delete Madam Curie’s discoveries about radioactivity. Delete Joan Clarke’s work with computers and crypt-analysis. Delete all of the chapters like this, and no one is going to buy the book.
That is why it is important that girls have just as much opportunity to study STEM. It’s not about equal pay. It’s not about diversity. It’s not about using “women” as a buzzword to get more grants. It’s about filling our space in the universe, and men cannot do it alone.”
Burns said it was her goal at the camp to empower the girls with the tools and understanding to overcome the struggles they might face in the world of STEM. The girls left the camp with their interests in STEM validated, but they weren’t the only ones who were rewarded.
“At the end of the camp, every girl walked out excited to talk to their parents about astronomy or about estimating the amount of Ping-Pong balls in a box or about how they got to Skype a female graduate student at CERN,” said Burns. “I watched those young girls become extraordinary.”
The HOSC is located at 101 Mitchell Blvd. in Tullahoma. It is open Tuesday–Saturday, 10 a.m.–6 p.m. For more information go to <www.hosc.org>.
SUD Board Approves Delayed Payment of Tap Fees
by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer
“We would have to insist the note survives even in the event the Cooley’s Rift developers declared bankruptcy,” SUD manager Ben Beavers advised, commenting on a request to delay payment of tap fees presented for a vote at the July 26 meeting of the Board of Commissioners of the Sewanee Utility District of Franklin and Marion Counties. The developer RLF Cooley’s Rift, LLC applied for water service to 23 lots in the Cooley’s Rift development, but subsequently requested two changes to the standard developer’s contract.
Typically the developer is required to pay the $4,150 per lot tap fee at the time the contract is executed. The developer is also required to pay a $5 per month dry tap fee until half the lots are sold to cover administrative expenses and line flushing costs.
Cooley’s Rift requested a three-year, no-interest note on the tap fee cost, total $95,000, with the tap fee to be paid at the time a customer requested water service. By the provisions of the note, the developer would pay any unpaid tap fees at the end of the three-year term. Cooley’s Rift also requested SUD waive the monthly dry tap fee.
“We need to be very cautious given the history of the project,” Beavers said. New Life, the former Cooley’s Rift developer, was forced to liquidate by creditors and a court order.
Brian Youngblood, representing the present Cooley’s Rift developers, expressed confidence in their marketing plan. “We’ve already sold six of the existing lots,” Youngblood said. Interest in lakefront lots is particularly strong, according to Youngblood. Fifteen of the 23 lots identified in the SUD contract are lakefront.
Raising another concern, Beavers said accepting the note as payment might violate SUD policy, which requires payment at the time the contract is signed. “We’d need to check with the attorney to see if a note constitutes payment,” Beavers insisted.
After long deliberation, the board agreed to the three-year note contingent on SUD attorney Don Scholes satisfying both of SUD’s concerns, survivability of the note and compatibility with current policy.
The board voted against waiving the dry tap fee.
“Flushing lines would be the only cost SUD incurs during the three-year period of the note,” Beavers said. The dry tap fee covers that expense.
In reviewing operations Beavers stressed the need for sewer line remediation in three areas prone to overflows, Depot Branch, Alto Road and Running Knob Hollow Road.
“Depot Branch is the worst,” Beavers said. “We’ll address it first. There’s enough money in the budget to start the project.” The problem stems from roots growing into the old clay pipe. At present, SUD cleans the line every other week to avoid backups. According to Beavers, 2,000 feet of line needs replaced. He estimated the total cost at approximately $80,000.
Beavers projected it would cost $200,000 to do all the sewer line remedial work needed. Beavers will consult with the state comptroller about the legality of drawing on SUD’s cash reserves to finance the sewer repairs. SUD drew on the cash reserves to finance the automatic meter reading project. As a public utility, SUD law prohibits SUD from drawing the cash reserve below the minimum required balance in successive years.
Flagging another operations issue, Beavers said he will consult with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation about how to control the invasive duckweed at two of the wastewater treatment plant ponds. “The duckweed shades out the algae needed to put oxygen back in the water,” Beavers said. The duckweed appeared following the introduction of plants to the constructed wetlands, the site of a pilot wastewater treatment study by University of the South and University of Georgia. The SUD Board meets next on Aug. 23.
