Barrington Village President Mike Moran is focusing on revitalizing the village’s infrastructure during his first term. | John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
By Steve Zalusky | Daily Herald
The suburbs saw significant turnover in municipal leadership after the 2025 election.
Eight new leaders assumed the helm of their communities in the Northwest suburbs and Lake County, while 12 took over in DuPage and Kane counties.
Now that these first-term mayors and village presidents are celebrating their anniversaries, many are looking back on a year faced with challenges as diverse as the communities they serve — from budget shocks and staff shake-ups to landing an NFL team.
A big vision for a small town
Barrington Village President Mike Moran, who succeeded longtime President Karen Darch after five years as a trustee and with a background as a trucking firm owner, said there was a learning curve. But he sees the new job as an opportunity to put his stamp on the village, and that has meant focusing on the town’s revitalization.
“How do we rebuild our infrastructure? How do we address those infrastructure needs that are desperate — roads, sewers, wastewater treatment, water systems,” he said.
Moran is especially focused on downtown upgrades. The village is completing a downtown streetscape project, has expanded the communications team and hired a business development staffer. It also has launched a social media campaign called “Where is President Moran” highlighting local businesses.
He also is working to upgrade the village’s public profile — saying “Barrington is open for business” — and to position the community as a hub for surrounding areas, emphasizing that Barrington serves as a church, bar, restaurant and grocery center for nearby towns such as Barrington Hills and Inverness.
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