Our Village Board of Trustees will be conducting their regular monthly meeting beginning this evening at 6:30 PM. A copy of the agenda can be viewed and downloaded here.
Archive for the ‘Barrington Children’s Charities’ Category
220 Board of Education meets tonight
Posted in 220, Agendas, Animal Welfare, Barrington Children's Charities, Barrington Education Association, Barrington High School, Board of Education, Countryside Elementary School, Elections, His Master's Voice, Politics, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Property Taxes, Public Safety, Road construction, School Districts, Traffic, Unions, Video Recordings on September 6, 2022| Leave a Comment »
The District 220 Board of Education meets this evening at 7:00 PM at the District Administration Center, 515 W. Main Street. Some of the topics on their agenda include:
- Consideration to Approve TRS SSP Employer Participation Agreement
- Consideration to Approve the Intergovernmental Agreement for Shared Instructional Services with Township High School District 214
- Consideration to Approve 2022-23 Board Priorities
A copy of the agenda can be viewed here. The meeting will be live streamed on the district YouTube channel.
Related: “Controversial ‘Gender Queer’ will remain on the shelf at Barrington High, school board decides”
Our predominantly pusillanimous Village Board (Part 5)
Posted in 2021 Elections, Barrington Children's Charities, Conflict of interest, Deception, FUBAR, New Normal?, OP/Ed, Plan Commission, Politics, Topics Of Interest, Transparency, Village Attorney, Village Board, Village Clerk, Village Code, Village Director of Administration, Village Government, Village President on February 11, 2022| Leave a Comment »
Our gratitude goes to those who’ve followed our four-part journey thus far. Hopefully, it may lead you to the same conclusions we now share.
Obvious to all, there is no way that the current Board of Trustees (BOT), especially President Cecola, would ever consider seating Robin VanCastle next to them in the MacArthur Room. She has shown the unwavering honesty that causes many to avert their eyes, for fear that eye contact would reveal truths some, such as President Cecola, cannot hide.
No one will ever know if Trustee Buettner contemplated this in her discussions with Pro-Tem Konicek. The question is, do we owe her a debt of gratitude for setting the bar so high as to cause the BOT themselves to raise theirs? Only time will tell.
As we’ve stated, our Village President nominates appointees of his (or is it his household’s) choosing. At the very least he should have reached out to Ms. VanCastle as he did to other prospective nominees to express Trustee Buettner’s desires. That is just common courtesy, which apparently he and most trustees have forgotten. It’s that change which can lead to moral turpitude that prompted this series.
The Observer was founded over twelve years ago, since many residents at the time recognized the ethical erosion in our Village government, not only at the Board level, but Commission levels as well. We like to think our communications had some influence in correcting that situation beginning in 2013.
Unfortunately, last year we witnessed our Village government heading in a downward path, and the speed at which it is continuing has us concerned.
Last year we elected four people to our BOT, one being an incumbent Trustee escalated to Village President. For six years, then Trustee Brian Cecola relied almost exclusively on the guidance provided by former Village President Marty McLaughlin and Trustee Colleen Konicek Hannigan. Their education, experience and long hours studying the many issues facing our Village proved immensely beneficial to Cecola and were arguably the reason for his election to President.
Sadly, President Cecola did not retain enough of what he should have learned from his previous mentors to be effective in his new responsibilities, which has become glaringly evident to residents. And it appears that the three newer Trustees are following Cecola’s lead, but the question is, who is setting his leadership path? From our observations, not him, and in fairness, we need to explain why.
President Cecola is a hard worker when it comes to performing tasks he derives income from. However, in his volunteer roles he seems to prefer to relegate research and decision making to others in his duties at Village Hall.
He appears to lean heavily (some say exclusively) on the former Building Permit Coordinator and the current (inexperienced) Village Administrator for guidance (and decisions). The has led to the three new Trustees relying on often biased counsel from non-elected sources.
Examples include the former Permit Coordinator’s well documented advocating for aboveground swimming pools for a neighbor, now permitted for the first time in our Village of estate properties’ history. This in Cecola’s first month in office, dutifully approved to his wife’s delight.
There are other examples of Cecola’s self-interest voting that have occurred, not the least of which is convincing the BOT to terminate a longstanding snow plowing and salting relationship with Cuba Township in favor of awarding business to a private landscaping company he socializes with. Without providing a reason when asked, Cecola conveniently abstained on voting on that one.
Before our newer Trustees continue in this trend, governed by two non-elected people planning Cecola’s course in our Village, we implore them to pause and take stock of where they’re at now and how they’re perceived in the community.
President Cecola is no longer credible and has lost the support of many former supporters, apparently including President McLaughlin, who now can be heard opining that Cecola is not the same today as the person he and others supported and voted for last April.
If Cecola continues to be disinterested, we sincerely ask Trustees Ekstrom, Riff, Strauss and now Hills, to pay much closer attention to what is happening in our community and to the management of our Village.
Related: “Our predominantly pusillanimous Village Board (Part 1),” “Our predominantly pusillanimous Village Board (Part 2),” “Our predominantly pusillanimous Village Board (Part 3),” and “Our predominantly pusillanimous Village Board (Part 4).”
“From the Runway to Local Office”
Posted in Animal Welfare, Barrington Children's Charities, Conflict of interest, Deception, Ethics, Plan Commission, Politics, Village Board on January 19, 2022| Leave a Comment »
“After being crowned Mrs. Illinois America in 2021, local resident, Darby Hills, is moving into local government after being sworn in as a new Village of Barrington Hills – Government Trustee on January 13th.
Hills will fill the unexpired term of Trustee Debra Buettner, whose death created a vacancy, with a term expiring April 2023. Hills was appointed by President Brian D. Cecola at a special Board Meeting in early January.
Hills brings her legal knowledge to the Village Board from her experiences as an arbitrator, mediator, and a Cook County State’s attorney concentrating on child welfare, and from her days as a labor and employment attorney with Jackson Lewis, LLP, working on behalf of corporations. ‘I am humbled and honored to accept this responsibility and excited to represent such an exceptional group of people, our residents, in the governance of the Village of Barrington Hills,’ said Hills.”
View the full Barrington Scoop Facebook post here.
Barrington Children’s Charities 2021 Holly Ball tickets still available
Posted in Barrington Children's Charities, Entertainment, Fundraisers, Resident Spotlights on December 7, 2021| Leave a Comment »
“Barrington Children’s Charities will be hosting our celebration as an in-person event where we can truly celebrate our 10+ years of helping local children in need, alongside our sponsors, donors, and friends.
This year’s event will include all the festivities and more from past years. We look forward to your participation, however that may be – whether it be with us in person, sponsoring, donating, or a combination.
Date: Saturday, December 11, 2021
Time: 6:00 O’Clock in the Evening
Location: Barrington Hills Country Club”
To purchase tickets or to donate, click here. To visit the Barrington Children’s Charities website, click here.
Two Kentucky Derby fundraisers on tap this Saturday
Posted in Barrington Children's Charities, Riding Club of Barrington Hills, Topics Of Interest on April 28, 2019| Leave a Comment »
Barrington Children’s Charities will be holding their 10th and last Kentucky Derby benefit Saturday, May 4th, from 3:00 to 7:00 PM at Rolling Oaks Farm in Barrington Hills.
“Decade of Derby” tickets are $150 and may be purchased here.
The Riding Club of Barrington Hills will also host a “Dress Down Derby Party” from 3:00 to 7:00 PM at McGonigal’s Pub in Barrington. Tickets are $50 in advance or $65 at the door, and a portion of the proceeds goes to Canter Illinois and Canter Chicago. For more information, click here.
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