“We would have to insist the note survives even in the event the Cooley’s Rift developers declared bankruptcy,” SUD manager Ben Beavers advised, commenting on a request to delay payment of tap fees presented for a vote at the July 26 meeting of the Board of Commissioners of the Sewanee Utility District of Franklin and Marion Counties. The developer RLF Cooley’s Rift, LLC applied for water service to 23 lots in the Cooley’s Rift development, but subsequently requested two changes to the standard developer’s contract.
Typically the developer is required to pay the $4,150 per lot tap fee at the time the contract is executed. The developer is also required to pay a $5 per month dry tap fee until half the lots are sold to cover administrative expenses and line flushing costs.
Cooley’s Rift requested a three-year, no-interest note on the tap fee cost, total $95,000, with the tap fee to be paid at the time a customer requested water service. By the provisions of the note, the developer would pay any unpaid tap fees at the end of the three-year term. Cooley’s Rift also requested SUD waive the monthly dry tap fee.
“We need to be very cautious given the history of the project,” Beavers said. New Life, the former Cooley’s Rift developer, was forced to liquidate by creditors and a court order.
Brian Youngblood, representing the present Cooley’s Rift developers, expressed confidence in their marketing plan. “We’ve already sold six of the existing lots,” Youngblood said. Interest in lakefront lots is particularly strong, according to Youngblood. Fifteen of the 23 lots identified in the SUD contract are lakefront.
Raising another concern, Beavers said accepting the note as payment might violate SUD policy, which requires payment at the time the contract is signed. “We’d need to check with the attorney to see if a note constitutes payment,” Beavers insisted.
After long deliberation, the board agreed to the three-year note contingent on SUD attorney Don Scholes satisfying both of SUD’s concerns, survivability of the note and compatibility with current policy.
The board voted against waiving the dry tap fee.
“Flushing lines would be the only cost SUD incurs during the three-year period of the note,” Beavers said. The dry tap fee covers that expense.
In reviewing operations Beavers stressed the need for sewer line remediation in three areas prone to overflows, Depot Branch, Alto Road and Running Knob Hollow Road.
“Depot Branch is the worst,” Beavers said. “We’ll address it first. There’s enough money in the budget to start the project.” The problem stems from roots growing into the old clay pipe. At present, SUD cleans the line every other week to avoid backups. According to Beavers, 2,000 feet of line needs replaced. He estimated the total cost at approximately $80,000.
Beavers projected it would cost $200,000 to do all the sewer line remedial work needed. Beavers will consult with the state comptroller about the legality of drawing on SUD’s cash reserves to finance the sewer repairs. SUD drew on the cash reserves to finance the automatic meter reading project. As a public utility, SUD law prohibits SUD from drawing the cash reserve below the minimum required balance in successive years.
Flagging another operations issue, Beavers said he will consult with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation about how to control the invasive duckweed at two of the wastewater treatment plant ponds. “The duckweed shades out the algae needed to put oxygen back in the water,” Beavers said. The duckweed appeared following the introduction of plants to the constructed wetlands, the site of a pilot wastewater treatment study by University of the South and University of Georgia. The SUD Board meets next on Aug. 23.
SCCF Hosts Grant Award Event
Folks at Home of Sewanee is among the 11 area organizations receiving a 2016 grant from South Cumberland Community Fund (SCCF). SCCF will host a ceremony on July 31 to make the awards as well as honor the VISTAs who are completing their service on the Plateau. The event will begin at 4 p.m., Sunday, July 31, at the Big Red Barn in Beersheba Springs. All are welcome at the free event.
The approved grants are:
Animal Alliance South Cumberland (AASC) is an all-volunteer organization that makes available accessible, affordable spaying and neutering for pets across the Plateau. This grant of $3,500 will purchase a tandem axle 7’ x 14’ enclosed cargo trailer. AASC will use this trailer for two purposes: AASC’s main fundraiser each year is a very large yard sale, augmented by smaller flea market sales during the summer. The trailer will be used to store large items and transport them to the sales (rather than keeping them in the garages and barns of volunteers). It will also be used to haul and distribute pallets of donated dog and cat food. AASC uses donated food as an incentive for low-income pet owners to have their pets sterilized and also to help pet owners through difficult times.
Coalmont Public Library offers life-long learning for people of all ages, as well as access to technology and the Internet and is open 20 hours each week. For its 800 card holders and other members of this rural community, it offers a year-round story time for children, participates in the Interlibrary Loan program and provides services such as fax, printing and email access. Individuals seeking employment come to the library to search for open positions, to fill out and follow-up on online applications and to learn about educational opportunities. This $1,000 grant purchases a new desktop computer to replace an obsolete one and provides funds to help purchase supplies for next year’s summer reading program.
