False-alarm calls irk firefighters, MP council

By Brooks Taylor, Mt. Pleasant News

Mt. Pleasant?s Volunteer Fire Department is getting a number of false-alarm calls and is growing wary of the practice, especially when the calls are made in the wee hours of the morning.

Consequently, the city council, meeting in regular session Wednesday, referred the matter to the city?s ordinance committee for study.

In the past 12 months, nine false alarms have been phoned from the men?s dormitory at Iowa Wesleyan University, city officials said during yesterday?s meeting.

?The fire department is getting a little upset over the false alarms,? reported Mayor Steve Brimhall. ?It is happening frequently at one place and the fire department wants us to fine them. Some cities have a $500 fine for a false fire alarm.

?The problem is not knowing whether it is a fire or not,? the mayor continued. ?When the fire department gets a call, the police department also has to go out and in the case of the dormitory, go room to room to get people out.?

Former city councilman Bob Griffith, who was at Wednesday?s meeting, said the ordinance committee studied the matter several years ago but no recommendation was made to the council. The issue will once again go back to the ordinance committee for further study.

In real estate matters, the council approved the sale of six parcels of land from an alley vacated by the city in 2011. The city was offering 10 parcels for sale at $160 each but did not have any offers on the remaining four parcels.

Purchasing the parcels were Eric and Barbara Lowe, Benjamin Calhoun, Jerry Phillips (2), Christopher Olson and the Judith Penn Trust.

Remaining parcels are still being offered for sale by the city but the price for the remaining parcels will be $320. Jack Swarm, city planning and zoning administrator, said that in 2011, it was the city?s policy to sell the parcels for $160, so the parcels sold Wednesday were grandfathered in. Since that time, the city has upped the parcel price to $320 and any remaining parcels sold will not fall under the grandfather clause.

Council members passed the first reading of a proposed ordinance establishing a municipal wastewater permit. City Administrator Brent Schleisman said certain industries (large users) are required to have a permit with the city. Some other users also wanted to have a city permit to prove they are in good standing.

Permits will be issued for three years by the public works department at the cost of $100 per year.

A second reading of a proposed ordinance rezoning property from 1010 E. Washington St., south through 520 S. Grand Ave. was passed. The land will be rezoned from B-1, limited business and professional office, and B-4, highway service commercial, to B-3, general retail and service commercial.

Council members meet again in special session Wednesday, March 1, at 5 p.m. for a public hearing and adoption of the fiscal 2018 budget. The council?s next regular meeting will be at 4 p.m., Wednesday, March 8. Both meetings will be at City Hall.