Government Stupidity

From Firehouse.com: As of yesterday, Salisbury firefighters are no longer providing a fire watch at two local businesses at taxpayer expense, saving the town about $1,000 a day.
Due to a snafu involving the incomplete connection of sprinkler systems at the businesses, beginni
ng Sept. 7, one Salisbury firefighter had been stationed at two Route 110 businesses owned by Bruce Arakelian — Sylvan Street Grille Restaurant and Vision Max movie complex, which have a total capacity of 1,980 people. As of yesterday the cost of that watch is estimated to be around $27,000, which the town of Salisbury picked up for Arakelian.
Town Manager Neil Harrington said the controversial watch was begun because Salisbury officials believed an official in the state fire marshal’s office had ordered it during discussions with the town Building Inspector Dave Lovering. Harrington said yesterday’s watch removal came after Salisbury fire Chief Rick Souliotis resolved any misunderstanding about the issue with the state fire marshal.
According to Jennifer Mieth, public information officer for the state fire marshal, in early September, the Salisbury building inspector called the agency to discuss concerns about the lack of an operating sprinkler system at two related properties in town. The state fire marshal’s office denied that it ever ordered Salisbury to put town firefighters on the watch....
Neither of Arakelian’s buildings are a fire hazard or unsafe and neither building is currently required to have sprinkler systems.
However, Arakelian decided to voluntarily upgrade the buildings by installing sprinklers throughout about three years ago. The controversial and expensive problem of the firefighter watch arose when town inspectors realized that the partially installed sprinkler system wasn’t connected to a water source.
Town officials believed that because the sprinklers themselves were installed and are visible in the ceilings, people patronizing the businesses had the expectation that they were working. Harrington said one of the options given to Lovering by the fire marshal’s office was to place a paid firefighter at the buildings when they were open for business to monitor constantly for fire.
http://www.firehouse.com/news/10817423/fire-watch-at-massachusetts-businesses-doused
So, you have two firefighters babysitting 2 buildings that are not unsafe and are up to code to watch for a fire that the patrons or employees can also see.
This is not that unusual.  I know, in CCSD, at least last year, if a school or a portable classroom was not connected to the fir alarm system, they would hire a fire watch person from a local security firm to watch for a fire that never came.
What utter stupidity.