After an almost two-year battle with pancreatic cancer, Sparks Mayor Ron Smith has died. He was 71 years old. Mayor Smith was officially sworn in as the 25th Mayor of Sparks on November 13, 2018. He was elected to the Sparks City Council in November 2006 and was re-elected to four-year terms in 2008, 2012 and 2016. He served as Sparks Mayor Pro Tempore from 2012-2018.