During her finance presentation at last Monday’s Village Board meeting (click here to listen), Trustee Selman was asked a basic question about a line item amount of roughly $45,000 in the monthly bills for approval report to Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS).
The query posed by Trustee Harrington related to the frequency of such large invoices from BCBS (monthly, quarterly, etc.). Trustee Selman was unable to answer this relatively simple question and offered to follow up with an answer at a later date.
The answer to Harrington’s question is we pay BCBS about $45,000 per month for Village employee’s health and life insurance. A number of roughly this same amount to BCBS has also appeared in dozens of bills for approval reports Trustee Selman has presented since she was appointed “chair” of the Finance Committee in 2011. Further, annual Village budgets and audits Selman has been responsible for reviewing and presenting also show aggregate amounts to BCBS that would clearly support an immediate, informed answer of “monthly” to Harrington’s question.
If this was an isolated incident of “brain freeze” or ignorance on Selman’s part at this most recent meeting, then we’d pass on this, but it is not. Village Board meeting recordings demonstrate she has had to defer many financial questions asked of her to a later date for answers. One can only assume that Trustee Selman apparently doesn’t read the reports she is responsible for presenting, doesn’t understand them, or she is incapable of retaining the information she reads. Whatever the situation might be, this cannot continue.
When she was assigned to head up the Finance Committee in 2011, many believed the choice to be odd given her resume and lack of consideration of another incoming trustee at that time who had extensive professional credentials in the fields of finance and investment management. It would appear now those questioning her appointment might have been right.
In the light of this most recent financial reporting gaffe, The Observer believes that Trustee Selman should offer to step down from her financial duties for the remainder of her term. Village finances were clearly a critical factor in the last election, and we cannot afford to continue to have such apparent inattentive oversight of the spending of our tax dollars.
– The Observer
Dear Barrington HIlls Observer,
Don’t be so naïve. Selman, Maroni, and Messser weren’t chosen for their memberships in Mensa. They were chosen because they were “FOB” (friends of Bob’s), and because they were “team” players. If you think Selman had any input or understanding of the finances in this village then I have ocean front property for sale in Phoenix for you. Even today, they are still being controlled by the master puppeteer. Thank God we elected a stand up, articulate and intelligent mayor who is able to think for himself.
If Selman can’t answer a basic question of how often a bill appears in the expenditures of this village, how many other things has she missed? Again, Bob Abboud’s appointment has struck havoc with our village. Karen, show that you have integrity……. resign.
I agree with BHO s comments I served as the trustee in charge of finances for our village for 16 years. The job requires attention to detail as well as at least some financial acumen.. Frankly, the village has a number of serious financial issues which are going to be difficult to navigate successfully. chuck sweet
There’s another layer to this story that shouldn’t be overlooked. Mike Harrington oversees Buildings & Grounds and INSURANCE. Why didn’t he know the answer to his own question about insurance costs in the first place???
It is time for Trustees to recognize that Barrington Hills taxpayers cannot afford the consequences of their continued micro-management of all facets of Village business. Trustees are under-qualified to do so, however well-intended they may be.
A thoroughly capable Village Manager should be hired, and the Board can establish goals, provide oversight and let him/her do their job. That’s what other successful Village Boards do.
The answer is simple – not only Selman but the entire board of FOB’s (is that the correct acronym?) need to resign – that is before they are indicted along with their leader. If that’s what it takes to get rid of them – then so be it. I have a better acronym for this lot – POS…..
What or who on the Observer has the credentials to question anyone. This is nothing but a biased personal forum in the disquise of a newsletter. You need to remove yourselves.
G Martin – what or who on the Observer has the credentials … ??? Really?
It’s called our first amendment – you don’t need credentials for that….
Anyone that thinks the former administration under Abboud was anything less than biased/corrupt is in need of years of therapy. The entire board of trustees and village employees are nothing but petty liars. Are you aware that the costs for a simply FOIA request is about $4000. That’s because they (Kosin) just passes it around to run up bills to prove their cause that foia is so expensive and a drain. All rather than answer the question correctly. Kosin even changes the questions. Corruption at it’s best – pity the poor taxpayers……
Silent Majority, you are simply hilarious what with your FOB & master puppeteer comments. No one controls anyone and no one ever did. Trustee Selman is a consummate professional and does have a background in budget oversight from her career. No, BHO it is not time for her to step aside.
Dear izzat so;
It does my heart good to see a loyal husband like you defend your wife when she comes under fire from the village folks. Still, she might be better served by asking her to gracefully bow out of a potentially embarrassing situation. Just saying!
