Posted in BACOG, DARCHED, Education, Ethics, Intergovernmental agreements (IGA), Meeting Minutes, Open Meetings Act, Politics, Property Taxes, South Barrington, Taxes, Topics Of Interest, Village Government on May 28, 2024| Leave a Comment »
The Barrington Area Council of Governments (BACOG) is scheduled to meet today at the Barrington Village Hall. Meetings begin at 7:00 PM. No agenda has been posted.
The most current minutes available from their March 20, 2024 meeting can be found here.
Posted in BOHICA, DARCHED, Deception, Ethics, Girlie man, One Barrington Hills, Politics, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Property Taxes, Springfield, Taxes, Unions, Wirepoints, WTF on May 8, 2024| Leave a Comment »
By Mark Glennon, founder of Wirepoints
As an alternative to a primary election, Illinois law allowed for a party to get its candidates on the ballot for General Assembly spots by party slating procedure, along with collection of a requisite number of public signatures on nominating positions. A number of Republican challengers have been proceeding accordingly.
But over the course of just 30 hours on the first days of this month, the Democratic supermajority changed the law to retroactively disallow that procedure, thereby barring challengers from the November ballot as Republican party candidates.
The new law almost certainly gives Democrats a win in races in which Republicans did not run a candidate in the primary and could result in dozens of unopposed races.
Gov. JB signed the new law the day after it was passed, hours after telling reporters he didn’t know all the details. He also claimed it was an “ethics” bill. “It really does make sure that we don’t have backroom deals to put people on the ballot and run as a result of some small group of people in a smoke-filled room making the choice,” Pritzker said at an unrelated news conference in Bloomington. “So I think to me, more transparency is better.” It’s not like Illinois Democrats ever line up their chosen candidates to run for the party, right?
“This is nothing more than a brazen attempt by Illinois Democrats to disenfranchise voters and eliminate political competition. To hide behind the guise of ‘ethics,’ is laughable,” said Sean M. Morrison, Chairman of the Cook County GOP.
The new law originated as a “shell bill” – one on an entirely different subject with a different label, before being changed in the 30-hour cram-through.
Read more here.
Related: “Editorial: State lawmakers in Springfield pass bill to cut off competition in 78 races,” “Candidates feel ‘cheated, violated, robbed’ after Pritzker enacts law ending slating,” “Gov. J.B. Pritzker signs election bill that would favor Democrats in November,” “(With cheshire grins) Democrats muscle through changes to ballot access, advisory questions”
Posted in BACOG, Barbarian Migrants in Busses at the Gate, Big Red, Clown Car, DARCHED, Deception, Ethics, Immigration, Land Disconnection, Land Use, MOOBS, Newsletters, OMA, One Barrington Hills, OP/Ed, Organizations, Politics, Privacy, Property Taxes, Riding Club of Barrington Hills, Road construction, Roads & Bridges Committee, SNAFU, Transparency, VBHPD, Village Code, Village Government, Village President, Zoning Board on May 3, 2024| Leave a Comment »
Current Barrington Hills President Brian Cecola
Our Village recently posted their ”Spring 2024” newsletter. This issue includes:
What the newsletter lacks is a considerable number of updates from Q-1 2024 that residents should be aware of, including:
Further, minutes from the February meeting of BACOG include, “Cecola reported the Village recently annexed two landscaping businesses.” Why didn’t “Cecola” bother to drop this and other meaningful nuggets content into his message to residents?
The answer is simple. The Cecola administration does not want informed residents. Sure, this publication and others have done their best to inform residents. But clearly when it comes what we share with our readers, our president would rather you just fuhgeddaboudit.
A copy of the newsletter can be found here.
Posted in BACOG, DARCHED, Deception, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Ethics, FUBAR, Intergovernmental agreements (IGA), Meeting Minutes, New Normal?, OMA, Open Meetings Act, Politics, Property Taxes, Real Estate, School Districts, South Barrington, Taxes, Topics Of Interest, Transparency, Village Director of Administration, Village Government, Well Water Quality on April 23, 2024| 2 Comments »
Illinois State Representative Nabeela Syed will be speaking at tonight’s BACOG meeting.
