The Village has released the recording of the Equestrian Commission special meeting held last Friday evening. The primary topic of the meeting was to review two commercial horse boarding proposals, however the originally posted agenda stated otherwise.
The meeting began with the approval of minutes from their last meeting in December of 2013, and the chair asking the recording secretary if he wished to be relieved of that duty for this meeting. Clearly, it was known in advance the recording secretary would be the featured speaker of the night.
Following this, the chair read a prepared statement as to the purpose for calling a special meeting on a Friday evening. According to the recording, the Zoning Board requested their input on the number of horses per acre to be allowed on properties. However, they were also asked by “several residents” to weigh in on their thoughts about the boarding issue and about the two proposals currently before the Zoning Board.
When attempting to recollect what the commission determined to be an allowable number of horses per acre back in 2009-2010, members recalled no limits should be imposed and then approved this as their current recommendation to the ZBA by unanimous vote.
However, minutes from the March 10, 2010, Plan Commission meeting contradict those memories. At that meeting Dan Lundmark, then chair of the Equestrian Commission, stated the commission felt “that the number of horses on private properties should not be policed, but in a commercial boarding setting, a limit of two horses per acre was recommended.” Minutes from that meeting can be viewed here.
The remainder of the meeting was devoted primarily to comments regarding the Oakwood Farms (LeCompte) boarding amendment proposal. The commission’s recording secretary led this discussion and changes or omissions were agreed upon. It should be noted that the recording secretary also held a position on the Zoning Board until recently, after the Illinois Attorney General’s office determined his and many other appointments to Village bodies were invalid due to the lack of proper agenda notice by the former administration in 2013.
Residents in attendance expressed concerns over past issues with manure management, the need for an independent panel to take the matter up for objectivity, the implications of “Agriculture” designation relating to property tax reductions, accounting for other animals besides horses as it relates to density of use, and why it was necessary for the commission to call a special meeting on a Friday night on such short notice? We think we have an answer to the last question.
Apparently, a third alternative boarding amendment proposal was filed the morning of July 29. The announcement of the special Equestrian Commission meeting was posted to the Village calendar later that day. We’ve also learned that a fourth boarding proposal is in the works.
The Observer will publish these documents as soon as the Village posts them.
A link to the full Equestrian Commission meeting recording can be accessed here.
Have we all forgotten the story of the fox watching the hen house. Madame ZBA Chairperson Freeman asks the Equestrian Commission for an opinion on the number of horse restrictions per acre. Does John Pappas, owner of a large commercial operation, recuse himself from the discussion? No! Maybe his property is abusing Village code and he’s protecting his interests. Hmmm!
Does Madame Chairperson Freeman have any legitimate credibility as she works every angle to jam unlimited commercial horse boarding down the throats of every resident zoned property owner in BH? She’s creating a legacy as the person who spit on decades of proper zoning in BH for Home Occupation and Special Permit so she can be the personal crusader and shill for Oakwood Farms.
If Judy Freeman asked the Equestrian Commission to hold a special meeting in order to set up a ZBA vote at the August meeting to approve these text amendments, an investigation of her personal illegal complicity in this matter bears investigation. That is the right and obligation of the Village President and he must begin taking more serious action.
Amen!
This certainly sounds like “Chicago Politics” to me. So sad for our delightful, small village to be manipulated by such sly, conniving “want to be bigwigs.”
I detest the commissioner’s use of the word “opponents” when referring to residents who want reasonable zoning codes for horse boarding. Most residents I know moved here for open space and privacy. Some moved here to keep horses, and I can tell you even some of them are taking serious exception to what the Zoning Board is considering, so are they “opponents” too?
Quit trying to make a political fight out of what should be reasonable, objective consideration of what’s right for the interests of all residents, not just a small, loud politically charged special interest group.
And what have we also learned from these recordings?
Review the first speaker wherein it is evident that our foia requests and complaints are being manipulated and falsified. When asked to whom she made said complaints – the resident replies Kosin. When it is stated by Commissioner Pappas that he foia’d all horse related complaints and none were acknowledged – resident replies ‘Why am I not surprised’…. The resident offers to supply copies of all complaints and I look forward to viewing them.
This is serious and calls into question the entire text amendment issue and the records involved. We, the people, need to demand that President McLaughlin remove Kosin from this position as foia officer immediately and that a complete investigation be conducted pending separation. I also suggest that his pension and health care be terminated should it be determined that he manipulated and abused his position at taxpayer expense.
I further humbly suggest that each of us take the time to email President McLaughlin in support of removing Kosin from office. Another thought – I would keep our clerk out of the loop also – perhaps she is also guilty of collusion….
Time to clean up Barrington Hills!
If you have any proof of FOIA manipulation on the part of Bob Kosin, file a complaint with the Illinois Attorney General’s Office. Mr. Kosin works for Save 5 Acres and Bob Abboud, not the residents of the Village.
My question is when does the Attorney General begin to look at this and the corruption of our village politics? Citizens are heard if they work hard enough and can get to a meeting. But they are not represented as they should be by too many of our trustees.
“CORRUPTION IGNORED IS CORRUPTION ENABLED”
Paul Schimpf – Republican Candidate For Illinois Attorney General
Carlos, you (Paul Schimpf) are precisely right. Will the new attorneys speak up or allow Judy Freeman to trample on years of decent code so that she can conspire in backrooms? Led by Joe Messer, the Save 5 Acre Trustees are attempting to change code in order to support Oakwood Farms / LeCompte’s text amendment proposal for retroactive protection? The litigants in this case should set their sites on the Village for a law suit if this happens.
Hogwash that BH’s founding fathers considered us a commercial destination for equestrian activity from outside our boundaries. Never was there intent to open private trails for the use of the entire Chicago land area. The loud voices of the RC are now employees of landowners that commercially board, outside residents who want to dump their waste in our backyards and those who will profit from commercial boarding.
Many want equestrian activity to flourish in BH, but not without proper limitations and in ways that protect our Open Spaces, not making BH a commercial destination.
Haldeman – at the last BOT meeting, the one President McLaughlin could not attend, the old law firm of Burke Warren was sitting as advisors. Now who do you think made the substitution of a terminated law firm behind our backs?
The answer rhymes with Fritz Gohl.
Close the Trails!
No agenda yet posted for ZBA meeting next Monday, August 18. Legally may not have to post until 5 PM on Friday with one business day notice. Would the ZBA chair be so bold and disregard decent notice and communication to the public? Such an important topic as the commercial boarding text amendment merits sound communication so that the public can adequately participate.
No, the ZBA chair couldn’t possibly ignore the resounding opposition voiced at the public hearing, could she?