No Decision On Golden Mountain/Hale Issues

While there may be consensus about safety issues along Sparta’s Golden Mountain Road and Hale Street, what to do about it remains a question.

Sparta Aldermen heard from several residents Thursday night concerned about possible solutions as well as the road itself. White County Resident Lynn Holloway said one potential fix, a stop sign, would make things worse.

“We cannot see, it’s obstructing the view totally,” Holloway said. “So you don’t have any view of what you’re coming onto until you get out of the curve. Completely out of the curve. So if you put a stop sign there, you’re going to have people rear end it all the time there. It’s got to be something different.”

Holloway said she believed property owners in the area need to do a better job of upkeep on the trees. Another suggestion was widening the road through the curve to eliminate some of the banking.

Sparta Mayor Jerry Lowery said the board remains in information-gathering mode on the issue. He said he’s also sensitive to the desires of the property owners in the area.

“At what point do we want the government to come in and start telling everybody what to do on their property?” Lowery said. “And that becomes an issue that nobody wants. That nobody wants the government to say, you’re going to do this on your property if you don’t like it. And so that’s also the other side that we have to look at. That’s an issue.”

No decision was made on the issue Thursday night. Lowery said he’s heard from city staff and law enforcement with their suggestions.

In other business, Aldermen approved the purchase of 16 body cameras for the Police Department. The five-year agreement will cost the city just under $11,000 annually.

Council also approved second reading on changes to the city’s water and sewer rates.