By MELINDA J. OVERSTREET
for Glasgow News 1
An ordinance addressing false alarms that consume numerous hours of police and fire personnel time got approved on its second reading Monday, and the Glasgow Department of Public Works superintendent provided the city council with updates on city construction projects.
The first reading of the false-alarm ordinance got its nod July 14, and although the second approval has now occurred, this new local law won’t take effect until Oct. 1.
Woody Gardner, filling in for his law partner Rich Alexander, who is city attorney, read a summary of the document that included the excerpt regarding the penalties for violating the rule. The vote was unanimous among the members present; Councilwoman Marna Kirkpatrick was absent.
For the purposes of this ordinance, four or more false alarms per address within a calendar year would be considered excessive and would be unlawful, and civil – not criminal – penalties would be established. For the first through third false alarms within a calendar year, written warnings would be issued. The fourth and subsequent offenses would be met with fine amounts that get progressively higher – $25, $50, $100, $150, respectively, until the eighth and ninth, for which the fine would be $200. With the 10th time, police and fire response would be restricted to verified alarms only, and the alarm user would have to install an approved alarm monitoring system.
False alarms created by weather conditions would not be counted against the alarm owner.
Any monies collected through these fines would be earmarked for a Parks and Recreation Department account to be used to help pay for registration fees to participate in youth programs if a child’s parent or legal guardian cannot afford it.
An appeal process with the council public safety committee would be established by the ordinance as well.
The other action items on the relatively light agenda with no new business were three municipal orders – all approved unanimously – making the following reappointments: Terry Fisher and Scott W. Owens to the airport board and W. Keith Rowlett to the Glasgow Electric Plant Board.
DPW Superintendent Jim McGowan said the work to repair the entrance ramp from North Race Street into the city’s parking structure is nearing completion, though it had a weeklong delay due to a prior scheduling conflict, but the crew was back onsite Monday. A significant part of the work involves the installation of brackets, he said, and as the day closed, all the studs had been drilled and sealed with epoxy, and they were expecting to start hanging steel Tuesday. He said that, barring any unforeseen complications, the entrance could be open as soon as Friday.
With regard to the farmers market facility under construction along West Main Street, he said that site drainage work was ongoing, but steel beams have been erected and the plumbing and sewer lines have been roughed in. Installation of the building insulation should begin in the next several days, and cement for the concrete foundation slab is expected to be poured in a couple of weeks.
“Final completion for the farmers market is scheduled for the last week of September,” McGowan said.
