Police report details barking-dog enforcement, campsite incident and junk cleanup deadlines

Officer Small told the Village Board on Aug. 4 that three complaints about excessive dog barking on 4th Street had been received since the last meeting and that the resident was informed a citation could be issued and given a deadline of Sept. 1, 2025, to reduce the number of dogs to five. Officer Small said the resident appeared cooperative; he warned that failure to comply could result in daily citations and possibly an administrative warrant to seize and rehome animals at the owner’s expense.

Officer Small said the resident later contacted the Sheriff's Office to complain about his presence on the property; the officer said those complaints were found to be non-actionable and the resident was provided a formal complaint form that was not submitted. Officer Small also reported follow-ups on multiple junk-cleanup violations, noting most properties have a compliance deadline of Sept. 1, 2025, while one property showed no progress and may face enforcement action.

He reported a group from Iowa camping after a softball tournament at the Community Park; because of intoxication levels they were not asked to leave immediately, but they departed voluntarily and left the area clean. Officer Small said the department has new uniforms, is using the village truck for ordinance enforcement, has ordered business cards and activated a new police phone number. He suggested a future committee meeting to plan for policing equipment with the goal of enabling traffic enforcement capabilities.

The board did not take formal enforcement action during the meeting but asked for follow-up patrol and reports on neighborhood traffic concerns.