A. An alarm user will be charged for each false alarm a fee pursuant to the following false alarm charge schedule:
False Alarm Fee Schedule Beginning Each Fiscal Year
First | $50.00 |
Subsequent | 75.00 |
Alarm users will only be charged for careless use of the alarms and not for malfunctions due to telephone company repairs or the alarm equipment itself. All alarm users shall be granted two (2) careless use alarms, without a fee schedule charge, during each fiscal year. All careless use alarms after the two (2) nonchargeable alarms shall be subject to the false alarm fee schedule. Further, if an alarm user refuses to respond to the place of business or residence to reset the alarm after officers have responded to that location, the alarm call will be handled as a careless use alarm and the appropriate fee charged.
B. If any alarm user fails to pay a false alarm charge within thirty (30) days of being billed, the police chief may issue written notice by first-class mail of his intention to disconnect the alarm user's alarm from its connection to the police department or of his intention to refuse to authorize response by police department personnel to future alarms from that alarm user's alarm system. Any false alarm charge, which is more than thirty (30) days delinquent, shall incur interest at the rate of one and one-half percent (11/2%) per month until paid in full.
C. The alarm user will have the right to appeal the disconnection or refusal to respond by the police department, subsection B of this section. Written notice of the time and place of hearing shall be served on the alarm user by the city clerk by first- class mail at least ten (10) days prior to the date set for hearing.
D. At the hearing before the public safety committee, the alarm user or his authorized representative shall have the right to confront and examine witnesses, and to present evidence as to his delinquency. After the hearing, the public safety committee may order disconnection, or may refuse to respond to future alarms from that alarm user's alarm system or may withdraw the notice if he is satisfied there is no delinquency.
E. Any alarm user whose alarm system has been disconnected or to whose alarm system the police chief has determined no future response will be made pursuant to this section shall have the right, within ten (10) days after receiving notice of said action from the police chief, to file a written appeal by first-class mail or hand delivery to the city clerk, and no alarm user shall be required to discontinue use of his alarm system prior to the expiration of such ten (10) day period. Such appeal shall set forth the specific ground or grounds on which it is based. The public safety committee shall hold a hearing on the appeal and shall cause the appellant to be given at least seven (7) days' written notice of such hearing. At the hearing the appellant or his designated representative, shall have the right to present written or oral argument, or both, in support of his appeal. The public safety committee shall issue its decision within seven (7) days after the hearing.
F. If an alarm user files an appeal pursuant to subsection E of this section, he shall not be required to discontinue use of the alarm system until a final decision is made on his appeal.
G. Any alarm user whose alarm system has been disconnected from the police communication center is not precluded under this section from applying for a new connection. The police chief, however, is not required to allow a new connection unless past delinquencies have been satisfied, the police chief is satisfied that the applicant will meet the obligations proposed under this chapter in the future, and sufficient board space is available at the police department for the connection. (Ord. 4454, 1-16-2001)
3-6-3: SERVICE BY MAIL:
Whenever a person, the police chief or any city official or employee is required to make delivery by first-class mail, delivery, in lieu thereof, may be by personal delivery as set out in the Iowa rules of civil procedure. (Ord. 4454, 1-16-2001)