The SewaneeMountain MESSENGER Vol. XXIX No. 8 Friday, March 1, 2013 SUD Board SUT Reopens With Elects New Digital Projector by K. G. Beavers, Messenger Staff Writer Offi cers Th e Sewanee Union Th eatre, aff ectionately known as the SUT, has been by Leslie Lytle showing movies since the 1920s and is one of the oldest movie theatres around. Messenger Staff Writer Lately, the SUT has been idle because of persistent problems with the projector. At the Feb. 26 meeting of the “Th e 35-millimeter projector is old,” said Alex Bruce, associate dean of stu- Board of Commissioners of the Se- dents for campus life. “We were looking at a movie artifact that was plagued wanee Utility District of Franklin and with problems.” Marion Counties, the board elected Each semester, he said, “we had one major issue with this projector that offi cers for the coming year, with all normally could be fi xed. This time, the problem was that we needed a new part the 2012 officers returning to serve to make the projector work, which proved to be diffi cult as this projector and its another term. Cliff Huffman was parts are not made anymore. Our repairman said we could get used parts to fi x elected president; Karen Singer, vice- the projector. Th e question was, would the projector work with the used parts? president; and Ken Smith, secretary. Th en, what would be the next problem down the line?” said Bruce. At the beginning of the meeting, Th e best solution was buying a new digital projector for the SUT, which Smith was sworn in to serve a new the University purchased. “Th e University agreed the SUT was vital to the life three-year term on the board. of the whole community and bought the projector,” said Bruce. “SUT will have SUD manager Ben Beavers report- to pay for it in the long term.” ed that unaccounted-for water loss was One of the ways the SUT will be able to pay for the projector is with a new exceptionally high for January, 34.7 pricing structure beginning at the end of May. All students, elementary through percent, and February, slightly over 30 college, will still pay $3 for a ticket. Non-students will pay $4 for a ticket. Bruce percent. Unaccounted-for water loss is says concession prices will not go up. (Continued on page 10) determined by calculating the diff er- ence between the amount of treated water SUD produces and the amount St. Mary’s Sewanee Dedicates accounted for in metered sales. SUD’s averages 25 percent. Beavers said the trend of high unaccounted-for water New Building on March 9 loss for the fi rst two months of the year St. Mary’s Sewanee invites the of Tracey Meeks Specialty Craft dates back to at least 1994. He had no community to the dedication of its of Tracy City was the builder for the explanation for the phenomenon. new building at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, project. He employed more than 20 SUD plans to implement automatic March 9. The new building has 20 people from Franklin and Grundy meter reading (AMR) over the course lodging rooms and meeting space. counties, Morris said. Th e natural red of the next two years. With the AMR “This new building is the result oak wood siding was harvested from system, radio-transmitt ed meter read- of years of hard work by our board the Sewanee area, and the stone was ing will result in more accurate meter of trustees in creating a vision for the quarried on the Plateau and laid by data and may shed light on the high Sewanee Elementary School’s new school resource offi cer, Robin McNeece, visits with future and in the raising of the $3 local stonemasons. The rest of the unaccounted-for water loss. Beavers new kindergarten fr iends during lunch recently in the SES cafeteria. million to see it through completion,” building materials were purchased at is investigating meter vendors and an- said the Rev. Th omas Morris, executive Builder’s Supply in Monteagle, and the ticipates having a recommendation by director of St. Mary’s Sewanee. “Each subcontractors were local. April. Labor costs for switching out the year St. Mary’s Sewanee welcomes The new building features green meters in the Midway area will be high, Vultures Have Come to close to 5,000 people to our retreat technology, the use of recycled and Beavers said, because the meter sett ers center. This building will enable us regionally manufactured materials, are old and will need to be replaced. to welcome thousands more who are high-efficiency heating and cooling Beavers budgeted for the Midway labor Roost in Sewanee in need of rest and spiritual renewal. systems and naturally ventilated in- expense, but said the amount may need by David Haskell, Special to the Messenger We hope the public will join us in door spaces. to be adjusted. thanking all involved in the building Th e new building was designed by Reporting on recent drinking Coasting down the hill on my bike, I turn my head and there it is, a dark an- and dedicating it into God’s hands for Johnson, Johnson and Crabtree archi- water sampling, Beavers said SUD’s gelic form, big as an eagle, soaring just off my left shoulder. We cruise together the future.” tects. Ikon Construction oversaw the disinfection by-products (DBP) rat- for a spell, then the bird banks away, the low sun laying a rosy tint on its black Morris noted that much of the management of the building. ing was the lowest it has ever been. feathers. Ahead, hundreds circle low, turning the sky into a swimming confu- construction of the new building For more information call 598- Disinfection by-products occur when sion of slicing dark lines. was locally provided. Tracey Meeks, 5342. the chlorine reacts with organic com- As dusk approaches, the vultures gather in tall pines and oaks around Se- pounds in the water to produce cancer- wanee’s downtown, clumping by the dozen on high branches. Th ey sett le slowly, causing agents. Th e highest DBP risk restlessly hissing at new arrivals and fl ailing their huge wings at neighbors. With occurs at the end of the line because a start, the whole group startles into wheeling fl ight, then returns to roost with the water has been in the pipes longer. fl u s t e r i n g f e a t h e r .s SUD’s end-of-the-line DBP rating Th is roost formed last year in early winter, grew into a gathering of 200–300 was half the maximum allowed by birds, then dissolved as spring wore on. Th is winter they are back. Th e talk in the state. town oft en drift s their way. Why so many? Are they drawn to some hidden Beavers received a lett er from the bounty of dead animals? Might a leaking gas pipeline be luring them? What state comptroller reiterating the fi nd- danger do they pose? ings of the auditor. All of the auditor’s I suspect that several factors have converged to bring us this spectacular recommendations are in the process daily display. One of these causes is the regional increase in vulture abundance. of being addressed except for the “seg- DDT’s eff ects are no longer felt by these birds, fewer people shoot them, and regation of duties” recommendation as deer and small mammal populations have increased, the vultures’ food has which would require four employees, become more plentiful. instead of two, to perform accounts In addition to this long- receivable and accounts payable du- term trend, the record- Th e community is invited to an open house at the Van Ness building on the Sewanee ties. Th e requirement is intended to breaking warmth of the campus, 2:30–4:30 p.m., Tuesday, March 5. Learn more about print services, the provide oversight in each department last two winters also likely carillon music studio and the new Life Paths research program. Demonstrations by someone not involved in the data contributes to the recent of print services’ equipment and the practice carillon will be provided. Refr eshments entry. Beavers will inquire about the increase in vultures in our will be provided. Van Ness is located at 161 Alabama Ave.; parking is available behind minimum standard for satisfying the area. Birds that previously duPont Library and in the lot on Alabama Avenue south of McCrady Dormitory. requirement and ask if SUD could would have fl own to Flor- hire an accounting firm to provide ida or Mexico may have quarterly review rather than hiring curtailed their migration. P.O. Box 296 additional employees. Why wing to Veracruz Sewanee, TN 37375 SUD’s April 23 commissioners’ when you can dine on ’pos- meeting will be held at Woods Lab. sum and venison in a rela- Th e board will meet with representa- tively balmy Tennessee or tives from the University of Georgia Georgia? to discuss a monitoring plan for the Local changes also play pilot constructed wetlands proposal. a role. Until last winter, Th e trial wastewater treatment project the vultures were roost- is based on research jointly conducted ing here, but mostly out by the University of Georgia and the of sight in the valleys and University of the South. mountain slopes. Why the Vultures gathered in a tree near Hawkins Lane in (Continued on page 6) Sewanee.