Longmeadow averages $13,000 a year in billing for false alarm calls made to the police department.
LONGMEADOW – Residents who do not pay their overdue false alarm bills could face a lien on their property taxes, Town Collector and Treasurer Mary Pequignot said.
“We currently have $6,305 in outstanding bills, some going back to 1998, but most are more recent,” she said.
The existing bylaw allows for one free false alarm call made to a home or business by police. The second call is a $25 fee and any subsequent calls are $50 each, Pequignot said.
Pequignot said those who have outstanding bills will soon receive a letter from the town’s counsel advising both commercial and residential property owners that if all false alarms bills are not paid to the town, the amounts of the bills will be added to their fiscal year 2013 real estate tax bills.
During an annual Town Meeting in 1992, residents approved a warrant article accepting a Massachusetts general law that allows lien charges to be placed on real estate property taxes if residents are behind on false alarm, water and sewer bills.
In 2009 the town began placing liens on property taxes for unpaid water and sewer bills; now it will do the same for the false alarms.
Pequignot said this is an effective way of collecting the overdue bills, because most residents do not want the addition to their property taxes.
“We are just looking to pursue every avenue we can to collect what is due to the town,” she said.
The town averages $13,000 a year in billing for false alarm calls made to the police department.
For more information or questions call (413) 567-1066.