Sparta Ends Agreement With Marines

The city of Sparta has withdrawn a Memorandum of Understanding with the United States Marine Corps.

The MOU gave the Marines permission to train within city limits for at least the next three years.

“A motion was made at our meeting to withdraw the agreement because there was so much controversy over the agreement and that White County was not acting on it,” Sparta City Administrator Chris Dorsey said. “Many of the board members felt that it was in their best interest to not continue with moving forward since we are in the boundaries of White County.”

The city had approved the MOU during its October meeting. Days after approving the MOU, a number of citizens showed up at the county commission meeting expressing concerns about the agreement.

The Marines have the same MOU with about 40 other communities.