Village of Sparta, Kent County, Michigan

The Fall 2006 Leaf Pick-Up Program begins October 16 and concludes November 30. When placing leaves by the roadway edge for pick-up, please keep the following points in mind:

Also, Brush Pick-Up will end October 6. The Village will continue to provide a place for brush to be dropped-off at the Public Works Garage located at 276 W. Division.

This month, the Village hired Mr. Richard Roberts as its next Airport Business Manager. Richard will come onboard in late October to fill the vacancy created upon current Airport Manager Vic Johnston’s retirement later this year. Richard is currently employed by the Kentwood Police Department and has been a general aviator for the last five years.

The Halloween festivities will begin with a Costume Parade at 5:15 PM from Central Elementary to the Civic Center where games and treats await. Local trick-or-treating for the youngsters will begin immediately following the Costume Parade and conclude at 8:00 PM.

The local Boy Scouts will also host their annual Spook House at the Civic Center from 6:00 PM until 8:00 PM.

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• Read the Fall 2006 Newsletter!

Click HERE to read the latest Village newsletter in PDF format.

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With winter lurking ahead, the Village will begin requiring all individuals providing snow-removal services in the Village to permit their snowplows. This permit will not apply to residents servicing their own residences or properties. The application to register snowplows can be found on this website or obtained from Village Hall.

The permit fee is $20 plus $1 for each vehicle being registered. All snowplows being operated for commercial enterprise within the Village are required to be registered no later than November 1, 2006. For more information on the permitting of snowplows, please contact Village Hall.

The Odd/Even Parking Regulations were established to assist residents unable to park all of their vehicles in their driveway and garage during the winter months. Parking vehicles on lawns during the winter can damage the water service lines underground due to freeze, thaw, and the compression caused by the weight of the vehicle. With the Odd/Even Parking rule, Village residents who might have suffered breaks in their service lines have been saved from the costly repairs of such breaks.

Odd/Even Parking on the streets of the Village runs November 15 to April 1 from 2 am to 10 pm. From the time of 2 am until 10 pm, all vehicles needing to park on Village streets shall be parked on the odd-number street address side on odd dates of the month, and on the even-number street address side of the street on the even dates of the month. The night hours between 10 pm and 2 am are to allow the opportunity to park vehicles on the appropriate side of the street for the following day.

One way to help remember which side of the street is permissible that day is to ask “what is the date at 2 o’clock in the morning?” If the date at 2 am is an even date, parking is permitted on the even side of the street from 2 am until 10 pm that day. I referred to the 10 pm to 2 am period as a “free for all”, wherein any side of the street is permitted parking. Just be sure that at 2 am, the vehicle is on the correct side of the street.

In August, the Sparta Village Council approved a new promotional campaign designed to attract new residents to the Village. The campaign will consist of both television and print media, presenting ads which promote the Village’s diverse and affordable housing, award-wining and expanding school district, and highlight our community’s traditional values.

In attracting new residents and stimulating local development, the campaign will help support local business as well as present a larger taxable base allowing the Village to continue its commitment to provide effective and efficient governmental services without tax increases.

In August, the Village began its Airport Runway Improvement Project. The project will remove the existing runway, Runway 6/24, and replace it with a new runway, Runway 7/25, which will be wider and longer than the original runway. The project is being funded largely by the Federal Aviation Administration and the Michigan Department of Aeronautics, with the Village paying roughly 2.5 cents on every dollar spent for this project.

Once complete, the new runway will allow for larger prop-driven aircraft as well as small jet traffic. With this new service capability, the Airport will help to stimulate local business development in northern Kent County by allowing easier access to the area by corporate executives as well as present more cost efficient methods to transfer out small to moderate loads of product.

This November the Village will be holding its general election for membership on the Village Council and for the position of Village President. The Sparta Area Chamber of Commerce will be holding two Candidate Forums to introduce the candidates for these seats to the general public as well as allow the candidates to share their election platforms.

Just a reminder, effective August 1, 2006, policy changes regarding water and sewer utilities late charge and the elimination of red tag shut-off notices will take effect. For more details, please read the Summer 2006 newsletter in PDF format.

The Village will begin its seasonal Brush Pick-Up Program. Pick up will take place the first full week of August, September and October beginning with the week of August 7.

Brush should be piled close to the curb or street, or if possible between the curb and sidewalk. Please point the base of the brush toward the street. The pile should not contain any trash or garden waste. Due to the size of various tree stumps, prior approval of disposal of stumps by the Village is required; contact the Village at 887.8251.

This year’s Brush Pick-Up Program ends October 9. Brush may also be dropped off at anytime behind the Public Works Building located at 276 W. Division.

Looking ahead, the Village Fall Leaf Pick-Up Program will run October 17 to November 30.

The Village Council would like to extend its gratitude to everyone who completed and returned the community survey that was included in last month’s utility bill, picked up in the Village Office, or found at this Village website. The information will be reviewed by the Council in April. Thank you for your input in this historical community endeavor. —Toni Potes

Sparta Village and Township will be holding a Spring Clean-Up for Sparta Village and Township residents on Thursday, April 28, and Friday, April 29, from 1–8 pm, and again on Saturday, April 30, 9 am to 3 pm. The drop off is located behind the Village of Sparta Department of Public Works, 276 West Division.

