Despite some letters expressing concerns about the new false alarm bylaw in North Battleford, third reading went ahead and the bylaw passed at Monday’s council meeting.
The only change was an amendment that ensured annual renewals took place on an anniversary-date basis, rather than at the end of the year as proposed earlier.
The new false alarm bylaw includes a number of provisions including a new fine schedule, with first false alarms receiving a warning, a second receiving a $200 fine, third receiving a $500 fine and fourth or more $750. There is also an alarm registration fee of $30, an increase from $15.
But there was opposition expressed. The letters received included one letter from the Security Company that complained the $30 fee “would be very difficult to collect.” Another letter was from the Battleford Chamber of Commerce expressing concern about the impact to businesses.
In speaking to reporters after, Mayor Ian Hamilton said he believed there was a misunderstanding about the fees, which were already being collected anyway.
“These fees have been in the 2002 bylaw and they’ve been collecting them on that basis for the last 14 years,” said Hamilton who added “I think we’ve addressed it adequately, that we’ve explained the collection of the fees and the imposition.”
The fines are also increased for repeat offences of false alarms, and “that’s what we want to prevent,” said Hamilton.
“The number of false alarms responded to in the city is very, very significant. That’s a very inappropriate use of very valuable human resources. We take this very seriously.”