Folks at Home is dedicated to assisting older area residents in living a dignified and comfortable lifestyle through coordination of services they need. Through this grant of $3,040, Folks at Home will expand its Boost Your Brain and Memory Program, an evidence-based program designed to help participants learn and practice the most promising strategies for keeping the brain healthy as they age. The goal is to expand the program into Monteagle, Tracy City and Sewanee or Sherwood. Current program facilitators will mentor new volunteer facilitators, with an “each one teach one” approach to continuing the program with community-based facilitators.
Almost a decade ago, Friends of South Cumberland (FSC) started “Every Child in the Park,” a program that takes every fifth-grade class in Grundy County to one of the South Cumberland Parks for an all-day field trip. This year’s grant of $9,856 helps FSC expand this program into the fourth grade by creating an all-day field trip to the Park’s Visitor’s Center, which will provide an introduction to the history, geography, flora and fauna of the area; and will provide enriching activities through the use of nature journaling. In addition to building a sense of community, this grant will connect children to nature, support the preservation of the area’s history and culture and increase attendance at the Visitors Center by making it more widely known to area children and families.
Grundy County High School has an enrollment of about 725 students (grades 9–12) and a very limited annual library budget. This grant of $9,095 will help improve literacy skills and expand the library’s capacity to be a teaching space for the school. This grant will purchase books that will be engaging and interesting to high school students and at the appropriate reading level. It will also purchase a new computer and software for circulation and inventory of books. The grant will also purchase materials to equip the library as a teaching space with advanced audio-visual capabilities for multi-media presentations and web seminars.
Grundy County Historical Society operates the Grundy County Heritage Center, which is a museum, a library and a research center about the South Cumberland Plateau. An all-volunteer operation, it supports and encourages appreciation of and education about the culture and history of this region. In 2015, about 2,400 people visited the Center. Dry, secure space is essential to the preservation of historic photographs and documents. The Historical Society is housed in a location with three separate roof structures, all of which now need repairs. This $10,000 grant, combined with a USDA Rural Development grant and support from individual donors, will pay for repair to damage from previous roof leaks and will help support the re-roofing of the three buildings.
Grundy County Housing Authority provides safe and affordable housing for low-income families in the area. Its 110 units range from efficiencies to four-bedroom units. Of its 219 current residents, 76 are under the age of 18. Grundy County Housing Authority will use this grant to expand its on-site recreational opportunities for families, with a special emphasis on children. Presently there are courts for volleyball and basketball. This $4,500 grant will purchase age-appropriate playground equipment for young children so that they and their families will have ready access to safe outdoor play space.
Grundy County Swiss Historical Society, host of the Swiss Celebration and Festival for 42 years, maintains a farmhouse/museum to educate visitors about the unique history of the Swiss settlement in the Gruetli-Laager area since 1869. The farmhouse and the adjacent pavilion are also used for family reunions, community gatherings and weddings. This grant of $4,500 will replace all the gutters on the farmhouse and will support the creation of a new drainage system to protect the integrity of the historic building.
Grundy County Youth Football is a county-wide program that provides football and cheerleading for children ages 4 through eighth grade. About 130 children participate in the football program and about 60 children are in the cheerleading program. Games are played every Saturday from August through October, all led and coached by volunteers. This program is one of the most formative experiences for young people in Grundy County, advancing life skills such as teamwork, discipline, sportsmanship and the importance of physical fitness. Most of the program’s current helmets are more than a decade old and need to be replaced. This $10,000 grant will purchase 100 new state-of-the-art football helmets to ensure the safest possible program.
Pelham Fire and Rescue provides the Pelham Valley community with primary fire response. Its service area also includes Interstate 24, where they respond to emergency calls, some of which are complex accidents including hazardous materials. Because it is an unincorporated community, Pelham has no mechanism for assessing taxes; most of the funds for the Fire and Rescue program come from an annual Fish Fry and Barbecue. This grant of $9,740 will purchase five new sets of gear (coat, pants and helmet with shield) for firefighters, keeping the program in compliance with federal standards and ensuring the safety of the 12 volunteers who dedicate their time and efforts to saving the lives of others.
