Council Considers Fire Fee, Alarm Changes In Moorestown

MOORESTOWN, NJ — For the first time in more than 10 years, the annual inspection fees for fire safety uses is set to increase in Moorestown. Council approved a proposed ordinance on introduction to increase fees at its Feb. 24 meeting.

The list of changes can be found in the proposal posted on the township’s website. The fire department was going to propose the changes back in 2009, but decided not to because the economy wasn’t doing well.

“The economy is doing much better now, but we haven’t had time to focus on it until now,” Fire Official Matthew Orsini said.

Under the proposal, locations that have in which multiple fire uses exist under one ownership will be charged the full fee for the location’s primary use. They will pay half the fee for secondary uses. Only a few companies in the township have a secondary use, and Orsini couldn’t think of any businesses that have more than two uses.

Council also approved a proposed ordinance on introduction to amend township code covering fire alarms. Those changes can be seen in the proposal listed on the township’s website.

Councilwoman Lisa Petriello had a question concerning the portion of the amendments that states the fire district will not answer further alarms caused by or originating from an alarm that has produced multiple false alarms.

If one alarm produces multiple false alarms, the fire department delivers a notice to the owner or other person present at the property that alarms won’t be answered until the owner submits an application to have their alarm re certified. That notice can be hand-delivered, posted on the property or emailed.

Orsini clarified that that portion was saying the alarm agency wouldn’t notify the fire department. The fire department could still be notified another way, such as a neighbor reporting a fire, and it would respond.

“The alarm company wouldn’t dispatch the fire department, but other people notify us most of the time anyway,” Orsini said. “It’s usually not the alarm company that notifies us.”

An example of an instance in which this might occur would be when one fire alarm produces six false alarms in 24 hours.

Council also approved a proposed ordinance on introduction setting forth changes in salary for certain part-time employees. Those changes can be seen here.