06/30/2026
Sparta Fire Authority Millage information:
The mission of the Sparta Fire Department is to be as efficient and effective as we can in delivering quality emergency services to our community. The fire department has been delivering these services to the Sparta Community for 100 years as of this year.
In January of 2026, the department transitioned from a fire board to a fire authority. This means that the fire department is its own recognized governmental entity. The funding for the authority currently remains the same, as it has been, with funding coming from both the Village and the Township. When the authority was established, several funding provisions were put in place to ensure a smooth, uninterrupted transition of services to the community if the village were to become a city.
The voters are being asked to approve a millage for the Sparta Fire Authority. With the establishment of the Fire Authority, the millage funds are coming to the Authority rather than the Township. Because of this change, the language on the ballot will look different. The millage will be listed as “New Additional” on the ballot because the Authority is a new entity and we have never directly levied a millage. This language is a State Law requirement.
The Fire Authority has elected to combine the previous (2) .25 mils into a single .50 mil request. If approved, the funds will be used to purchase fire equipment, turnout gear, SCBA breathing devices, and to provide funds to continue with our building construction project.
This millage will cost $0.500 per $1,000 of the taxable value of your home.
Every day, we see “new and improved” innovations in building construction design and materials and various manufacturing methods that make our lives more comfortable or better in some ways. New vehicle designs and technologies have made travel safer by offering multiple airbags, automatic braking devices, and gap warning protection to help prevent accidents. Different types of hybrid vehicles are making it safer for the environment. With all these changes, we need to have the appropriate emergency response equipment and training to make a significant difference and reduce the risk to the community.
These millage funds have been used to purchase protective turnout gear. In 2020, we used the millage funds to purchase our newest engine on a 6-year lease program. We have also been able to save funds to put towards our station construction project.
The ballot language is going to read “New Additional,” but understand that this language is a requirement by State Law, and this is just a continuation of the existing millage, which has been in place since 2008.
The millage funds from this request will be used in conjunction with the 1-million-dollar grant we received to renovate and add to the existing station, new Self-Contained Breathing Apparatuses (SCBA), and to save for the future replacement of a fire truck.
Thank you For Your continued Support
Paid for by the Sparta Firemen’s Association
