Boy’s Push Helps Lift Ice Cream Truck Ban

The bells of ice cream trucks will jingle-jangle again for the first time in nearly 50 years in the Detroit suburb of West Bloomfield Township, thanks to a persistent 9-year-old.

The Board of Trustees’ unanimous vote to repeal the township’s ban on “frozen confection vendors” was the payoff for five months of work by fourth-grader Josh Lipshaw, who collected 165 signatures on a petition.

Appearing before trustees at their Oct. 1 meeting, Josh said, “This is an old law, so I think you should look at it again. I bet many of you enjoyed ice cream trucks when you were kids.”

The township voted to scrap the ban but added a dozen restrictions. Vendors will have to obtain a permit but cannot get one if they have drunk driving or sexual misconduct charges on their record. They also must post a $2,000 bond.