Fund started to help Elgin Councilmember at center of controversy

A fund’s been started to help an Elgin City Council member at the center of a controversy involving the city’s fire department. The fund was started for Jean Roach to help her with legal fees. Roach had discovered the fire department was keeping beer in the refrigerator to drink after meetings, and reported it to the city’s insurance carrier. The insurance company threatened to drop coverage, and the firefighters removed the beer. Firefighters however said Roach overstepped her bounds and demanded her removal. The Elgin City Council decided not to investigate whether Roach did anything wrong after several jurisdictions declined to take the case.