A dispute over the removal of Barrington Hills’ longtime village attorney played out before a capacity crowd of residents at village hall Tuesday night.
Village President Martin McLaughlin asked the previous attorney of more than 30 years, the law offices of Burke, Warren, MacKay & Serritella, to resign last week, citing the Illinois Attorney General office’s finding that the village violated the Open Meetings Act in April 2013.
He also cited the attorney’s research fees, which he called unnecessarily high.
Read more here.
It was past time for Burke Warren to go. They were asked repeatedly asked in public meetings whether the appointments made by Abboud after he lost the election were proper and every time they responded “yes.”
The majority of our board are loyal to the former president. Since McLaughlin took office, they have behaved as nothing but obstructionists and have prevented any positive forward movement they can with their majority vote. We will not have balanced governance representing the interests of ALL residents until the next election in April (sadly).
It should also be added that the objections by the “mad” trustees were clearly rehearsed as they knew they were playing to the press they invited to Tuesday night’s meeting. Selman kept having this look on her face wondering when it was her turn to say her lines and wondering if she’d remember them correctly.
Gohl, Harrington, Meroni, Selman and especially Messer are not only obstructionists, but they’re subversionists. They have absolutely no regard what is best for the village. Their only priority is keeping the former president’s political agenda and keeping as many village expenses as high as they can.
Someone told me both Bobby’s parents attended the BOT meeting Tuesday. Really, Bobby? You’re going to be 60 soon and you still have to lean on mommy and daddy for help?
Two other Abboud apostles were in the audience Tuesday night. One ran a failed campaign against Peter Roskam in the last election. The other ran for trustee in the last village election under the “Save 5 Asses” campaign. I expected both will run for village board in 2015.
I hope residents who witnessed the Perry Masonesque performance put on by Trustee Messer on Tuesday’s night board meeting recognized what I did. During his rambling auditory, he glamorized for all in attendance his adolescent legal bravado. The ill-orchestrated dress rehearsal by Trustees Meroni, Selman and Harrington to attack and verbal slay the President’s credibility, motivations, and right to appoint new counsel didn’t come across as they had hoped. In fact the smoke from the canon fire didn’t hit President McLaughlin, as much as it soiled the faces of those who were scrambling to keep him from making his appointment! I feel sorry for the legal appointee Mr. Bond, who was squarely stuck within the cross-hairs of another incredible petty,infantile verbal sparring match.
I’m wondering also why the author of the Daily Herald article seeks out former President Abboud’s comment on bike lanes, and Barry LeCompte for his thoughts on the new legal counsel fight?. Why didn’t the Herald reporter contact Pres. McLaughlin for his comments? Certainly makes one wonder who is directing the agenda in this Village!
Trustee Meroni’s comments in the Daily Herald are quite interesting regarding the appoint of new village counsel as “properly and legally.” She should talk, when she has been hatching schemes with county agencies and not disclosing any of the information about road paving on Haeger’s Bend to residents.
Barry LeCompte, chief horseman should keep his opinions to himself regarding the way the village is run. His disruptive presence at public meetings is becoming tiresome and his long-winded talks fall on deaf ears!
If the village trustees are mad then good, residents should be more mad that they have these “manic bobbleheads” running, no obstructing our village affairs. That is what is really embarrassing in my view. Our negative press on bike lanes and cyclists was one matter, now our in-fhouse fighting within our own board is another black eye for Barrington Hills.
Sadly, very few residents attend meetings and have no idea what is going on month to month. I urge more people to come out and see this spectacle!!
President McLaughlin do not let them intimidate you, residents who voted for you will be sure to slay the dragons in your path, no matter the subject. We have your back.
Agree completely with Petty Politics. Burke Warren has shown time and time again their ignorance of OMA laws, from the illegal lame-duck appointments, faulty interpretation of the AG’s ruling about them, and allowing the May 19th ZBA meeting to be held, despite the acknowledged lack of proper posting of the agenda. For these reasons and as well as the exorbitant billing by the firm, the time for a change in legal representation has been long overdue.
