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 ‘Clown Car’ Category
Endorsement: Hoffmann for Barrington Hills Board of Trustees
Posted in Clown Car, Elections, Ethics, Illinois State Board of Elections, One Barrington Hills, OP/Ed, Politics, Property Taxes, Resident Spotlights, Village Government on March 20, 2023| Leave a Comment »
The Northwest Herald sent a questionnaire out to all suburban candidates seeking election in the upcoming 2023 Consolidated Elections. The only Trustee candidate who deemed Barrington Hills residents worthy of a response was Jessica Hoffmann.
When asked why she was running, Jessica wrote:
“I am committed to preserving the integrity of Barrington Hills for generations to come. Maintaining our community’s traditions and quality of life for our residents, taking special care of our village’s beautiful landscape and our pristine financial record, would be of top priority for me while serving as a Barrington Hills Trustee.”
To learn more of what Jessica had to say about her reasons for running, click here.
The two other candidates running for Village Board of Trustee seats are Darby Hills and John Carpenter Clarke, who apparently saw no need for residents to learn about or vote for them. Their presumptive election by default apparently speaks for itself but speaks volumes to this publication.
We’re very pleased to endorse Jessica Hoffmann for election to the Barrington Hills Board of Trustees, and we’re grateful to have learned a bit about her.
As for the other two candidates, we encourage residents to devote as much time to checking their names off on the ballot as they did in completing the information on the questionnaire. In other words, leave it blank.
Village Board of Trustees meets tomorrow evening
Posted in Agendas, Audio Recordings, BACOG, Board of Elections, BOHICA, Building Department, Clown Car, Conflict of interest, Deception, ePacket Agendas, Ethics, Finance Committee, Financial Reports, FUBAR, Insurance Committee, Intergovernmental agreements (IGA), Mad Cow, OMA, Police Pension Board, Politics, Property Taxes, Public Safety, Real Estate, Road construction, Roads & Bridges Committee, Roads and Bridges, TMI, Transparency, VBHPD, Village Attorney, Village Board, Village Clerk, Village Director of Administration, Village Engineer, Village President on February 26, 2023| Leave a Comment »
Our Village Board of Trustees will be conducting their regular monthly meeting tomorrow beginning at 6:30 PM. Some of the topics on their agenda include:
- Village of Barrington Hills Annual Appropriation Ordinance for the Fiscal Year Beginning January 1, 2023, and Ending December 31, 2023. 2.5. Ord – 2023 Approriation.pdf
- [Vote] Village of Barrington Hills Annual Appropriation Ordinance for the Fiscal Year Beginning January 1, 2023, and Ending December 31, 2023 Ordinance 23 –
- [Vote] Ordinance to Internally Commit Road & Bridge Fund Reserves to Bridge Restoration Ordinance 23 –
- [Vote] A Resolution Approving A McHenry County Crimes Against Children Task force Agreement with the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office Resolution 23 –
- [Vote] A Resolution Approving a Memorandum of Understanding Between the Cook County Sheriff’s Office and the Village of Barrington Hills Resolution 23 –
- [Vote] Resolution Authorizing Execution of the 2023-2026 Collective Bargaining Agreement Between the Village of Barrington Hills and the Metropolitan Alliance of Police Barrington Hills Police Union #576 Resolution 23 –
A copy of the agenda can be viewed and downloaded here.
Editorial note: Since the proposed 2023 Annual Appropriation Ordinance represents a 11.4% increase over the 2022 Appropriation, we’ll be sharing our thoughts on the largest contributor to that increase tomorrow.
‘Awareness is everything’: Barrington-area leaders discuss efforts to address crime
Posted in BACOG, Barrington Area Chamber of Commerce, Clown Car, Crime, Elections, Mówimy po polsku, Organizations, Police Reports, Politics, Property Taxes, Resident Spotlights, South Barrington, The New Normal, VBHPD, Village Government, Village President on February 9, 2023| Leave a Comment »
Barrington Hills President Brian Cecola (far left in wrinkled blue jeans) blamed residents for, “about 90% of car thefts in the Village,” due to their own negligence Wednesday.
Barrington-area leaders are emphasizing public safety, including through the adoption of technology to combat crime.
A recent spike in crime was among the topics discussed Wednesday when officials from nine communities gathered for the Barrington Area Chamber of Commerce’s annual economic summit, the “State of the Greater Barrington Area.”
