Essa still debating home alarm bylaw
By Richard Blanchard

Essa council is still considering making the installation of home alarm systems in new subdivisions in the township.

But it has deferred making a decision until it receives more information from its staff on the proposal.

Township mayor Dave Guergis made the suggestion at a council meeting last month.

He said that he had numerous calls about break-ins recently and felt that home alarm systems might have deterred many of the thieves.

Township planner Jim Hosek told council Wednesday night that unless the provincial building code was changed that the township couldn't enforce mandatory installation of the alarm systems.

Township fire chief Paul Macdonald added that the township would also have to deal with a steep increase in false alarms with more widespread installation of the alarm systems.

"How are we going to deal with them? I know some municipalities, after s a certain number of false alarms, charge $500 for investigating a false alarm," he said.

"And it is difficult to enforce to see if alarms systems are working," he said.

Some municipalities in Southern California presently require the alarm systems in all new homes.

Councillor Rick Newlove suggested that the township should strongly recommend to new builders that offer the alarm systems.

"It would be a good selling point," he said. Township mayor Dave Guergis said that he still felt that making them compulsory would be a better move.

"Anyone who I've talked to ,who hasn't had an alarm system and been robbed, goes out and gets one," he said.

"I'm not talking about an elaborate system. Front and back door triggered alarms and a motion detector as a minimum. It would certainly cut back on break-ins. The $700 cost is pretty small compared to the costs of a breakin" he said.

Council will revisit the issue later this year.