Tracy City Softball and Baseball operates an annual program for boys and girls ages 3–12, involving about 100 children each year. In addition to introducing them to the sport, the program helps children learn to work together as a team, to appreciate the benefits of hard work and practice and to gain experience dealing with stressful situations, including losing. This grant of $9,369 supports the development of a community softball/baseball complex on the site of the old high school baseball field. Having reached agreements with the Town of Tracy City, the Grundy County School Board, the Fair Association and the Golf Association, the program can now move forward with surveying the property for future development. The grant also purchases portable aluminum bleachers for use at the current location and that can be moved to the new field when it is completed.
Established in 2012, South Cumberland Community Fund works to improve the quality of life across the Plateau by increasing philanthropy and supporting leadership of the area’s communities, schools and nonprofit organizations. Since its founding, SCCF has reinvested nearly $750,000 in projects that benefit the Plateau.
For more information go online to <southcumberlandcommunityfund.org>; or contact Laura Willis at (931) 636-2901 or by email to <laura@southcumberlandcommunityfund.org>.
Thursday, July 21, 2016
Messenger break ahead!
Editor’s Note
The Sewanee Mountain Messenger will publish on Friday, July 29. The office will be closed beginning Monday, Aug. 1. We will not publish a newspaper on Friday, Aug. 5.
If you have events or news that will be happening between July 29 and Aug. 12, please submit them before 5 p.m., Tuesday, July 26, so that they might be included in the next week’s “coffee table” edition.
We will be in the office at 9 a.m., Monday, Aug. 8, and back in print on Friday, Aug. 12.
Thank you!
The Sewanee Mountain Messenger will publish on Friday, July 29. The office will be closed beginning Monday, Aug. 1. We will not publish a newspaper on Friday, Aug. 5.
If you have events or news that will be happening between July 29 and Aug. 12, please submit them before 5 p.m., Tuesday, July 26, so that they might be included in the next week’s “coffee table” edition.
We will be in the office at 9 a.m., Monday, Aug. 8, and back in print on Friday, Aug. 12.
Thank you!
Movie Night in Angel Park
The Sewanee Business Alliance (SBA), Sewanee Union Theater and the University of the South are co-sponsoring “Movie Night in Angel Park” on Saturday, July 23, starting at 9 p.m. The movie shown will be “Big Fish.”
The movie will be projected on a 40-foot screen and professionally run by the drive-in movie company, Preferred Entertainment. In case of rain, the movie will be shown at the SUT.
“Big Fish” (2003, rated PG-13, 2hrs. 15 min.) is a comedy-drama directed by Tim Burton with an all-star cast including Ewan McGregor, Jessica Lange, Billy Crudup, Albert Finney and Helena Bonham Carter.
This event is free and open to the public. University Avenue will be closed 8–11:30 p.m. Food and drink will be available for purchase from area restaurants. Please bring your own chairs or blankets, enjoy downtown Sewanee at night and enjoy the show.
The movie will be projected on a 40-foot screen and professionally run by the drive-in movie company, Preferred Entertainment. In case of rain, the movie will be shown at the SUT.
“Big Fish” (2003, rated PG-13, 2hrs. 15 min.) is a comedy-drama directed by Tim Burton with an all-star cast including Ewan McGregor, Jessica Lange, Billy Crudup, Albert Finney and Helena Bonham Carter.
This event is free and open to the public. University Avenue will be closed 8–11:30 p.m. Food and drink will be available for purchase from area restaurants. Please bring your own chairs or blankets, enjoy downtown Sewanee at night and enjoy the show.
County Commission Votes to Rezone 67 Acres in Sewanee
by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer
At its July 18 meeting, the Franklin County Commission voted to approve the University of the South’s request to rezone 67 acres in Sewanee from agricultural and general residential use to mixed-use, allowing for commercial development. Located adjacent to downtown Sewanee, the area to be rezoned includes 24 leaseholds.
Before a vote was taken, Chair Eddie Clark invited comments in support of and in opposition to the rezoning request.
University spokesperson Frank Gladu, Vice President of Administrative Services, spoke in support of rezoning.
“The University has been pursuing development of the downtown area for five years. The plan took 18 months to create,” Gladu said. “We want to expand the experience of visitors.”
The University retained Brian Wright with the Town Planning and Urban Design Collaborative to design a revisioning plan for the downtown area.
Wright addressed the commission stressing the time spent seeking input from the community and the intent to maintain the natural beauty and unique character of the town.
“We held more than 20 community meetings,” Wright said. “We don’t want Sewanee to be overrun with tourists. We want to build on the right kind of tourism, eco-tourism, while addressing housing needs, improving the economic environment, attracting potential students and creating a village that stands as a national model for sustainability. The mixed-use rezoning will allow us to implement that vision.”
