Since then - I have received complaints, on my blog comment section and personally, on this item suggesting strongly the City lacks the legal authority to impose registration fees for Alarm Systems (Fire, etc) in the City
The City however has relied on Sections 8(6) and 196 (1) (a) of the Community Charter which says:
Section 8(6):
A council may, by bylaw, regulate in relation to business.
Section 196 (1) (a):
1) In relation to fire alarm systems and security alarm systems, a council may, by bylaw, impose fees that are to be paid
(a) by the owner or occupier of real property to which services are provided by or on behalf of the municipality, including policing services under section 3 (2) of the Police Act, in response to a false alarm of a system
So - as much as the registration fees may bother both businesses and residents' - the City has the legal authority to impose these fees as per Section 8(6) of the Community Charter, as it relates to regulating business as this Section does not have any language relating to a local government being restricted to how they may regulate business by bylaw and as such - the registration fees are legitimate. However - the City should have discussed these fees in more detail prior to False Alarm Bylaw #2127, 2010 being adopted at the end of November of 2010
I sympathize with those who argue that the City is penalizing those who have an alarm system for their own protection, rather than ensuring adequate police protection for all City of Williams Lake residents'
5 comments:
im all for registration as maybe it will make people in this town who want everything for free accountable and paying for a service thats above and beyond a regular service.
Exactly. And Steve, ever consider that this bylaw, and a bunch or others, are ADDITIONS to fight crime, not INSTEAD of anything else? You think it's just as simple as forking over $100,000 per cop to add new cops? They are responsible for a huge area, not just the city. I don't see the CRD or province or feds jumping in to offer more cash for more police.
To ensure "adequate" policing will cost millions of dollars. The province decided the funding formula. Maybe that needs to be fixed.
You also forgot the City put more civilians in the cop shop so that the police could be on the street more and at their desks less.
God, I hope you never get elected.
Thanks for your comments...
But I would point out that if the Fire Hall project had not gone over by $528,000 - the City could have easily had 4 new RCMP Officers (again at $100,000 per Officer plus related costs
And yes - it is true that the City did put more civilian staff, in December of 2008, at the RCMP Detachment to free up existing RCMP Officers but from what I hear on the street - crime really has not improved a great deal (person to person crime) when Kerry Cook took over, given national stats on crime have dropped and not because of actions by the Federal Conserviatives and local Mayors like Kerry Cook, although other crime categories have dropped, again, no real reason there, but it might very well be attributed to actions of previous City Councils and not just the current one
But I would point out that if the Fire Hall project had not gone over by $528,000 - the City could have easily had 4 new RCMP Officers (again at $100,000 per Officer plus related costs.
This is false. You cant pay cops on a year to year basis, you have to sustainably budget for them and a "one off" payment doesnt work.
As well, the 528k, or whatever number you want to tack to it, simply would not have been spent. You dont need more officers, you will always here RCMP cry about that because that is their mantra, a police state, which i dont want to live in. How bout programs get put in place for long term crime reduction not reactionary policing to permanently reduce crime......kinda like what Kerry has been doing. Fostering relationships and understanding the root of criminality reduces it slowly over the long haul. May not be as sexy as RCMP with flashing lights, but much more effective, less expensive, and sustainable. Something that needs to be embraced around here instead of redneck justice.
Glad people are gonna be held accountable. Im tired of my taxes being wasted by stupidity.
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