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Archive for the ‘BACOG’ Category

Lake County Health Department offers $14 well water testing through 3/17

Posted in BACOG, Going green, Topics Of Interest on March 7, 2022| Leave a Comment »

Note: “A limited number of well-water test kits are available at Barrington Hills Village Hall from 9 AM – 5 PM on a first-come, first-served basis.”

Whater Test

“In observance of National Groundwater Awareness Week, the Lake County Health Department is offering a reduced well water testing fee for homeowners who use well water as their primary source of drinking water. Between March 7 and March 17, 2022, the usual $18.00 fee for testing for bacteria and nitrates will be reduced to $14.00.

“Water is an essential resource that we use to drink, cook, and bathe, but when it’s contaminated it can cause illness,” said Mark Pfister, Executive Director of the Lake County Health Department. “We encourage private well owners in Lake County to do annual water testing and well maintenance to keep their families healthy.”

Sterile test bottles and sampling instructions are available at the Lake County Central Permit Facility (500 W. Winchester Road, Libertyville), the Health Department’s headquarters (3010 Grand Avenue, Waukegan), and 19 township or municipal offices located throughout Lake County. To find a location nearest you, call (847) 377-8020 or visit www.lakecountyil.gov/726/water-wells. Water sampling kits can also be mailed for $18.00.

All collected water samples must be brought to the Lake County Central Permit Facility between 8:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday. Results of water samples are ready for homeowners in approximately three business days.

For further information on water testing, contact the Health Department at (847) 377-8020, or send an email to HealthEHS@lakecountyil.gov.”

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‘State of Barrington Region’ summit will be on Zoom

Posted in 220, BACOG, Barrington Area Chamber of Commerce, Conflict of interest, Politics, Preckwinkle's Rules of Order, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Resident Spotlights, School Districts, Taxes, Village President on February 7, 2022| Leave a Comment »

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This year’s “State of the Barrington Region” economic summit will take place virtually on Wednesday.

The public is invited to hear firsthand updates from area village leaders, including: Karen Darch of Barrington; Brian D. Cecola of Barrington Hills; Greg Rusteberg of Deer Park; John Tatooles of Inverness; Nandia Black of Kildeer; Kevin Richardson of Lake Barrington; Bill Jacob of Long Grove; Eleanor Sweet McDonnell of North Barrington; Keith Vogeler of Port Barrington; Paula McCombie of South Barrington; and David Parro of Tower Lakes.

The event is 8:30 to 10 a.m. Wednesday. Registration is $10.

Sign up at BarringtonChamber.com to receive the Zoom link.

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Barrington trustees approve ‘fiscally…responsive’ $39M FY22 budget, which restores hiring for several village positions

Posted in BACOG, EJ&E/Canadian National, Intergovernmental agreements (IGA), Public Safety, Taxes, Topics Of Interest on December 28, 2021| Leave a Comment »

Barrington Village Hall

The Barrington Village Board recently approved a $39 million budget for the village’s fiscal year 2022.

Trustees voted 6-0 at the Dec. 13 board meeting to approve the spending plan, after a public hearing on it was held the same night. There were no public comments at the hearing, and Trustee Emily Young was absent.

The budget will be effective on the first day of the new year, as the village’s fiscal year runs Jan. 1 through Dec. 31.

“This budget, I believe, is fiscally responsible as well as responsive to the service needs of the community,” said Village Manager Scott Anderson. “The spending plan is well aligned with the vision set forth by the elected board and its strategic plan. While this budget is best considered a maintenance budget, commitments are made to continuing, and in some cases, improving our current service levels. At the same time, there is a significant investment in the village’s infrastructure that will occur next year.”

Anderson explained there are 10 independently budgeted funds that roll into to the spending plan, but most of the village’s operating expenses come from the general fund – including police, fire and public works. He noted an uptick in expenses for the village-owned Barrington White House, with a $544,841 appropriation that he said represents the support of programming in the historic downtown venue.

“Programming is opening up now and we’re having more in-person performances which is driving some of that expenditure,” Anderson said.

Read more here.

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Barrington Hills mourns death of Trustee Buettner

Posted in BACOG, Barrington High School, One Barrington Hills, Village Board on November 18, 2021| 1 Comment »

DAB DH

Debra Ann Buettner

Family, friends and colleagues are mourning the loss of Barrington Hills Trustee Debra Ann Buettner, who died unexpectedly late last week at the age of 60.