But, of course, Messer, Meroni, Selman and Harrington will continue to abuse their majority position on the the Board and stonewall anything that McLaughlin tries to accomplish. They are not serving the residents of this village, only staying true to their deposed puppetmaster and the horsey community.
And, this new Daily Herald reporter really shows his ignorance of the political situation in BH. He quotes Berry LeCompte on the choice of village attorney? Graham needs to do his homework!
For seven years prior to Martin McLaughlin becoming president I complained repeatedly about the fecal stench and contamination on an area of my property that abutted to another property owned by St. Mark’s. Burke Warren even set a letter that told me if I knew of any village code that was being broken to let them know. I had submitted this letter to the village board in recent past months so it is available to FOIA. In 2013, after the election, the village finally properly inspected 335 and deduced that the septic was in a harmful location which was causing a portion of my problem. One year later, this summer the septic was finally moved after being cited but never fined. There is so much more to this story but needless to say it is obvious that for years Burke Warren did only the bidding of the former administration. They continued this mindset after President McLaughlin’s won the election. IMHO good riddance to Burke Warren. They exemplified greed and arrogance. Now ask yourselves – why would the some trustees attempt to block their dismissal? What would they have to loose? What is really at stake here? Think.
The Daily Herald got one thing right. Barrington Hills trustees ‘mad’ …
At least 5 of them are. Not angry but ‘mad’.
Time to send them back to the asylum.
When it was time to behave as “Village Attorney”, Burke-Warren (“B-W”) chose to behave as “Village Board Attorney”; specifically I am referring to the “Schuman Letter”. After being paid more than 180K of taxpayer funds by Abboud (who signed all Village Checks) to shut down commercial horse boarding operations on Oakwood Farm which B-W sucessfully did by winning at both the trial and Appellate Court level, 34 days after an [Illegal] campaign donation by Oakwood Farm to Village Trustee “Save 5-Acre” candidates, Messer, Meroni and Selman, Abboud issued the Schuman Letter [which was neither written or signed by Village building inspector, Don Schuman] legalizing commercial horse boarding operations at Oakwood Farm making a finding that Oakwood Farms was suddenly “Home Occupation” compliant.
[If all could be made well at Oakwood Farm through a Village letter, why didn’t B-W recommend this .49 cent letter before proceeding with time consuming protracted litigation at great cost to taxpayers?. Either B-W gave improper advice when proceeding in court against Oakwood Farm or B-W publicly stood with Abboud, Messer, Meroni, Selman, Gohl and Ramesch beside a wrong [Schuman Letter]?
Rather than challenge Abboud, Messer, Meroni and Selman on what I believe was an obvious bastardization of our Village Code, B-W did nothing. When asked during public comment at Village Board meetings about this travesty to our Code, B-W shielded the “Board”. If I am [Abboud] Meroni, Selman and Messer, I too would be objecting to change in BH Village attorney because maybe (just maybe) newly appointed counsel will investigate into this “troublesome affair” and we the taxpayer may finally be informed as to what really happened and reimbursed if their is a finding of wrong doing. I know I won’t be silent, will you?
Listening to the qualifications of the attorneys at Bond and Dicksen not only do they specialize in zoning and municipal law, but they employ Attorneys [formerly employed at the States Attorney’s office] with experience in matters of political corruption.
President McLaughlin should be commended on this act of leadership and his continued effort of making good on his campaign promise of restoring balanced Village government where all residents are treated equaly under the Village Code.
David Stieper
Wonder if Attorney Messer’s knowledge of Municipal Law on appointment powers of Village President is better than his knowledge of Illinois Election Law? (Recall that he pled ignorance of law when he, Selman and Meroni were found guilty of election law violations when each accepted $5,000 donations from LeCompte and turned them over to Save5Acres committee without disclosing their names). He should call for an investigation of the Village President if he thinks him guilty of breaking any laws.
Carlos, I think you mean “without disclosing LeCompte’s name” and not meaning to say disclosing “their names”. That is the whole point, from the “Save 5 Acre” IL State election filings; it looked like Messer, Meroni and Selmon were personally contributing $5,000 each of their own money to “Save 5 Acres” rather than the single $15,000.00 donation from the actual source of funds, LeCompte [Oakwood Farms]. To this end, attorney Messer testified under oath before the IL Election Board that he had no knowledge disquising the name of a campaign donor was illegal in Illinois.
