Just a few days after a Montgomery trustee was charged with disorderly conduct after making a fireworks complaint to police, village officials took steps Monday to crack down on property owners when police respond to similar calls.
Misdemeanor charges were filed against trustee Steve Jungermann this month following a verbal altercation that occurred after he called to complain about fireworks being shot off in Montgomery.
In a press release, police stated when they arrived on the scene of the alleged fireworks violation, they determined “there was a verbal altercation that occurred before and during the investigation.” The trustee was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct after residents in the area signed complaints against Jungermann, police said.
Jungermann said he is innocent and will speak about the incident later. His court appearance is set for early October.
“I have no comment but will tell my side of the story after my day in court,” Jungermann said.
The fireworks ordinance approved Monday is a way to strengthen what police can currently do with the complaints. Police chief Dan Meyers said he was talking with his counterpart in Elgin, which enacted an ordinance that allows officers to cite a property owner or occupant of a residence for allowing fireworks related offenses to occur on their property.
The police chief said this would help his officers who respond to complaints regularly. Trustee Stan Bond said he was in support of the measure and cited the large number of calls each year.
“It’s not just the fourth of July. We can experience fireworks problems at least four to six weeks after, we just had an incident last weekend for crying out loud,” Bond said.
Jungermann voted for the new ordinance and said she he is in favor of the measure.
“If an officer pulled up to a house and fireworks are there they can write them for possession,” he said.
Meyers said the new measure would make it easier for his officers while trustees said the new law is needed.
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“I support it because if a resident is shoved into allowing fireworks because they have a big backyard, this is a deterrent,” said trustee Denny Lee.
Officials also said the issue also helps residents and animals may be upset by the noise.
“We have plenty of residents whose dogs have severe problems, but there are people who have PTSD who are affected,” Mayor Matt Brolley said.
The new law is set to go into effect in a few weeks according to Meyers.
Village attorney Steve Andersson said the new ruling needs to be published and will then be enacted.
Judy Pochel is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.