posted on Thursday, November 29, 2007 12:25 PM
by
klehan
College Town Seeks False Alarm Fines
Since the Mount Pleasant, Iowa, city council last met with officials from Iowa Wesleyan College in late September to address the issue of false fire alarms at the college dorms, the college has seen one more incident.
As a result, members of the council's ordinance committee argued it was time to begin leveling fines against the college and any other sources of repeated false alarms.
"It's costing us money, and it's costing us morale," said council member Steve Engberg, who sits on the ordinance committee. "You're not going to make them do anything unless it costs them."
No decision was made on the amount of the fine to be imposed, with suggestions ranging from $100 to $500. It was also suggested the fines might increase with each successive false alarm. City administrator Brent Schleisman estimated that it cost the fire department at least $200 to respond to any alarm.
The ordinance committee will take up the issue again at its Nov. 26, 2007, meeting.
"The problem is with students; you can fine Wesleyan all you want - they'll keep pulling the handles," said council member Matthew Crull.
Engberg said the college ought to install breakable glass boxes around the alarms if necessary. "I don't want their problem to become our problem," he said.
Officials from Iowa Wesleyan declined to comment directly on possible council action, but said the college was addressing the issue.