A longtime concern for downtown Delavan business owners took center stage on local television Thursday night when WMBD Channel 31 News aired a segment featuring Ron and Donna Kofoid, owners of the Delavan An‑Teek Mall, who say unsafe scooter riding in the business district has reached a breaking point.

“It’s out of control,” Ron Kofoid told reporter Alex Berger during the interview. The Kofoids have repeatedly complained of incidents involving kids riding electric scooters and other motorized devices on sidewalks and through pedestrian areas.

Donna Kofoid described one particularly alarming moment outside their shop. Kids riding scooters on the sidewalk collided with her husband, knocking him into the store’s picture window. “They’re out of control,” she said, emphasizing the danger to both riders and pedestrians.

Berger also spoke with Delavan Mayor Adam White, who noted that issues like this tend to rise and fall over time.

“I’ve seen it go through cycles where it’s pretty good for a few years, and one year where people get a little overzealous,” White said. “You just gotta call them out and say, hey, let’s hone it in a little and then everything is fine.”

White added that small‑town life often comes with a desire for freedom and flexibility, but safety still has to come first. “We’re in a small town, we like to have the freedom to do these things and we just want people to be a little more careful with it.”

The WMBD segment follows a notice issued last week by Delavan Police Chief Michael Evans, who alerted residents that the department has received multiple complaints about unsafe operation of mini bikes, scooters, and other motorized devices on public streets and sidewalks.

Evans said officers will begin with education and warnings — especially when juveniles are involved — but made clear that enforcement action will follow if unsafe behavior continues.

The department’s message echoes the concerns raised by the Kofoids and other downtown business owners who say the issue is no longer just a nuisance but a real safety hazard.

As warmer weather brings more activity to Delavan’s streets, city officials and police are urging residents to help keep sidewalks and roadways safe for everyone.