Elgin’s volunteer firefighters have decided not to leave the job in a dispute over beer. The firefighters presented a request last night asking the council to investigate whether any city ordinances had been violated by councilwoman Jean Roach. Roach earlier this year notified the city’s insurance carrier that the firefighters had been drinking beer after a meeting. The insurance carrier said it would dump the city’s insurance unless the beer was removed from the fridge at the firehouse. Firefighters claim Roach overstepped her bounds, and most of the firefighters said they would resign Wednesday (October 23) unless Roach resigned. Roach has refused to resign. The volunteers told council members last night that they would not walk out, but asked for the investigation. The investigation could cost the city up to 10-thousand dollars. A petition with nearly 300 signatures calling for Roach’s resignation was also presented to the council. The council will address the request for an investigation at its meeting next week.
