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Sparta council appoints Christine Owens, approves fire authority appointments and personnel contract changes
Summary
The Sparta Village Council appointed Christine Owens to fill a council vacancy, adopted Resolution 2601 to keep current Sparta Area Fire Authority representatives, extended the police chief's contract with a 5% raise for the period, and approved amendments to the village manager's contract, all by unanimous voice votes.
The Sparta Village Council unanimously moved to fill a recent council vacancy, approve appointments to the Sparta Area Fire Authority and adopt several personnel contract changes at its meeting.
The council appointed Christine Owens to the vacant council seat after members discussed her prior application and service on the planning commission. "Welcome aboard," the chair said after the motion passed by voice vote. Council members noted that, if appointed, Owens would need to step down from the planning commission because those commission seats are filled.
Council also adopted Resolution 2601 to appoint members to the Sparta Area Fire Authority and said it would keep current representatives, including Betty Patton Johnson. The chair introduced the resolution and council approved it by voice vote.
On personnel matters, staff presented a proposal to extend Police Chief Milenowski’s contract to April 30 (moved from an October 11, 2026 scheduled end) and to apply a 5% salary increase for that extension period. "What we negotiated and arrived at was 5%, and we would just need the board's blessing on that," the village manager said. The council authorized the village manager to finalize the changes and approved the measure by unanimous voice vote.
The council also approved amendments to the village manager’s own contract, including a proposed severance term and clarifications about comp time cash-out. Members praised the manager’s work securing grants and supporting village projects during an informal review before the vote. A motion to approve the manager contract amendments passed by voice vote, recorded as 6-0.
Votes at a glance
- Appointment of Christine Owens to council seat: motion made and seconded; outcome: approved (voice vote, 6-0). - Resolution 2601 (appointments to Sparta Area Fire Authority, including Betty Patton Johnson): adopted (voice vote, 6-0). - Authorization to extend Police Chief Milenowski’s contract with a 5% salary increase for the extension period: approved (voice vote, unanimous). - Amendments to village manager contract (severance, comp time clarifications): approved (voice vote, 6-0).
The council scheduled the appointee’s swearing-in for later in the meeting and noted administrative follow-up (paperwork and planning commission vacancy). The meeting proceeded to other agenda items and no executive session was held.
