Troy City Council voted, 8-1, Feb. 16 to require working carbon monoxide detectors in rental units. The ordinance resulted from the deaths in early 2015 of three teen girls from carbon monoxide poisoning at a South Elm Street rental property where they lived with their grandmother.

Troy lawyer Robert Huffman Jr. told council that Jean Bishop, the grandmother of the three girls and a young boy who was sickened but survived, sent him to the meeting to support the proposal.

Fire Chief Matt Simmons explained the proposal was intended to protect people, not penalize property owners. He said the city proposal is based on the international fire code and repeats its language for detectors. The state fire code has not been updated yet to include that language, but is expected to eventually include it, Simmons said.

Councilwoman Robin Oda voted against the ordinance. She said she thought landlords and tenants needed to reach agreement through the lease on the placement and maintenance of the detectors.

Violations of the ordinance would be a minor misdemeanor on the first offense. The minor misdemeanor’s maximum penalty would be a $150 fine. A repeat offense would be a fourth-degree misdemeanor punishable by up to a $250 fine and 30 days in jail.

In other action Feb. 16, the council voted to see bids on a 0.75-million gallon water tower to be built off West Stanfield Road and an agreement with Choice One Engineering to design the second phase of improvements to North Market Street.