In a public address to the Westmont Villager Board, Fire Chief Frank Trout said he is sorry for offending anyone who heard his political speech during the village’s Memorial Day ceremony, which drew criticism.
But Trout still believes he did nothing wrong and said he has had numerous phone calls supporting his speech. He also said his speech was not speaking for the Westmont community at large.
“I was speaking as a private citizen and a veteran, and I don’t believe I said anything that was wrong,” he said in an interview Monday, June 1.
Trout issued a statement May 28 during the public comment section of the Westmont Village Board meeting, where he offered an apology for offending residents with statements he made during the ceremony.
“It was not my intention to bring discredit to the village of Westmont or offend any of its residents, our veterans or those who participated in this service,” he said at the meeting. “I apologize if I did not articulate my thoughts properly, and they were misinterpreted by some.”
Trout was criticized for allegedly comparing the nation under President Obama to a socialist state. Trout also spoke out against the United Nations, single mothers and gay people. A veteran of the Vietnam War, Trout served as the grand marshal of the Memorial Day Parade and gave a speech during the ceremony afterward, officials said.
Trout’s statement came after one from Westmont Mayor William Rahn, who distanced himself from Trout’s Memorial Day comments. The fire chief’s comments were his “own personal beliefs” and in no way reflect the practices or policies of the village, Rahn said.
“It is unfortunate that Mr. Trout decided to use the opportunity afforded him, as a result of his fire chief position, to express his personal beliefs about issues that were unrelated to this important community event,” Rahn said in a statement read during the meeting.
Rahn said he was out of state for the Memorial Day event and was not in attendance for the speech.
But at least one resident at the May 28 meeting said he did not accept Trout’s apology and believes the fire chief should step down from his position.
“Mr. Trout made a statement, but not an apology,” Westmont resident Bob Mueller said. “Mr. Trout now needs to resign.”
Resident Brian Dwyer said Trout’s service in the Vietnam does not give him the right to speak as he did. While Trout was not in his full Fire Department uniform at the ceremony, he still is the village’s fire chief and was introduced in that capacity.
“I would hope for, at least, a printed public apology from Chief Trout and see him removed from any official capacity at future Memorial Day or Veterans Day observances,” Dwyer said.
Rahn said Monday, June 1 that he does not foresee any further action taken by the Westmont Village Board against Trout.
Some residents have supported Trout’s speech, saying area Democrats have used the speech as a political attack on the fire chief.
