Sparta Village Council appoints Christina Owens, approves contract changes and $2.08M in payables

The Village of Sparta Village Council on Monday appointed Christina Owens to fill a council vacancy and approved a series of routine personnel and financial actions, including $2,080,810.20 in payables.

President Robert Whalen opened the meeting at 6:30 p.m. and council members approved the consent and business agenda with the addition of a manager review item. Councilmember Brenda Braybrook moved to approve the agenda; Robert Carlstrom supported the motion, which passed 6-0.

In a roll of routine business, Councilmember Brenda Braybrook moved to appoint Christina Owens to the council vacancy left by Councilmember Mais; Tom Peoples supported the motion and the council approved the appointment 6-0. Minutes in the meeting record show Owens was appointed without recorded dissent.

Councilmember Robert Carlstrom moved to adopt Resolution 26-01 to appoint members to the Sparta Area Fire Authority; Brenda Braybrook supported the motion and it passed 6-0.

On personnel matters, Braybrook moved to approve an extension of the police chief’s contract as presented; David Cumings supported the motion and the measure passed 6-0. The transcript records the police chief’s contract extension was approved but does not specify the contract’s term or salary changes.

Separately, Cumings moved to approve a contract amendment for Village Manager James Lower, with Braybrook’s support; the motion passed 6-0. The record indicates the council completed the manager review and authorized the contract amendment but does not include the amendment language in the minutes.

Finance staff presented December payables across multiple funds, showing a General Fund total of $1,427,857.58 and an overall payable total of $2,080,810.20. Tom Peoples moved to approve the payables as presented; Braybrook seconded and the council approved the payments 6-0.

During department reports, Village Manager James Lower provided an update on the wastewater project; no formal council action on the project was recorded. In communications, council members discussed recordings of council meetings and expressed a desire to see a formal policy for recordings; the minutes do not specify who will draft the policy or a timeline for completion.

The meeting closed at 7:12 p.m.

Votes at a glance: appointment of Christina Owens — motion passed 6-0; Resolution 26-01 (Sparta Area Fire Authority appointments) — passed 6-0; police chief contract extension — passed 6-0; village manager contract amendment — passed 6-0; payables approval totaling $2,080,810.20 — passed 6-0.