The Village has released recordings from the September 4 Special Village Board meeting. To access the menu of the meeting’s topical audio recording segments, click here.
Most of this relatively short meeting consisted of discussion of criteria and methodology to create a selection process for the next village law firm. While this process will be interesting, it obviously cannot change the provisions of the Village Code that give the sole power to appoint the Village Attorney to the Village President, by and with the consent of the Board. Hopefully this process, whenever it is settled, will provide Village President McLaughlin additional candidates to consider appointing and (then) for the Board to vote upon.
Unfortunately, the meeting did start out with Trustee Joe Messer once again incorrectly insisting that the temporary Village Attorney, Patrick Bond, had not been properly seated in that office. Listeners to the recording will be treated to the continuing obstinacy to recognize the temporary appointment was lawful and, even more shameful, the suggestion that the Board will vote not to compensate Mr. Bond for performing his duties.
Of special note were the comments made by the second resident to speak during public comment who remarked on both the process of appointing temporary counsel and the qualifications of Patrick Bond. His comments demonstrated the logic and clarity that so many on our board of trustees are severely lacking. The link to this speaker’s remarks can be found here.
Patrick Bond and his associate Mary Dickson who is assigned to the ZBA are probably the best legal representation this village has had in decades. They’re experienced in municipal and zoning laws and they’re unbiased, and that’s the last thing Messer and company want.
I hope Polo Joe Messer doesn’t beat a live horse like he does a dead one! Seems his knowledge of municipal law rivals his knowledge of campaign election law. As speaker #2 opined, the Village is the laughing stock of the Northwest Suburbs. Messer and his fellow campaign law breakers on the Board, along with their guru, ex Village President Abboud, must quake in their boots at the mention of “State’s Attorney experience”. Bond Dickson & Associates has the background and respect of the law community and will provide excellent counsel to President McLaughlin and any Board Member who chooses to respect his/her fiduciary responsibilities to ALL residents of the Village.
Why such a fuss over a routine appointment? What are they afraid of? What are they hiding? Hmmmmmm……
That meeting was two hours of nonsense: creating a “methodology” to appoint counsel when the “methodology” already exists in the Village Code. Why do people care who the Village Attorney is? If they have done nothing wrong, want the very best for residents and are not in collusion with prior counsel, this is a routine appointment, nothing further. But apparently that does not seem to be the case. It’s so difficult to tell with all the negativity, collusion, lying and bullying that sits on both the VBOT and ZB.
One of the sharpest comments I have heard over the years came from the last board meeting. When the discussion involving the remuneration of the attorney for his appearance and professional time was mentioned..
Patrick Bond told the trustees that he would expect to be compensated for his time. To which Trustee Messer said, “that he would not sign his checks!”
I say it’s time for residents to rise up and say it’s enough already. These are tactless persons who simply have no business serving the residents of our village. We would be so fortunate to have him as permanent legal counsel. Those trustees who are crying about the the loss of Burke/Warren too bad!
They benefited greatly for many years from the business which the former President sent to them all these years. Enormous litigation costs!! Our President is proactively demonstrating sound judgement and showing a desire to exercise fiscal restraint and break the chain of nepotism which has existed way too long!!
Trustee Messer you owe Patrick Bond an apology for your comments!
Pete, you may be interested in these facts provided by the Village in response to a FOIA request,
During the period from 1993 through July 31, 2014, the Burke Warren law firm received $7.4 million in legal fees from the Village of Barrington Hills.
The Village paid the Burke Warren firm $938 thousand or an annual average of $117 thousand during the 8 year period from 1993 through 2000. Mr. Abboud was first elected to Village Trustee in 2001 and elected to President in 2005 according to his web site Robert Abboud for Congress.
From 2007 through 2012, Burke Warren fees dramatically increased and were paid $3.6 million or $598 thousand annually. That represents an increase of greater than 5 times annual average from the pre- Abboud time to this tenure of Abboud as President and Save 5 Acres in majority on the Board of Trustees. During this same 6 year period, total legal fees in the Village exceeded $5.2 million.
In 2013, Burke Warren advised Mr. Abboud that he could proceed with nominations to various committees after he lost the election. The Illinois Attorney General’s Office provided opinion that these nominations were in violation of the Open Meetings Act. Burke Warren provided counsel that the Attorney General’s opinion was non-binding and the Village could ignore its recommendations to re-nominate and re-vote.
It’s understandable that Burke Warren’s interests may not be aligned with the platform of Mr. McLaughlin to reduce Village legal fees.
This analysis correlated to calendar years and does not adjust for election year differences. The information was compiled from Village records and is subject to their validation.
How can these facts be validated so the entire village can understand what exactly is happening? Links to websites, etc? Thank you.
The details will be presented at the next BOT meeting and a request for verification will be made of the Village Administrator before they are presented.
Thanks Jack. I am very interested to hear them and see the validation. Only then will we be able to differentiate the facts from the rumor.
We certainly need a “TRUTH SQUAD” to finally put the information out there for all to see!! Knowing the board, the details are not relevant and subject to verification. A motion will be requested, and on and on…
There are so many guilty parties in this Greek tragedy!
Jack R,
If’ you would.. I’m wondering for all this money; what did we the taxpayers receive in return? Abboud was certainly very generous with the village’s purse strings during all those years. Should we personally thank all the seated trustees at the time who signed off on all these payments to the Burke/Warren firm? What level of accountability does the village administrator have in this matter? A big chunk of the money was used litigate against Fritz Duda, only to have it fail out of the village’s jurisdiction.
During the last ZBA meeting now the equestrians cry foul that open spaces are disappearing in place of large homes on oversized lots with too much grass and no riding trails, and no barns! Well, weren’t they the group who were part of the “Save 5 acres” platform during the election? Yes they were as I recall.
If it’s wasn’t so tragic it would be comical.