Sparta Approves Transfer of Delinquent Debts

The City of Sparta has transferred over $6,000 of bad debt.

Mayor Jeff Young said a majority of the utility debt could not be collected by the city.

“This transfer basically just takes it off our books so the accounting department can keep up with what’s current and collectible versus what we know we are not going to get,” Young said. “And the vast majorities of these, I think about 55 percent of these bad debts were people where the person that lived there are deceased now.”

Young said Sparta had to address large amounts of bad debt in previous years.

“Of course that number, most of you remember, several years back was 14, 15, 17 thousand dollars,” Young said. “We are having much greater success in not only not getting the delinquent debt, but securing that debt. ”

The Sparta Board of Aldermen and Mayor approved the transfer Thursday.