The Fayetteville City Council had a fairly quiet meeting Tuesday night as aldermen reviewed the False Alarm Ordinance and approved a resolution to accept grant money for runway improvements at Drake Field.
The False Alarm Ordinance, which was activated March 1, sets a fine of $250 if Fayetteville police respond to a false alarm to a particular residence or business more than once.
In the three months since the ordinance has taken effect, a total of $6,800 has been collected, Police Chief Greg Tabor told the council.
Of the false alarms that police have responded to, 74% have been non-residential, Tabor said. So far, a panel for the False Alarm Ordinance has heard three appeals, and all three appeals have been upheld, Tabor continued.
The ordinance also dictates that all alarm systems be registered with AOT Public Safety Corporation, an out-of-state company that monitors and collects the fees.
In other business, the council unanimously approved a resolution to accept a grant for runway safety improvements at Drake Field. The Federal Aviation Administration and the Arkansas Department of Aeronautics provided the grant for $3.6 million, which will cover the cost of the entire project.
The project is necessary to comply with regulations set forth by the FAA, which gave this improvement a high-priority rating. The acceptable dimensions for runways are 500 feet wide and 1000 feet long. As is, Runway 16 is asymmetrically shaped and shorter than the acceptable length, according to the memorandum that accompanied the resolution.
