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Board alerted to Town of Greenville alarm ordinance; member to seek school exemption
Summary
Board member Angela reported the town is considering fines for repeated false alarms and will attend the Dec.16 hearing to request an exemption for schools; trustees raised questions about definitions and accidental activations.
Board member Angela briefed the board on local legislation the town is advancing called the "Town of Greenville Alarm Devices and System Law," explaining it would allow incremental fines for repeated false fire or EMS alarms with maximum penalties noted in the draft. Angela said the town held public hearings in October and November and scheduled another session for Dec. 16; she plans to attend and will recommend schools be exempted from fees.
Angela said some draft provisions include a maximum commercial fine of $2,000 and $1,000 for private sites, and voiced uncertainty about how the law would treat repeated student-activated pulls or accidental activations: "If a student pulls an alarm, the student, if he thinks there's a problem, is pulling an alarm. That's not false," a board member observed, urging definitions and clarity from the town.
Trustees also raised concerns about whether nuisance alarms or accidental activations of lockdown systems could be penalized, and noted an audible alarm automatic shutoff requirement (15 minutes) could create practical issues for a school campus. Board members agreed it was appropriate to attend the town hearing and to seek an exemption for school facilities.
Why it matters: If enacted without an exemption, the ordinance could create fees for the district when false alarms occur and could shift costs to taxpayers or the district.
Next step: Angela will attend the Dec. 16 town hearing and recommend an exemption for schools; administrators will monitor the ordinance and report back.