Born in Elgin and raised in North Barrington, Buettner was a Barrington High School graduate who moved to Barrington Hills in 1991 with her husband, James Hammond.

Buettner was in her first term as a village trustee, bringing her professional experience as a tax and transactional attorney to that role, as well as in her prior position as an appointed member of the village’s zoning board of appeals.

Village President Brian Cecola reflected on her contributions to the community in a written statement.

“Deb has been a friend for a number of years,” Cecola said. “I personally got to know her in 2015 during my first election campaign for village trustee. I was elated when I learned Deb decided to run in 2019 for village trustee, as I knew she would make an excellent board member.”

The strengths she brought to her local government roles were personal as well as professional, he added.

“Deb was very detailed and knowledgeable,” Cecola said. “Her heart was with the residents. She was always willing to listen to people and constantly wore a smile. She will definitely be missed. Our thoughts and prayers go out to her husband, Jim, and her family,”

Read more here.

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2021 Barrington Area State Legislators Virtual Town Hall Forum Tomorrow

Posted in 220, BACOG, Barrington Area Chamber of Commerce, Politics, Resident Spotlights, School Districts on November 9, 2021| Leave a Comment »

EventPhotoFull_Legislative Breakfast Flyer - Confirmed 2021

“Join us for the Barrington Area State Legislators Virtual Town Hall Forum on Wednesday Nov. 10 at 8:30 am. Confirmed Speakers: Senator Dan McConchie, 26th District State Representative Chris Bos, 51st. District State Representative Martin McLaughlin, 52nd District State Representative Tom Morrison, 54th District.

Other invited speakers include: Senator Cristina Castro, 22nd District Senator Ann Gillespie, 27th District, and State Representative Anna Moeller, 43rd District.

This is a FREE event open to the public. Click the registration button on this page to receive your zoom link.”

Source

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Crystal Lake to buy downtown train station property through Metra deal (Will Barrington/BACOG?)

Posted in BACOG, Intergovernmental agreements (IGA), METRA, Real Estate, Topics Of Interest on November 4, 2021| Leave a Comment »

CL Purchase

Commuters exit a westbound Metra train from the Chicago direction on Wednesday, March 11, 2020, in Crystal Lake. (Matthew Apgar – mapgar@shawmedia)

The Crystal Lake City Council approved Tuesday the purchase of the 1.8-acre downtown train station and its surrounding property through an intergovernmental agreement with Metra, the result of the Union Pacific’s intention to sell this and other commuter stations on the line.

Union Pacific notified Metra that it had entered into an agreement with an unnamed developer to sell some or all of the 41 train station properties for about $50.9 million, Metra said in a letter to affected municipalities.

Metra has the right of first refusal to purchase the property but doesn’t want it, Crystal Lake city staff said, so instead, the Chicago region commuter rail system offered to buy the train station from Union Pacific on the city’s behalf and transfer the property title to the city of Crystal Lake.

The city of Crystal Lake decided to buy the property because “it’s an important part of the downtown” and city staff recommended it as a good opportunity, Assistant City Manager Eric Helm said.

“The location and the asking price for the property were all very attractive,” Helm said.

No plans are in the works for any changes to the property, Helm said. Crystal Lake, which has a lease with Union Pacific, currently handles minor maintenance items for the station. Helm doesn’t see this changing with the city’s purchase.

Read more here.

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Crystal Lake to vote on buying train station property from Union Pacific (Is Barrington/BACOG considering it?)

Posted in BACOG, METRA, Politics, Property Taxes, Real Estate, Topics Of Interest on October 31, 2021| Leave a Comment »

Union Pacific, which owns the parcel, plans on selling it, but Metra has first right of refusal

CL Metra

The Crystal Lake City Council will vote Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2021, on whether to enter into an intergovernmental agreement with Metra to purchase the downtown train station property. (Crystal Lake City Council records)

The Crystal Lake City Council is set to vote Tuesday on whether it wants to enter into an agreement with Metra to buy property around the downtown train station property that Union Pacific is looking to sell.

Although Metra has the first refusal to purchase the property, it does not want to, according to city staff. The Chicago region commuter rail system has offered to buy the 1.8-acre parcel from Union Pacific on the city’s behalf and transfer the property title to Crystal Lake through an intergovernmental agreement.

Cities like Crystal Lake impacted by Union Pacific’s sale plans have until Nov. 12 to approve agreements with Metra, Metra’s director of real estate and contract management, Anthony Ognibene, said in a letter to municipalities.

