FOLEY — Foley residents and business owners are one step closer to never again having to pay an annual registration fee with the city for alarm systems.

During its regular meeting Monday, the Foley City Council unanimously approved the first reading of an amendment to the city’s ordinance regulating alarms and penalties for violations. That amendment removes the $25 registration fee for alarm systems installed within the municipality. It also removes penalties for business owners with problematic alarms, if it is shown that efforts to repair the system are being implemented.

The vote came after the issue was introduced last month. At that time, both Foley Police Chief David Wilson and Foley Fire Chief Joey Darby explained that response procedures have significantly changed since the city’s alarm ordinance was penned in the 1990s. It required a $25 yearly fee for each alarm from home and business owners and included an additional fee for false alarms. It enabled the city to have a database to contact the building owner if the alarm went off. However, it was made clear during last month’s discussion that modern alarm systems are monitored electronically by companies installing them, eliminating the city’s need for such a database.

While that portion of the ordinance involving false alarms will not change, the language in the amendment would stipulate how that fee will be charged. During Monday’s Council meeting, Foley Fire Chief Joey Darby repeated last month’s explanation that sometimes malfunctions occur or in business alarms, the systems contain multiple sensors that can erroneously go off at different times. If it’s clear the system owner is working to eradicate the problem, no fines will be charged.

Because the ordinance would change municipal law, it must undergo a second reading to be enacted. However, the city is already planning to return fee checks sent for the 2013 year.