After some debate, Barrington Hills Village Board voted 4-3 on Sept. 22 to pay the acting village attorney for his temporary service.
It started when Trustee Joe Messer declined to pay an invoice submitted by Wheaton firm Bond, Dickson & Associates. The firm was not validly appointed (in Messer’s opinion), so the board should not recognize its authority, Messer said.
McLaughlin, however, said he just wanted to move forward.
“Joe, I suggest you take it to court, rather than play village attorney up here, because, frankly, it’s getting a little tiresome,” he said. “I think the village residents, including myself, have had enough.”
Read the full Barrington Courier-Review story here.
The last thing Abboud’s disciples want is a village attorney like Patrick Bond who actually knows municipal law (i.e. Open Meetings Act) and will advise them of those laws BEFORE they decide to break them as was the case with the April 2013 appointments made by the former president. Plus as I understand it Bond’s fees are less than what we’ve been paying Burke Warren, and since he KNOWS municipal law we’ll be billed less in research fees than we were paying to Burke Warren.
The three trustees who voted against paying his overdue bills could use a cerebral enema after they get their heads out of their bums, especially Messer!
Bond would be entitled to payment from VBH irrespective of the vote by the BOT under the implied contract theory of “quantum meruit” – (latin meaning: value of services rendered).
BOT members Messer and Meroni may want to consider stopping playing politics with peoples’ right to payment and get down to “brass tacks” by focusing on the serious business of Barrington Hills like the potential financial jeopardy Trustees, Messer, Meroni and Selman are placing Barrington HIlls in by failing to “recuse” themselves from the commercial horse boarding zoning process.
I completely agree with both of the above comments. Bond is knowledgeable, succinct and free of bias. His firm is a breath of fresh air into the stagnant boardroom that we as residents have had to endure for far too long.
It’s interesting to watch Meroni, Messer, Selman, Gohl and Harrington go through their practiced performances at each monthly meeting. All the rehearsed speeches, and the choreographed votes… Little do they know that The Bobby Show will be closing soon.
And I will even give this dog of a show a standing ovation in joy that it is over. Then and only then will our beloved village can go back to the neighborly and peaceful way that is was when we moved here 18 years ago. I for one cannot wait.