City Council approves alarm system registration fees while cracking down on false alarm penalties

The City Council passed an ordinance that adds registration fees for residential and commercial alarm systems and assesses fines for false alarm responses. 

Harvey Police Department Chief Cameron Biddings and Harvey Fire Department Chief Howard Fisher expressed their support for the ordinance at the council’s March 24 regular meeting, saying that emergency responders have visited businesses several times in the same day due to malfunctioning alarm systems.

“It takes our officers away from calls of service that are important to the residents and to the city,” Biddings said.

The ordinance introduces a $20 alarm system registration fee for residents and a $35 fee for businesses. The city’s municipal code states that businesses have to pay a $100 fine for more than three false alarms in a calendar year.

Ald. Tracy Key (4th) spoke against the ordinance saying that it’s unfair to put the financial burden on residents. “We stay leaning on our residents to find sources of income.”

Social media personality Ryan Sinwelski also denounced the new alarm system fees during the public comment. 

“Why is Harvey charging yet another fee to overtaxed residents and businesses? This is clearly another scam and extortion tactic,” Sinwelski said, “and should be abolished immediately.”

Free speech and transparency concerns

Resident Glynis James-Watson expressed frustration over what she described as a distorted narrative being used to silence concerned citizens.

“What is not positive is a lack of financial transparency and then spinning the narrative to make it seem that those of us who are speaking out for our rights, for financial accountability, are disruptive or being negative,” she said. “I don’t know why anyone wouldn’t want that kind of information.”

James-Watson also denounced what she sees as repeated violations of the First Amendment during council meetings, citing the legal notice that penalizes attendees for any conduct deemed disorderly. 

James-Watson, who was fined $500 for disorderly conduct for whispering at a meeting, described the presence of police at City Hall as “intimidation” and criticized city leadership for treating residents as “wards of the city instead of stakeholders.”

The mayor banned clapping, laughing, and other forms of non-verbal expression after residents clapped while someone criticized him during public comment. Clark tossed the audience out last summer, also, after being criticized. Since, the mayor has increased police presence at meetings to intimidate critics. Residents held a silent protest and have used fashion statements to fight back.

Mayor Chris Clark addressed these criticisms during mayoral comment.

“People will get up at this podium and they’ll talk about what the city isn’t doing, and they’ll ask for transparency, and they’ll ask for information, and then when I start to give that transparency, they leave the room,” he said.

In response to speech suppression expressed by residents, Clark emphasized that while attendees have the right to express themselves in meetings, they can only do so during public comment.

“You can say what you need to say in this meeting, and we’re never going to put down people’s freedom of speech, but you have to use some sense and speak at the time when it is appropriate.”