Petition asks Jackson to address city park noise

A Jackson resident is asking that noise in the city park be addressed to help end her "nightmare on Elm Street."

Lori Williams presented a petition at the Oct. 17 Jackson Board of Aldermen meeting. The petition, signed by nine residents whose homes border the ball fields on the west side of the park, says they are subjected to excess noise from "vehicles, stereos and persons loitering in the parking lots."

Williams detailed her experience. Since moving into their home on Elm Street in 2009, she said her family has experienced 696 sleepless nights. She talked of late-night noise and "disruptive and dangerous" behavior such as lawn-mower races and a threat of assault toward someone at the park.

The petition requests "no loitering after 9 p.m." signs be posted in the park along the east and west sides of Union Street between Washington and Luetje streets. Williams told the board the pavilion should be included in the restricted area while the rest of the park remains open during normal hours, from 6 a.m. to midnight.

Mayor Barbara Lohr said she was familiar with Williams' concerns. After talking with her in May, Lohr said, she started regularly driving through the park. The mayor said she did not see any negative incidents but had usually passed through earlier than 9 p.m. In response to Williams' presentation to the board, Lohr said she would be personally checking out activity later in the evening.

Lohr said she asked police to increase attention to the area in May and that those efforts will continue. Police chief James Humphreys said meetings to address the issue have occurred over the spring and summer and since the petition was filed.

According to daily logs reported to the Southeast Missourian by the Jackson police, incidents specific to Elm Street and North Union Avenue near the park since January show 14 calls, seven of which were reports of peace disturbance. The remainder were two domestic issues, two property damage reports, a theft, a burglary and an assault. In the city park itself, there were six calls. Half were property damage, which Humphreys said likely refers to damage to park structures, such as picnic tables or bathrooms. The other three were a police assist call, a fireworks violation and a theft.

Humphreys called the statistics "nothing out of the ordinary." He said the crime level and calls to police from the park are in line with activity throughout the city and have not risen unusually over time.

Both the mayor and police chief were unsure about the feasibility of a "no loitering" time within the park's regular hours. Lohr said an attorney would need to be consulted to make sure such an ordinance would be enforceable.

Humphreys said police were considering other approaches to combat the problem. He encouraged witnesses to take down as much descriptive information as possible and contact the police. Humphreys said actions by residents are most effective when they are willing to sign complaints and appear in court.

Williams said she and her husband trust the city to resolve the issue and did not want to comment further. Other petitioners contacted did not want to speak publicly on the matter or did not return calls for comment.

"We certainly want to address her concerns and see what can be done," Lohr said.

salderman@semissourian.com

388-3648

Pertinent address:

Jackson City Park, Jackson, MO

200-500 N. Union Ave., Jackson, MO