TIFTON – Tifton City Council postponed a vote on amending a fire alarm ordinance.

Council members said they want to review Chapter 34 – Emergency Services as it Relates to False Alarms ordinance and discuss it further during the March work session.

During the February work session, council discussed the city’s fire department responding to numerous false alarm calls due to faulty alarms. 

City Manager Pete Pyrzenski said out of 166 false alarm calls, the fire department responded to 88 during the evening time costing the department overtime pay. 

Mayor Julie Smith and District 2 Councilman Jack Folk discussed fining people for faulty alarms.

“I treat it more as a cost reimbursement for the city because of the cost,” Folk said. “These are repeat things and it cost the city a good bit of money from things the business didn’t take care of.”

“The last thing I think anybody would want to do is create any more hardships for our businesses,” Smith said. “The fire chief has the discretion to work with that business owner, even if it is beyond the three or four times that would reference the ordinance.”

City Council will discuss amending the ordinance further in the March 1 work session.