I tried what you suggested. The server start seems to be fine. I see that the command computer boots when the server starts, and then stays on for a minute until the chunks unload (since no one is online). When I log in, and the chunks reload, but the computer stays off until I right click on it:
[18:50:46] [Server thread/INFO]: Starting minecraft server version 1.8.9
[18:50:48] [Server thread/INFO]: Loading properties
[18:50:48] [Server thread/INFO]: Default game type: CREATIVE
[18:50:48] [Server thread/INFO]: Generating keypair
[18:50:48] [Server thread/INFO]: Starting Minecraft server on *:25565
[18:50:48] [Server thread/INFO]: Using default channel type
[18:50:48] [Server thread/INFO]: Preparing level "world"
[18:50:48] [Server thread/INFO]: Preparing start region for level 0
[18:50:49] [Server thread/INFO]: Done (0.824s)! For help, type "help" or "?"
[18:50:50] [Server thread/INFO]: [@] Startup Complete
[18:51:10] [Server thread/INFO]: [@] Still loaded
[18:51:30] [Server thread/INFO]: [@] Still loaded
[18:51:50] [Server thread/INFO]: [@] Still loaded
[18:52:29] [User Authenticator #1/INFO]: UUID of player SillyPutty is f1dd241e-a1c8-4b5e-aede-23924d8c2017
[18:52:29] [Server thread/INFO]: SillyPutty[/192.168.1.2:55350] logged in with entity id 156 at (-114.9791689773908, 63.0, -35.436240891245916)
[18:52:29] [Server thread/INFO]: SillyPutty joined the game
[18:52:57] [Server thread/INFO]: <SillyPutty> clicking on the computer now
[18:52:59] [Server thread/INFO]: [@] Startup Complete
[18:53:09] [Server thread/INFO]: SillyPutty lost connection: TextComponent{text='Disconnected', siblings=[], style=Style{hasParent=false, color=null, bold=null, italic=null, underlined=null, obfuscated=null, clickEvent=null, hoverEvent=null, insertion=null}}
[18:53:09] [Server thread/INFO]: SillyPutty left the game
[18:53:19] [Server thread/INFO]: [@] Still loaded
[18:53:39] [Server thread/INFO]: [@] Still loaded
[18:53:59] [Server thread/INFO]: [@] Still loaded