You may recall also Carlos, it was at this same Election Board hearing Messer testified under oath that in his opinion all large scale commercial boarding operations in BH violated the Village’s Home Occupation Ordinance; yet when the Schuman Letter was issued, Trustee Messer did nothing. In fact, he supported it. I trust upon this “change of heart”, attorney Messer did the right and ethical thing required of attorneys in Illinois and immediately contacted the IL Election Board to “amend his testimony”.
This is why many of us could not help but to snicker when Messer, Meroni and Selman lectured President McLaughlin’s on “ethics”, “transparency” and “conflicts of interest” when it came to the Bond appointment. I for one had to leave the McAurthur room I was laughlng so hard.
C’mon “Save 5 Acre Team” of Messer, Meroni and Selman, give me a break!
David Stieper
The reason why this legal counsel change came to a head is because it’s all about power. Perceived power in the case of the trustees desperately trying with all their might to prevent a new village counsel from being approved. Power is an intoxicating drug, so much so it claimed the former President as one it’s victims. This board has a huge public relations image problem, the only reason they are at the table making public policy is so they could fulfill a role for a special group of residents. Without this power, they are simply figure heads with no voice, Their attempted numerous cheap shots at the President made them look desperate, immature and silly. Those who spoke against the President did themselves no favor. In fact, they really showed their true allegiance to their former boss and the special interest group they most wish to protect and promote.
I long for a day when we have genuine trustee candidates who are driven to create and solve policy issues for all residents and not select groups. I strongly believe that no future trustees should be serving on any village committees or other groups.
And finally it would help if our media outlets would stop pandering to the old reigmen for public comments on our village issues. We have a new President, his name is Martin McLaughlin!
Gob bless Martin McLaughlin! He is one stand up guy.
Colleen is also a stand-up person. As Messer attacked McLaughlin on the changes to legal counsel, she advised the public how Burke Warren called each of the BOT members attempting to protect their position before resigning. She ably informed the Save 5 Acre voting bloc that she advised Burke Warren (when they called her to solicit a vote to remain) that attempts to protect their cozy relationship with Save 5 Acres could expose their firm to public scrutiny on matters such as the Open Meeting Act violations. Burke Warren backed down and resigned avoiding what they knew would expose issues of conflicts and poor counsel to the Village.
Colleen also pointed out correctly that the Save 5 Acres group had in front of them the same copies of information that Messer used to attack Marty. They denied any pre-meeting collusion (a violation of the OMA) and said that each had somehow miraculously uncovered the same code information from independent research.
Furthermore, the anti-bicycle crowd shouted their discontent with Marty. Again, Colleen skillfully quizzed the Village engineer who admitted that requests for widening Haeger’s Bend for bicycle paths all came at the direction of the Abboud administration led by Patti Meroni. Meroni was exposed for her untruthful comments to the public. The pandering politically by Harrington, Meroni, Selman on this issue was sickening.
Finally, while commercial horse boarding may be a front and center debate, the discussion of the state of our roads may be even more at issue exposing the incompetence and untruthful tactics by the Abboud administration and Save 5 Acre crowd. Facts are emerging that while spending has doubled in the Village under Abboud, that we have fallen short of road repairs and now have a number of “failed” roads. Again, Colleen is responsible for exposing these issues that Meroni previously hid from the public in order to allow Abboud to allocate these funds to legal expenses (Burke Warren) chasing one failed initiative after another. We all need more information on this matter.
I stand corrected. God bless Marty and Colleen!
The shenanigans from the “Save 5 Acres” crowd is sickening. This is appointing legal counsel, not curing cancer. 30 years of incompetence is quite enough. And why are they so worried about it if there isn’t some collusion going on? Barry Lecompte talking about a poorly run village? This coming from a guy who wants to change the zoning laws to suit him……….how does a small village get so crooked? Oh wait…………….
Out with them ALL!!!