JOHNSTOWN — City Attorney Susan Palmer Johnson will be drafting a change to city ordinances to eliminate the city’s mandated fire alarm fees that have been assessed to businesses for many years.
The issue was first broached last month and Johnson said she will now work on making the change after no one objected at the Common Council’s meeting Monday night at City Hall.
In May, city Treasurer Michael Gifford told the council the city should discuss whether to continue a $150 fee established in 1999 for any private building with a red fire box to tie into the Fire Department alarm system. He said there’s not much expenditure related to the system now.
“Now, it’s time to discuss whether we want to continue with this fee,” Gifford said last month. “Maybe it’s time to get rid of this fee ... It seems [the city] might be accumulating money that we might actually not need.”
On Monday, Gifford said there exists $36,000 left in the alarm fees account — “more than enough.”
Mayor Sarah J. Slingerland said the city wants to encourage business activity in the city and one less fee can be eliminated.
“I would support removing that annual fee,” Slingerland said.
Gifford said the fees were originally intended to buy equipment for the alarm system, but that has been done.
City Fire Chief Bruce Heberer said there is a maintenance cost for the system, but that is manageable with city funds available.
“We can well afford the maintenance,” Heberer said.
In other discussion, the council discussed a request for utilities for property on John Street, which is a paper street in the city not existing on a map.
City Engineer Charles Kortz said the request has come from an unidentified person who wants utilities for his own use on a two-acre parcel. He said the area is developable for single-family housing.
“The question is how do we service this property with utilities,” Kortz said.
He suggested granting the request for utilities such as power, gas and water at the person’s own expense.
Kortz said the city has discretion to extend John Street eventually and develop it into a real city street.
The council also discussed a potential new contract between the city and the Gloversville Transit System.
Slingerland said the proposal is to add $5,000 to the existing contract. She said she asked GTS Manager Al Schutz to provide Johnstown officials with financial data. He said the GTS wants a two-year contract.
She said bus riding has become a cheaper, more popular mode of transportation for some Johnstown residents.
“I’ve had several people in the community saying they’re riding the bus and it’s a valued service,” Slingerland said.
Gifford said the city’s last contract with the GTS expired March 31, 2007. The new contract would be retroactive to April 1, 2007.
Michael Anich covers Fulton County and Johnstown. He can be reached at johnstown@leaderherald.com.
