It is with great pleasure that we announce our choice for the 2013 Shining Star Award. Our congratulations go to Village President Martin J. McLaughlin.
Clearly this year, as with last year, there were many outstanding candidates submitted to The Observer for consideration. Everyone nominated shared a common goal of bettering our community and/or our Village government through their time and dedication.
A year ago, if you knew who Martin McLaughlin was, chances are you had children in any one of three District 220 schools. A devoted father of five daughters, Marty has been very active in school activities ranging from coaching school athletic teams to the mundane, yet necessary at times, carpooling of kids to and from school.
If you did not know Marty a year ago, you were in the majority since about two-thirds of Barrington Hills households do not have school age children. Needless to say, this situation dramatically changed since then when the April 9, 2013, election results were reported – an outcome that likely stunned many in the Village, and possibly even the unpretentious McLaughlin who won in all four counties in Barrington Hills.
Once sworn into office, it quickly became evident that Marty didn’t shy away from problem issues, both recent and longstanding, within and without our Village that needed immediate attention. Some, particularly the planned Insurance Auto Auctions (IAA) facility proposed in East Dundee and the protracted police union legal battle, were in complete diplomatic disrepair.
Though it was clear the IAA development was a foregone conclusion, Marty still chose to represent the interests of the Pond Gate subdivision residents and the Village by immersing himself in the issues and fashioning some mitigating solutions. We understand Marty continues to meet with IAA representatives and East Dundee officials toward goals benefiting all parties and protecting Village residents.
The most recent Village Newsletter provides an excellent overview of the situation we faced with our sworn police officers who unionized in 2010. President McLaughlin can only be described as “politic” in his message to residents, but the fact is our Village was wasting hundreds of thousands of our tax dollars before he finally put an end to it.
Another longstanding and costly legal battle with Sears also drew his attention due to the vast amounts spent. South Barrington, a codefendant in the case, has also incurred significant legal fees in the case. Yet in more than ten years of fighting in the courts, neither village government had met to discuss a strategy toward common goals toward resolution.
On June 10 of this year – less than two months into his first term in office – Marty arranged a joint meeting of the Barrington Hills and South Barrington village boards. While this may not be considered a breakthrough idea, it demonstrated a genuine theme of collaboration that Marty has brought to how our Village government should run.
The best example of Marty’s collaborative acumen was the first annual “The Hills Are Alive Fall Heritage Fest” held last October. Months in the making, he enlisted funding assistance from vendors serving the Village to cover expenses. Some supportive Trustees also chipped in some personal funds to help the cause.
He also involved the Barrington Hills Park District early on, as well as organizations throughout Barrington Hills from the equestrian clubs to local restaurants to conservation organizations. Many residents also volunteered their time to oversee many activities during the fest.
Despite some rather dogmatic questioning from the board and even an eleventh hour thirty line item FOIA request submitted by a local curmudgeon, Marty’s course never swayed in accomplishing his goal of providing a fun-filled venue for residents to gather and interact. In the end, some eight hundred residents attended the fest throughout a sunny day on October 10, 2013. His perseverance paid off, and residents appreciated having a gathering that provided attractions for all ages.
These are just some of the highlights of what Marty has accomplished in only eight months in office. His demonstrated hands-on leadership on tough issues combined with his cooperative approach to most all aspects of Village government are why we once again congratulate him on this award.
– The Observer
Thank you, OBSERVER, for an excellent and accurate review and reporting. Marty certainly is a hard working and sincere public servant.
And thank you, OBSERVER, for continuing to provide timely, accurate, and necessary reporting of important events in our Village, and, from time to time, providing ‘flashback’ – lest our residents repeat some disastrous and destructive history.
James T. O’Donnell
Ridgecroft Lane
Congratulations Marty. You deserve a lot of credit for what you’ve accomplished so far in less than a year. Many have noticed your contributions to the Village already and it’s appreciated.
Keep up the splendid work!
I am tremendously impressed with the acumen and competence you have shown in your short time as village president.
I worry that 2014 will bring on challenges that may seem insurmountable (police pension, Sears, and Cook county’s purchase of land in this fair village) that will take a magician to orchestrate.
So far, you have shown the abilities of a Harry Houdini to govern and rectify the ongoing problems of this mighty domain.
Please take heed from the soothsayer Shakespear, “beware the ides of march” and the senators willing to sacrifice you on the altar of their agendas.
I wish you well.
We couldn’t be more pleased with the Observer’s selection of Marty for this award. He’s shown himself to be honest, hard-working and patient. He’s been building bridges and repairing a lot of the damage caused by the last administration. We owe him a debt of gratitude for the work that he’s done. Thank you Marty!
And, speaking of our illustrious former president, I can’t believe no one else has yet commented on the FOIA request he filed which is linked in this article. What a hypocrite he is! He railed constantly against “FOIA abuses”, yet in his embarrassing attempt to somehow shut down the Hills Are Alive fest, he demonstrates extreme abuse of FOIAs himself. I urge everyone to read this document for themselves – what an eye opener! I wonder how much time and how many taxpayer dollars were spend trying to fulfill his ridiculous request???
In the spirit of Christmas, I think all should cease and desist from criticizing the ex-President of the Village – after all, he was only trying to make sure that the current President and Board did not waste a single dollar’s worth of precious Village assets. In fact, the President and Board should take the blame for forcing him into making the FOIA request, as the list of 91 items probably cost the Village more to process than what was spent by others on the entire “Hills are Alive” fest.
Marty McLaughlin is the best Christmas gift this Village could imagine. Let’s show our gratitude by cooperation, courtesy, and support throughout his administration.