There was a little bit of a surprise at the most recent Sparta Township Council meeting when Township Manager Jim Zepp was presented with a proclamation honoring his 25 years of service to Sparta.
Zepp began working for the township in 2001 in the Department of Public Works. He eventually became DPW director before taking over as township manager three years ago.
Over those 25 years, Zep has seen just about everything — floods, blizzards, hurricanes and, of course, the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It’s very surreal to be here and be experiencing this 25 years,” Zepp told the council. He thanked township employees, coworkers and residents, saying his time serving Sparta has left a “very positive indelible mark” on him.
He also admitted he wasn’t quite sure what he was going to do on his first Monday of retirement.
Police Chief Jeffrey McCarrick also thanked Zepp for his leadership and guidance over the past three years.
There are several other changes happening around the township as well. Allison Deaney will become recreation director beginning Sept. 1, with Emily Song taking over as program coordinator. Brendan Kramer, currently assistant superintendent of Public Works, was also approved as Sparta’s certified public works manager.
The council approved several police-related items, including moving forward with a new body camera contract and purchasing 10 Taser 10 devices. The five-year agreement for the Tasers is approximately $122,000 and includes training, cartridges and cloud storage.
McCarrick said the devices give officers another option that could help reduce the need for physical force in certain situations.
A new 25-mph school zone was also approved along Route 94 near Sussex County Charter School and the county vocational school.
The Sparta Beautification Committee also received approval for an “Adopt a Garden” program. The idea is to allow local businesses or landscaping companies to adopt designated township-owned areas and take care of the planting and maintenance. The township keeps ownership of the property, while the business gets recognition with a standardized sign.
The meeting also brought some heated public comments.
Concerns were raised about Sparta’s Flock Safety camera contract, especially regarding information that license-plate reader technology can collect. The council acknowledged the concerns while noting that the technology is being used as a law-enforcement tool and that there are controls over access and data storage.
Residents also asked about the township’s ongoing fair-share housing negotiations involving several properties, including Five West Shore, the Hakemian property on Route 517 and the Dystra property near North Village.
Township officials said negotiations and mediation are still ongoing and that they expect to know more in September. If an agreement cannot be reached, the matter could ultimately go to court.