John Goodson, President of the Sewanee Business Alliance, agreed.
“Sewanee businesses are struggling. We lost two restaurants in the past year,” Goodson said.
“The rezoning will allow the University to slowly progress to make Sewanee a better place,” said Goodson.
The three Sewanee leaseholders who spoke were far less enthusiastic.
Chris Colane resides on a leasehold adjacent to the area proposed for development.
“I’m not here to oppose the project,” Colane said, “but to ask the University to respect the natural environment and to be accountable to those who have homes in the neighborhood and will experience significant change.” Colane also expressed concern the Senior Citizens’ Center would be torn down before a new building was constructed.
“The University has 13,000 acres, and they’re moving to our side of the tracks,” said leaseholder Louise Irwin. “I don’t like it when they put buildings in front of buildings,” she added referring to the drawing of the proposed village area presented by Wright.
Leaseholder Lucia Dale asked, “What’s in place to support new businesses? What is going to bring businesses to Sewanee? What will drive the economic development? What we need is affordable housing. What in the plan will fulfill that need and keep housing costs down? What’s going to make this work?”
Commissioner Johnny Hughes, who represents Sewanee, asked Wright if there were plans to have a new Senior Citizens’ Center and a new Community Center in place before the buildings now housing the programs were demolished.
Wright reassured him this was the plan.
Sewanee area commissioner Helen Stapleton said in reply, “I’d like to see these promises in writing. Now it’s just words. If the promises are adhered to, it could be a good thing.”
“These questions are legitimate,” said Clark, “but they need to be taken up later with the University. Our vote tonight is only regarding rezoning.”
The commission voted unanimously to approve the rezoning request.
At its July 18 meeting, the Franklin County Commission voted to approve the University of the South’s request to rezone 67 acres in Sewanee from agricultural and general residential use to mixed-use, allowing for commercial development. Located adjacent to downtown Sewanee, the area to be rezoned includes 24 leaseholds.
Before a vote was taken, Chair Eddie Clark invited comments in support of and in opposition to the rezoning request.
University spokesperson Frank Gladu, Vice President of Administrative Services, spoke in support of rezoning.
“The University has been pursuing development of the downtown area for five years. The plan took 18 months to create,” Gladu said. “We want to expand the experience of visitors.”
The University retained Brian Wright with the Town Planning and Urban Design Collaborative to design a revisioning plan for the downtown area.
Wright addressed the commission stressing the time spent seeking input from the community and the intent to maintain the natural beauty and unique character of the town.
“We held more than 20 community meetings,” Wright said. “We don’t want Sewanee to be overrun with tourists. We want to build on the right kind of tourism, eco-tourism, while addressing housing needs, improving the economic environment, attracting potential students and creating a village that stands as a national model for sustainability. The mixed-use rezoning will allow us to implement that vision.”
John Goodson, President of the Sewanee Business Alliance, agreed.
“Sewanee businesses are struggling. We lost two restaurants in the past year,” Goodson said.
“The rezoning will allow the University to slowly progress to make Sewanee a better place,” said Goodson.
The three Sewanee leaseholders who spoke were far less enthusiastic.
Chris Colane resides on a leasehold adjacent to the area proposed for development.
“I’m not here to oppose the project,” Colane said, “but to ask the University to respect the natural environment and to be accountable to those who have homes in the neighborhood and will experience significant change.” Colane also expressed concern the Senior Citizens’ Center would be torn down before a new building was constructed.
“The University has 13,000 acres, and they’re moving to our side of the tracks,” said leaseholder Louise Irwin. “I don’t like it when they put buildings in front of buildings,” she added referring to the drawing of the proposed village area presented by Wright.
Leaseholder Lucia Dale asked, “What’s in place to support new businesses? What is going to bring businesses to Sewanee? What will drive the economic development? What we need is affordable housing. What in the plan will fulfill that need and keep housing costs down? What’s going to make this work?”
Commissioner Johnny Hughes, who represents Sewanee, asked Wright if there were plans to have a new Senior Citizens’ Center and a new Community Center in place before the buildings now housing the programs were demolished.
Wright reassured him this was the plan.
Sewanee area commissioner Helen Stapleton said in reply, “I’d like to see these promises in writing. Now it’s just words. If the promises are adhered to, it could be a good thing.”
“These questions are legitimate,” said Clark, “but they need to be taken up later with the University. Our vote tonight is only regarding rezoning.”
The commission voted unanimously to approve the rezoning request.
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