In the wake of last month’s thefts of several vehicles at Motor Werks of Barrington, and ensuing crashes that injured five, Barrington Village Manager Scott Anderson said police are having ongoing conversations with dealerships on crime prevention.
The village also plans to install license plate reading cameras at 12 locations in town, and the police department is part of an auto theft task force.
South Barrington was among the first communities in the Chicago region to install license plate reading cameras, Village President Paula McCombie said.
“We have 52 license reader cameras that we have had there for several years now. And that has really helped us to chase these guys out of town,” she said.
Barrington Hills Village President Brian Cecola noted that about 90% of the car thefts in the village are because residents are leaving their key fobs in the cars. He encouraged residents to call 911 if they see anything suspicious.
“I know a lot of residents are hesitant, but they (officers) don’t mind the calls,” Cecola said.
Read more here.
Village Board of Trustees meets this evening
Posted in Clown Car, Conflict of interest, Deception, ePacket Agendas, Equestrian Commission, Ethics, Finance Committee, FOIA, FUBAR, Insurance Committee, Mad Cow, Minutes, Mówimy po polsku, Plan Commission, Police Pension Board, Politics, Property Taxes, Public Safety, Real Estate, Roads & Bridges Committee, Topics Of Interest, Transparency, VBHPD, Village Attorney, Village Board, Village Clerk, Village Code, Village Director of Administration, Village Engineer, Village Government, Village President, Village Treasurer, Zoning Board on January 23, 2023| 1 Comment »
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.
This month’s agenda now has two options for residents to attempt to listen in to tonight’s meeting:
Would those with the time and inclination try listening to both options and report back which one sucks less in terms of sound clarity? It would be ever so much appreciated!
Barrington reaches three-year agreement with its police union
Posted in Clown Car, One Barrington Hills, Pension Funding, Police Pension Board, Police Reports, Politics, Property Taxes, Public Safety, Topics Of Interest, Transparency, Unions, VBHPD, Village Board on January 12, 2023| 1 Comment »
Barrington has reached agreement on a new, three-year contract with its police officers. The deal gives officers annual 3% raises and allows the department to make lateral hires. (Daily Herald File Photo)
Barrington officials signed off this week on a new contract with the village’s police officers.
The agreement with Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #177 began Jan. 1 and includes 3% salary hikes for each of the three years of the contract. It was approved by the village board Monday.
Under the new contract, the new officers will start with a $76,620 salary. After six years, an officer could achieve the top pay of $109,977.
Police Chief Dave Dorn said Barrington’s recently acquired home-rule status enabled the contract to allow the hiring of “lateral” transfers — officers currently employed by another agency. Bringing in lateral transfers has advantages, he said.
“You can look at a broader applicant pool. You can speed up your testing process as well,” Dorn said.
Dorn said the agreement would have been negotiated quicker if wages had been the only focus. But contract talks also involved incorporating 12-hour shifts for patrol officers from a separate memorandum of understanding into the main contract.
More here.
Editorial note: Makes one wonder where we stand with our own Village Police agreement(s)?
The most viewed stories of 2022
Posted in 220, Barrington Education Association, Board of Education, Clown Car, Conflict of interest, Cuba Township Road District, Deception, Elections, Ethics, FUBAR, His Master's Voice, Mac's Property Management, One Barrington Hills, OP/Ed, Politics, Public Safety, Resident Spotlights, Roads & Bridges Committee, School Districts, Transparency, Video Recordings, Village Government, What the Ficke (Bradford)? on December 31, 2022| Leave a Comment »
Following are the eleven (11) most viewed posts published in The Barrington Hills Observer in 2022:
- Controversial ‘Gender Queer’ will remain on the shelf at Barrington High, school board decides
- Woman bit her daughter’s finger off during altercation in Barrington Hills, prosecutors say
- Our predominantly pusillanimous Village Board (Part 1)
- Learn from your (big) mistake, Laura, Bryan, Dave and Tom
- Special Village Board meeting this afternoon
- Resident tells 220 Board of Education what they needed to hear (but did they listen?)
