[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the Town of Grand Chute as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
[Adopted 1-7-1997 as § 7.07 of the 1997 Code; amended in its entirety 8-17-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-09]
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
ALARM BUSINESS
Any person, property owner, firm, partnership or corporation who or which alters, installs, leases, maintains, repairs, replaces or services an alarm system or who or which causes any of these activities to take place.
FALSE ALARM
Any signal, message, or other communication transmitted by an alarm system, person, or other device which causes Police or Fire Department response and which is determined by the Town not to be of an existing emergency or unlawful situation.
TWELVE-MONTH PERIOD
The 12 months preceding the most recent false alarm event.
Pursuant to § 941.13, Wis. Stats., whoever intentionally gives a false alarm to any public officer or employee, whether by means of a fire alarm system or otherwise, is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.
A. 
The user of any private alarm system shall pay the Town of Grand Chute a fee according to the schedule of fees established by the Town Board for any false alarm occurring in a twelve-month period. Any fees payable to the Town which are delinquent may be assessed against the property involved as a special charge for current service, without notice, pursuant to § 66.0627, Wis. Stats.
B. 
A fee shall not be charged if any of the following apply:
(1) 
The alarm was activated by criminal activity or a legitimate emergency.
(2) 
The alarm was activated after a power outage that lasted more than four hours.
(3) 
The alarm was activated after the premises was impacted by documented adverse weather conditions.
(4) 
The alarm was activated by a technician or representative of the alarm business responsible for installation and/or maintenance of the alarm system.
An alarm user may appeal the assessment of a false alarm fee by submitting written documentation to the Police Chief or Fire Chief within 10 business days after notification of the assessment of a fee.
Any person who violates any provision of this article may be subject to a forfeiture of an amount prescribed in the Uniform Forfeiture and Bond Schedules, as established by the Town Board, and the costs of prosecution, and in default of payment of the fine and costs of prosecution shall be imprisoned in the county jail until said fine and the costs of prosecution are paid, but not to exceed 30 days. Each day during which a violation continues shall be deemed to be a separate offense.