Yard waste, rubbish (including up to four tires), metal, and appliances will be accepted without charge. Please note: NOT ACCEPTED items include hazardous wastes, commercial wastes, paint, oil and liquids of any kind. Participants are expected to unpack their load; however, Village and Township personnel will assist as much as possible. Identification will be checked at the gate to verify Sparta Village/Sparta Township residency.

In its continued effort to enhance Sparta’s image as a Great Place to Grow!, the Village of Sparta will once again begin active code enforcement the week of April 10. Although the Village enforces all ordinances, the most common violations are as follows: Junk or Inoperable Vehicle (including boat) Ordinance, Grass & Noxious Weeds Ordinance, Sign Ordinance, Solid Waste Collection/Disposal Ordinance, Property Maintenance Ordinance, and Off-Street Parking (Residential Front Yard) Ordinance.

The Village is strongly encouraging those property owners who are in violation of any of these ordinances to take the necessary steps to rectify the matter as soon as possible. If you are unsure as to whether you may be in violation of any ordinance, please contact Village Hall (887.8251). Regardless of the source, reason, or ownership of items which may be in violation of the ordinance, Village ordinance recognizes the current property owner as the responsible party for compliance. Any costs incurred by the Village in establishing ordinance compliance will be assessed to the property owner found in violation for the taxable year.

We think about those summer activities and outdoor projects! Some frequently asked questions of residents to Village staff are:

The answer is yes. The Village does have a brush pick-up program implemented from April through September. Pick up is the first full week of these months. The brush should be placed at the curbside with all of the cut ends facing the same way. The Village does NOT pick up yard waste or leaves as part of this program.

2. If I want to add on to my house or build an accessory structure, pool, fence, or deck, do I need a permit?

Again, yes. A permit is required when any type of barrier or structure is constructed, erected, or remodeled on a property located within the Village. Permits can be obtained from this Village website or Village Hall and normally take 24 to 48 hours for review.

Saturday, April 29, 2006, with festivities beginning at 11 am and the ceremonial dedication scheduled for 12:30 pm. The celebration will feature entertainment for the whole family including music, clowns, beach volleyball, cake-walk, horse shoes, and activities for the kids, food and much more. Join the fun at Rogers Park on April 29. Park entrance is on State Street with parking also available near the Sparta Civic Center (75 North Union).

Village Council is seeking your input and direction on becoming a city. In a collaborated effort to inform and educate, the Village has made available a document for review, answer and feedback. Please click here to review the details.

The Village of Sparta Downtown Development Authority is now accepting resumes for the position of Business Director. The Director will report directly to the Authority and will be responsible for coordinating, scheduling, and planning its activities.

Interested candidates should submit their cover letter, resume, and five professional references to: Sparta DDA, Attn: Paul Schulz, Chairman, 156 E. Division, Sparta, MI 49345 no later than Monday, March 13 by 5:00 pm.

This year, the Village will begin its “Odd/Even” Winter Parking Regulations. From November 15 thru April 1, from 2 AM until 10 PM, vehicles may be parked on the odd side of the road on odd dates and on the even side of road on even dates.

This year, the Village will begin its “Odd/Even” Winter Parking Regulations. From November 15 thru April 1, from 2 AM until 10 PM, vehicles may be parked on the odd side of the road on odd dates and on the even side of road on even dates.

Click HERE to read an invitation and to obtain a bid sheet and contract (PDF format) to bid on a 1982 Ford 800 dump truck. The deadline for submittal is Tuesday, January 31, 2006 at 12:00 pm.

Now through the end of January, the Village will be providing a drop off location for Christmas trees. Christmas trees can be dropped off at the Public Works Garage located at 276 W. Division. The drop off location is clearly marked on the west side of the building.

• Cityhood Investigatory Committee Summary and Recommendation on Governmental Transition for Sparta Village

The Cityhood Investigatory Committee was created in February 2005 with the purpose of reviewing the positives and negatives specific to Sparta on becoming the City of Sparta. The Committee was further tasked with evaluating the positives and negatives of a potential change in municipal status and recommending back to the Village Council whether or not to proceed with becoming the City of Sparta.

Membership on the Committee was by appointment of Sparta Village Councilmembers who presented three names of individuals from the community to evaluate the information that could be provided on the transition from a village to a city. The Committee’s membership was composed of 19 residents and business owners with representatives from the local police department, fire department, ambulance service, and school district also serving in an advisory capacity.

Over the next few weeks, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) will be working with area farmers to reduce the starling bird population in the area. Although the control program is designed to contain the starling birds to properties in the township, the agents used to euthanize these birds may not take effect immediately resulting in dead starlings being found outside of the control area.

The USDA has clearly indicated that there is no immediate threat to the general population in the Sparta area. Starling birds are described as:

Should you find the carcass of a starling on your property, it is recommended that you dispose of it with your regular household trash.

Should you have any questions, you may contact Aaron Gykema with the USDA at (517) 336-1928.