Board of Mayor and Aldermen Sees Multiple Approvals

While the Board of Mayor and Aldermen on April 16 moved through their orders of business efficiently as usual, it was a packed meeting for motions. From allowing Laundry and Dry-Cleaning establishments in city limits to a new auditing firm working with the city, the meeting had a lot to discuss.

The Board approved amendments to Title 14 of the Sparta Municipal Code, something the Planning Commission approved the week prior. This section is in regard to Laundry and Dry-Cleaning establishments in the city limits, and it allows the establishments everywhere except in the historic district.

Blankenship CPAs were also approved for auditing services for the city’s fiscal year since Albert Dicus is cutting back on his own workload. Mayor Lowery expressed his excitement at working alongside them.

City Administrator Tonya Tindle said, “This firm was very, very impressive. They actually are the firm that audits the comptroller. They have extensive knowledge of government audit, and we thought they were the best fit.”

A new streetlight was approved for 211 Depot Street. For any unfamiliar with where that may be, it is the road just in front of the Circuit Court, when turning at the red light near Hardee’s.

Patterson and Dewar Engineers Inc. was approved to conduct services for the Substation Transformer T4 Addition. Funds from the Electric budget were used for the approval.

The last two were purchasing approvals. The first is 3 SCBAs from Siddons-Martin for $34,267.78 with grant funding. The SCBA stands for a self-contained breathing apparatus, typically used by firefighters. The other purchase was a matching $7,000 for the TVA Community Care Grant to provide free Carbon Monoxide Detectors to the citizens of Sparta. The agenda initially had carbon dioxide detectors by accident, but it was clarified that it was meant to be carbon monoxide.

Mayor Lowery said, “The last three years we’ve passed out weather radios to let people be better informed on storms, fire suppression blankets to help people if they have a fire. Maybe can put it out before a fire starts in their home, and now this is just adding to what the fire chief and fire department’s already doing. That is making a difference in the City of Sparta. If it saves one life, it’s money well spent.”

The Sparta Board of Mayor and Aldermen meets every first and third Thursday of the month at City Hall, at 5 p.m. The next regularly scheduled meeting will be on May 7. All the meetings are open to the public and streamed on their YouTube channel at Sparta TN Media.