City of Sparta officials set budget for new fiscal year

In the final meeting of the Sparta mayor and alderman for the fiscal year, the board was in unanimous agreement on all items presented on the agenda.

During the meeting on June 18, 2020, a public hearing was held for both Ordinance 20-931 and Ordinance 20-933. After each reading, which was the second and final readings for both ordinances, they were voted on and approved unanimously (Alderman Jerry Lowery was not present and therefore did not cast a vote) by the board.

Ordinance 20-931 is in regard to making and fixing the annual appropriations of the several departments of the city for the fiscal year, beginning July 1, 2020, and ending June 30, 2021, while Ordinance 20-933 provides for the general revenue for the fiscal year 2020-20201 to be known as the General Revenue Ordinance for said year.

In addition, the board approved Resolution 20-555 – A Resolution of the City of Sparta, Tennessee, authorizing appropriations for financial aid to public service, non-profit, and charitable organizations for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021.

The board heard reports from the various city departments and approved the purchase of items they will need for upcoming projects, including the purchase of various sizes of rock and gravel picked up by the city at the rock quarry to Rogers Group, the purchase of various grades of asphalt picked up by the City at the asphalt plant to Rogers Group, and the purchase of miscellaneous PPE (personal protection equipment) items for the police department.

Additionally, the board Approved the purchase of second story city hall windows from Martin-Glenn Glass Company, of McMinnville, in the amount of $15,100. which is a budgeted item, and also approved the solicitation of bids for HVAC unit for the YMCA building, and they approved the yearly TVA recommended rate adjustments and approval.

The decision was also made, and approved, to authorize the Mayor Jeff Young to enter into an agreement with Quebeck-Walling Utility District. The agreement will state that the city will abandon a portion of water line and relinquish the attached customers to allow them to make needed repairs, as well as relinquishing eight additional customers on Jolley Road. Relinquishing the customers to Quebeck-Walling Utility District will keep the city from having to buy back water from the utility district to furnish those eight customers.

Before the meeting was adjourned, the board heard an update on the Tourism Lighting Grant, a grant they had voted on at the previous meeting of the city board of mayor and aldermen. According to Brad Hennessee, city administrator, the project will entail new lighting along the existing walking path at South Carter Street Park

with the possibility of another pavilion and sidewalk additions

“What is being discussed with the UCDD at this time is finishing out the decorative lights on the walking trail at South Carter Street Park with the same type and spacing as the existing ones and adding the same lights and spacing on the North Carter Street side,” Hennessee said. “We’d also like to build a pavilion on the North Carter Street side similar to the one on South Carter with sidewalk additions.”

Hennessee said it is estimated that it will take 29 lights to complete the project and said they are waiting on lighting cost estimates at this time.

“The project will likely involve our public works department installing the pole bases and electrical conduit to keep the costs down to allow the addition of the pavilion and sidewalks on the North Carter Street side,” he said.

Hennessee said the grant provides up to $75,000, with a required 10 percent ($7,500) match for a total of $82,500.