- Barrington Hills man severely injured in crash
- Some observations on tonight’s Appropriations public hearing
- Our predominantly pusillanimous Village Board (Part 4)
- District 220 goes too far (again)
- Petition started to “Filter Adult Obscene/Porn Content & SB818 Opt Out,” in D220 Schools
For those wondering why eleven and not an even number, we simply couldn’t end the year without reminding readers where we’ve been in 2022 by omitting #11.
Happy Retro Thanksgiving!
Posted in Barrington Hills Park District, Bicyclists, Big Red, Building Department, Clown Car, Conflict of interest, Ethics, Horse Boarding, LeCompte/Anderson Commercial Horse boarding amendment, Mac's Property Management, Mad Cow, One Barrington Hills, OP/Ed, Politics, Riding Club of Barrington Hills, Roads & Bridges Committee, Transparency, Village Board, Village President, Your Barrington Hills on November 24, 2022| Leave a Comment »
“TV families are a lot like real families. They always come together for Thanksgiving. For the ultimate TV Thanksgiving, look no further than the 1968 episode of The (Barrington) Hillbillies, “The Thanksgiving Spirit.”
The crossover episode not only features the Clampetts, it features the cast members of Green Acres and Petticoat Junction. The episode culminates with a shared dinner that includes characters from the three shows.” (Source)
Editorial note: Many preferred to use the phrase, “Barrington Hillbillies,” when referring to the political antics of some in our “oasis of another time” Village, but that subsided until recently when the Cecola Administration took office. Now the popularity of that phrase is experiencing a resurgence.
Village Board of Trustees meets tonight
Posted in Agendas, Audio Recordings, Big Red, Building Department, Clown Car, Conflict of interest, Deception, Elections, ePacket Agendas, Finance Committee, Financial Reports, FOIA, FUBAR, Legal Expenses, Mac's Property Management, Minutes, Pension Funding, Politics, Property Taxes, Public Safety, Real Estate, Road construction, Roads & Bridges Committee, Roads and Bridges, Taxes, The New Normal, Transparency, VBHPD, Village Board, Village Engineer, Village Government, Village President, Village Treasurer on November 17, 2022| Leave a Comment »
Our Village Board of Trustees will be conducting their regular monthly meeting beginning this evening at 6:30 PM. A copy of their agenda can be viewed and downloaded here, however residents should take special note of their draft 2023 Budget, particularly as it relates to Roads & Bridges where at least one expense is up over 100%.
By far one of the largest increases is in, “Road Maintenance Contracts.” This year’s budget is $661,000. But the proposed amount next year is $1,059,200. That’s an increase of $398,200.
“Mowing/Cleanup Contracts,” is going from $70,00 this year to more than double that in 2023 at $150,000.
In an effort to understand the underlying reasons for these and other increases, we listened to the recordings of the nearly two (2) hour November 8th Special Meeting of the Roads & Bridges Committee yesterday. What we found revealed largely incoherent rambling (as usual) by the chair. As of this posting, the audio now states, “Unsupported audio,” as seen in this link, unfortunately, but some who heard the recording might consider this a blessing.
Hopefully this evening we’ll learn why such exorbitant roads increases are being proposed, but beforehand we’d like to share some advice with the Roads & Bridges Chair in the form quote from a famous Thanksgiving movie that goes, “…when you’re telling these little stories, here’s a good idea. Have a point. It makes it so much more interesting for the listener!”
Special Election Day Roads & Bridges meeting today
Posted in Agenda, Audio Recordings, Clown Car, Elections, FUBAR, Mac's Property Management, Mad Cow, Property Taxes, Public Safety, Road construction, Roads & Bridges Committee, Traffic, Village Government on November 8, 2022| Leave a Comment »
No, that’s not a typo. It’s not a practical joke either.
Roads & Bridges Chair Laura Ekstrom chose the absolute busiest day of the year at Village Hall to have her own special Roads & Bridges meeting consisting of one (1) agenda item today. And, her special meeting is scheduled at 3 PM, a time when many people vote since they leave their workplaces early.
Turnout for early voting this year has been brisk. The parking lots have frequently been seen nearly full, and yesterday lines were forming to vote, thus increasing frustrations.
Common sense would dictate alternative dates be chosen by Ekstrom, or short of that, a Zoom meeting be scheduled if there was no alternative. Clearly, this escaped her.
A copy of her agenda can be viewed here, and if you find yourselves trying to vote this afternoon but unable to park, we know who you have to thank.
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