Sparta city officials emphasize June 8 deadline for pandemic assistance

By Rachel Auberger

The regularly scheduled meeting of Sparta Board of Mayor and Aldermen was conducted without a livestream for the first time in over a month as things are slowly returning to normal, with residents allowed to attend the in-person meeting should they choose.

The first order of business, after the traditional prayer, reciting of the Pledge of Allegiance to the American Flag, and the approval of the minutes from the previous meeting, Mayor Jeff Young administered the oath of office to newly-hired city patrolman Dallas Slatton who is now a member of Sparta Police Department.

Most departments reported they were operating as expected at this time, with an exception being there is a backlog on the brush collection process. It was reported there was still a high volume of calls coming in as residents are continuing to clean up after the storms that caused much damage earlier this spring. While the city is continuing to work through the calls and reports,  there will be a continued focus on the backlog. It was reported that wait times for the pick-up are improving.

It was also reported that Sparta Electric and Public Works Department has not received any inquiries about the pandemic relief options that are being offered to customers that may need additional assistance in getting their accounts current or setting up a payment plan for past due balances before the June 8 deadline, at which time disconnections are set to resume.

In other business, the board voted to change the vendor for the purchase of a 2020 police pursuit S.U.V. AWD. The S.U.V. was originally approved Nov. 21, 2019, to be purchased from Ford of Murfreesboro, but, as they are now unable to promise delivery by the end of the budget year, the board approved making the purchase, in the amount of $33,725, from Ted Russell Ford, in Knoxville, instead.

Before the meeting was adjourned, Young recognized the Certificate of Compliance for the retail package store for Swami Management, D/B/A Peacock Wine & Spirits (formerly Sparta Discount Liquors) for their new location at 460 W. Bockman Way.

Since residents were in attendance to take advantage of the opportunity to offer any comments, the meeting was adjourned, with the next meeting scheduled for 5 p.m., June 4, 2020.