MARIES COUNTY — The Maries County Sheriff’s Office will investigate a motion-activated alarm system along Maries Road 412 after county officials received complaints that flashing lights and a loud alarm are being triggered by vehicles traveling along the route.

The complaint was discussed Sept. 21 during the Maries County Commission meeting after Eastern District Commissioner Rodney Southard said a landowner on Maries Road 412 has an alarm system that appears to be activated by traffic on the public roadway.

County Clerk Rhonda Rodgers said she has personally encountered the alarm numerous times while traveling the road.

“It’s facing the county road, so that anytime anyone drives down the county road, it goes off,” Rodgers said. “In the night, it’s very bright; lights are flashing at you, and then also this very loud alarm. But it happens day and night.”

Commissioners questioned whether the system could be directed toward the property owner’s driveway rather than the county road.

Rodgers said she could understand using a motion-activated system to alert the property owner when someone enters the driveway but questioned why passing traffic should activate it.

“Why are we facing it to the county road?” Rodgers said. “Makes no sense to me.”

Southard raised the possibility that the flashing lights could also create a safety concern for motorists.

“It could be a safety hazard,” Southard said. “Somebody not paying attention.”

The commissioners contacted Maries County Sheriff Mark Morgan during the meeting and placed him on speakerphone to discuss the complaint.

Stratman told Morgan the county had received a complaint concerning a motion-activated system with bright flashing lights and a loud alarm.

Rodgers told Morgan the system was directed toward the county road and said she had personally witnessed it activate as vehicles passed.

Morgan said the Sheriff’s Office would need to inspect the system and determine the circumstances before deciding what, if anything, could be done.

“We can look at things for peace and science, but I just have to kind of go out there and take a look at it and just kind of see exactly,” Morgan said.

Morgan also questioned whether the complaint could involve a dispute between neighboring property owners.

“Everybody that drives by there complains about it,” Rodgers said.

Southard said the neighboring property owners had approached the alarm owner and asked that the system at least be turned off on weekends, but he said the request had reportedly been refused.

Morgan told commissioners he would have a deputy inspect the property and speak with the alarm owner.

“We can have a deputy go out there and take a look at it and kind of figure out what the deal is,” Morgan said. “I’d like to talk to the alarm owner there to kind of find out what the purpose is behind it.”

Later in the meeting, commissioners directed that the complainant be informed that the matter had been discussed with the Sheriff’s Office and that the situation would be investigated.