City Could Tell Ice Cream Trucks to Change Their Tune

Few sounds say "summer" like the music of an ice cream truck.

But some Easton residents apparently think it's time for the city's ice cream trucks to change their tune.

On Tuesday night, city council's public safety committee will look at the issue, following complaints from residents about " the non stop music that’s being played," said Councilman Jeff Warren.

Warren stressed several times that the city wasn't targeting ice cream trucks.

“I have absolutely have nothing against ice cream trucks," he said. "This is about sound and noise. If someone had a boombox blaring non stop I’m sure city hall would be looking at that too.”

Harold Figueroa, AKA the "Jerry" in "Jerry's Ice Cream," says he's gotten maybe one complaint over the years. He argued that city council needs to go after noisy cars and motorcycles before it worries about ice cream trucks.

"It's an American tradition, you know," he said Monday, serving ice cream from his truck on West Lincoln Street. 

He'd shut off his music—in this case, "Music Box Dancer" on a loop—to be interviewed. On a long street like West Lincoln, Figueroa said he doesn't really even need the sound system. 

"I play it once, they know I'm here," he said.

Warren said it's not clear what—if any—action council could take. It may just be a matter of asking ice cream truck drivers to turn off their music while they have customers.

“This is about sound and quality of life issues, Warren said. "The last thing we want to do is push the trucks out of town.”

Easton residents had a mixed reaction to the music of the city's ice cream trucks when we put the question to them on social media.

Some had other issues trucks coming well after dark, or returning to their neighborhoods multiple times.

"They shouldn't be aloud to idle in the middle of a block if they have no customers and there should be a time that they should have to cut off that racket," one reader wrote.

But South Side resident Don Cummins said the looks on his grandchildren's faces "trumps any annoyance" that comes from hearing the song over and over again.

"Have all of you gotten so old that you forgot your childhood and that excitement?" he wrote.

City council will look at the issue Tuesday at 6 p.m at city hall if you want to weigh in. You can also offer your thoughts in the comments section.