And listening to the audio – did everyone notice Fritz Gohl ask Chief Murphy if the sick days submitted by the police department were legit or ‘blue flu’???? WTH? From the man who has never worked a day in his life – you get ’em Fritzie……..wait until your stack of lies and ‘misrepresentations’ come out. Gotta love Barrington Hills.
The thing that upsets me the most about this village is the way they treated (no, mistreated) our deceased war hero. How could our former Mayor and his trustees (minions) let this happen? My heart breaks every time I think of this tradgedy.
Old Veteran – to add insult to injury – after the one year anniversary memorial service – held this year at the village hall honoring my husbands service – Abboud had the audacity to foia the village asking how much money was spent on this – he also copied all the trustees and our village attorney incidentally. Totally inappropriate. I paid for the bugler and bagpipes myself – there was no cost to the village. By the way none of the trustees attended – minus Konicek-Hannigan and our Mayor. More importantly Abboud demanded of our present mayor to also answer – ‘on what authority did he lower the flag in honor of Thomas Boyle’…. Yes – this jackass was asking about authority ironically. Abboud wished to know if he died would the flag be lowered for him. Since it hardly seems possible that this coward would die ‘in service’ to our country I think I can answer with a very loud – hell no. Wait – this gets better – Abboud did not like the answer provided by the village (who stated there was no costs involved or police overtime) and then filed a complaint with the Attorney General Public Access Counselor. Accordingly this small gesture of respect finally afforded my husband was inappropriate per king Abboud. Anyone with eyes can see this little man is mentally unstable and unnaturally obsessed with me – he cannot leave me alone. So he continues to bully the widow with his maniacal rants. All of his actions are nothing but vindictive spiteful acts because I called him out on his lies and corruption. Namely the refusal of this village to enforce their own ordinances regarding the septic failure of the rectory of St. Marks as well as the adjoining property they also own. My property has and still is being contaminated with fecal matter – equine and human. Soon Abboud will be taken to task as several county, state and federal agencies are finally seeing through his deception and that of the trustees, village and county employees, and the engineer who engaged in the falsification of reports, etc. and foia requests in order to back their king. I am so glad I live in a community that honors my husband’s sacrifice by turning his land into a rice patty and filling it full of shit. If you want copies of the lab reports etc…. – everyone knows where I live – drop a note in the mailbox. I am more than happy to share the documentation. And as a side note – I will personally write a letter to the AG – it will include some comments from Federal Authorities and Military Officers supporting our present mayor who had the guts to stand up as a true patriot and American. For those who still think Abboud is even remotely in the right – listen up. My husband died in service to this country – as a police advisor he wore a military uniform and carried a weapon. He was trained for this mission extensively at numerous military bases across the US. The US Army held a military service in Afghanistan for Tom. I don’t believe anyone questioned the monies spent for this….an entire Brigade attended. After Tom’s death – the City of Chicago Police Memorial Foundation voted that Tom’s death was considered a ‘line of duty’ death. So even if one is so petty to deny the gesture of respect one deserves who gives his life for this country on a military level – as a first responder – as all police and firefighters are – my husband should have rightfully still been honored. But not so with Abboud. What kind of animal would deny such an honor? What kind of animal supports such an anti-American gesture? If I didn’t know better I’d say the Muslim Brotherhood is alive and well in Barrington Hills……open your eyes to what is happening to our Constitution and Amendments.
You are all insane with malice against Abboud. You all need to get a life. To be very frank you are all totally out of touch with how the real people of Barrington Hill think about you.
@ G Martin – the arrogance of your reply gives way to your identity. Usage of the same verbage is one identifyer. Share that with all the ‘real people’ of Barrington Hills. Real people as opposed to the ‘unreal’? Or just more class discrimination by the rich, powerful and useless. Should have used that as a campaign slogan – ‘for all the real people of Barrington Hills’….. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Mr Martin I am more than happy to meet with you and provide the lab reports, engineer reports, county and state reports that will substantiate my claim. You have my real name.
To G. Martin:
April 9, 2013 Election Results – in descending order of votes:
– Martin McLaughlin for President – 647 votes
– Colleen Konicek Hannigan for Trustee – 609 votes
– Michael Harrington for Trustee – 578 votes
– Fritz Gohl for Trustee – 571 votes
– Kelly Mazeski for Trustee – 568
– David Stieper for Trustee – 557 votes
– Robert G. Abboud for President – 504 votes
Note; the bottom 3 candidates were not elected.
Among the voters, which were the “real people of Barrington Hills”?