Minute With the Mayor

The City of Sparta has once again partnered with the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) on a program that will directly benefit our citizens. Through a matching grant, we will be purchasing carbon monoxide detectors to distribute to residents for use in their homes.

Carbon monoxide is often called the “silent killer” because it cannot be seen or smelled, and having a working detector in your home can save lives. Through this partnership, we will purchase as many detectors as the available funding allows and distribute them to our citizens at no cost until our supply is exhausted. We have not yet set a date for distribution, but we will announce those details as soon as they are finalized.

Our Sparta Fire Department recently held an open house for our community, and it was a great success. Those attending had an opportunity to see firsthand some of the training, equipment, and skills our firefighters use to protect our community. The department conducted a vehicle extrication demonstration as well as a live-fire demonstration, giving the public a closer look at how our firefighters respond when an emergency occurs.

Events like this are also a great opportunity for our citizens, especially our young people, to meet the men and women who serve our community and learn more about the important work they do every day. I appreciate our firefighters and everyone who came out and supported the department.

We are also in the final stages of preparing for our annual Lester Flatt Bluegrass Celebration, which will be held on Liberty Square in downtown Sparta on Saturday, October 10. Lester Flatt is an important part of Sparta and White County's musical heritage, and this annual celebration gives us an opportunity to remember his legacy while enjoying some great bluegrass music.

We have a great lineup of musicians scheduled to provide entertainment throughout the celebration, and vendors will also be on the square. We hope everyone will make plans to come downtown and join us as we celebrate the music and heritage that have helped put Sparta, Tennessee, on the map.

There is also more exciting news coming concerning our new splash pad and playground area. Work continues on the project, and we are getting very close to announcing the official name and opening date for this new addition to our community.

This project has been a long time coming, and I know many of our families are excited to see it completed. Our goal has always been to create a place where children can play, families can spend time together, and generations of Sparta citizens can make memories.

We continue to move forward in the City of Sparta. Whether it is improving public safety, investing in our parks and infrastructure, supporting our downtown, or celebrating the heritage that makes our community unique, we are working to make Sparta an even better place to live, work, play, and raise a family.

There is always more work to do, but I am proud of the progress we continue to make together.

GOD Bless, Be Safe, Finish Strong.