This offer was given to other municipalities along Union Pacific’s Northwest line as well.

Union Pacific notified Metra that it had entered into a master agreement with an unnamed developer to sell some or all of the 41 train station properties for about $50.9 million, Metra said in the letter. The developer can still choose not to purchase individual stations, according to the letter.

McHenry County stations affected include Crystal Lake’s downtown station as well as the ones in Cary, Woodstock, Harvard, McHenry and Fox River Grove.

Read more here.

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Union Pacific selling land around Metra stations in McHenry County, other suburbs

Posted in BACOG, METRA, Real Estate on October 14, 2021| Leave a Comment »

FRG

Village and city officials in McHenry County are evaluating their options after being notified that the Union Pacific Railroad is looking to sell the land surrounding a number of its northern Illinois commuter stations.

In a letter to municipal officials, Metra said Union Pacific sent the commuter railway a notice that it had entered into a master agreement with an unnamed developer to sell some or all of the 41 train station properties for about $50.9 million.

“While it reflects a master contract for 41 stations, the notice is clear that the developer may elect to not purchase individual stations,” Metra said in the letter.

McHenry County stations that could be affected are in Crystal Lake, Cary, Woodstock, Harvard and McHenry and Fox River Grove.

Metra is willing to enter into an intergovernmental agreement with municipalities to purchase the station and transfer ownership back to the town, Anthony Ognibene, director of real estate and contract management for Metra, said in the letter. The municipality would have to finance the cost of the acquisition.

“Please be aware that time is critical,” Ognibene wrote, noting that municipalities would need to enter into the intergovernmental agreement before Nov. 12.

Right now, Crystal Lake is evaluating the information it received from Metra and weighing the city’s options, Crystal Lake Assistant City Manager Eric Helm said.

“We recently received the information,” Helm said.

Read more here.

Related: “Mount Prospect train station, dozens more could be sold”

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Metra budget won’t raise fares; it brings back trains, but bets passengers will lag

Posted in BACOG, METRA, Real Estate on October 14, 2021| Leave a Comment »

Metra

Metra’s proposing a $900 million budget for 2022 that would bring train service back to 2019 levels.

Metra’s $900 million proposed budget for 2022 is a balancing act as leaders lean on federal aid to bring service back to pre-COVID-19 levels on all lines in hopes of reclaiming the absent passengers who have decimated revenues.

The tentative budget, approved for release by Metra directors Wednesday, increases spending by 12.5% from the $800 million 2021 fiscal plan. In comparison, Metra’s original budget for 2020 was $827.4 million, although projections changed because of the pandemic, and the 2019 budget was $822 million.

There will be no fare increases, officials said.

The $100 million extra will be used to fill vacant jobs, offset inflation, and run more trains, which are at about 80% of 2019 numbers. The railroad had cut multiple trains as the pandemic surged in spring 2020.

The agency intends to reduce the time a 10-ride pass is valid from one year after date of purchase to 90 days, effective Feb. 1, 2022. Similarly, one-way tickets will expire in 14 days instead of 90 days.

Read more here.

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Mount Prospect train station, dozens more could be sold

Posted in BACOG, METRA, Real Estate on October 8, 2021| Leave a Comment »

UP MP

Mount Prospect officials are discussing what it might mean for the village of Union Pacific sells land at its downtown train station for redevelopment.

Mount Prospect officials are discussing the possible redevelopment of land surrounding the downtown Metra train station property, amid reports Union Pacific is looking to sell the land there and at dozens of other suburban commuter stations.

The area in Mount Prospect includes the parking lots along Northwest Highway from southeast of Maple Street to northwest of Route 83.

Union Pacific has been trying to sell dozens of train station properties to a developer, according to village documents, which could mean millions of dollars of revenue for the railroad company. Among the other 40 sites are Arlington Heights, Arlington Park, Des Plaines, Palatine, Barrington, Fox River Grove, Cary, Crystal Lake, Harvard, McHenry, Villa Park, Lombard, Glen Ellyn, Wheaton, Winfield, West Chicago and Elburn.

Assistant Mount Prospect Village Manager Nellie Beckner said village staff is meeting about the possible sale this week.

“Obviously, we would love to have control over the parking lots in the train station, because that’s a key element of our downtown,” she said.

The latest communication from Metra to the village was sent on Sept. 29. It indicated that on Sept. 23, UP informed Metra that the company had entered into an agreement to sell the property at 41 stations for approximately $50.9 million.

Read more here.

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