The Barrington Area Council of Governments (BACOG) is scheduled to have multiple meets today at the Barrington Hills Village Hall.
The first is a meeting of the BACOG Connectivity Committee originally scheduled for March 20, 2024, but postponed until today we believe at 5:30 PM. Topics include:
The BACOG Finance Committee meets at 6:40 PM to cover:
At 7:00 PM, the BACOG Executive Board meets. Topics on their agenda include:
We’d be happy to post copies of these agendas. However, BACOG does not post them on their website. They simply print and tape them to the windows of member offices, despite the following:
“Public bodies that have a website must post the agenda of any regular meetings of the governing body (i.e. County Board, Board of Trustees, Board of Commissioners, School Board, etc.) at least 48 hours prior to said meeting. Any agenda of a regular meeting that is posted on a public body’s website shall remain posted until the regular meeting is concluded.”
Further, the last time BACOG posted any meeting minutes was in January, and:
“Any public body that has a website must post the minutes of a regular meeting of its governing body (i.e. County Board, Board of Trustees, Board of Commissioners, School Board, etc) on the website within 10 days after the approval of the minutes by the public body. Public bodies must approve the minutes of the previous meeting either by the next meeting or within 30 days, whichever is later. These minutes must stay on the website for at least 60 days after their initial posting.”
So much for compliance and transparency.
* Attachment follows the agenda
Posted in 220, County, DARCHED, District 220 referendum, Lake, Politics, Property Taxes, School Districts, Topics Of Interest on April 16, 2024| Leave a Comment »
By Steve Zalusky | Daily Herald
Barrington is taking its first steps toward creating a new tax increment financing district to spur redevelopment in the “Golden Triangle” area of the village’s downtown.
Officials said several steps are needed to start the legal machinery leading to the creation of a TIF district. The first is an Interested Parties Registry, through which any resident or village-based organization can apply to receive information should officials move forward with establishing the district.
A TIF district is an economic development incentive in which property taxes within the district’s boundaries are frozen at their current levels, usually for 23 years. Any additional property tax revenue generated through new development is directed to a special village-controlled fund and used to pay for improvements within the district.
Adoption of the registry does not obligate the village to create a TIF district or enter into a redevelopment agreement with a developer for TIF incentives, officials said.
The village’s consideration of a new TIF comes as plans proceed for a recently approved four-story, mixed-use development in the “Golden Triangle.” The plan calls for 125 apartments, space for retail or restaurant uses, and storage for high-end and classic cars on the site bounded by Hough Street, Liberty Street and the junction of the railroad tracks.
More here.
Posted in Algonquin Rd, Animal Welfare, Barrington Hills Park District, Barrington Hills Polo Club, Commercial Horse Boarding, DARCHED, Don't Change Barrington Hills, Equestrian Commission, Ethics, Fox River Valley Hunt, FPDCC, FRVPC, HARPS, Horizon Farm, Horse Boarding, Intergovernmental agreements (IGA), Land Use, LeCompte/Anderson Commercial Horse boarding amendment, Lighting Ordinance, Look For The Union Label, Mad Cows, Massbach Hounds, Organizations, Politics, Privacy, Property Taxes, Public Safety, Real Estate, Resident Spotlights, Riding Center Advisory Committee, Riding Club of Barrington Hills, SOS Party, The Other Half, Topics Of Interest, Transparency, Unions, WTF, Your Barrington Hills on April 5, 2024| 1 Comment »
Following are minutes from a March 6th, 1971 Riding Club of Barrington Hills board meeting. Handwritten notes title the topic as:
“Owen Fairweather: outlined the impact of the heavy tax load on the economy of the financial operations of the Club. He demonstrated how the adoption of the proposed plan to place the Center under the aegis of the Park District would free money that could then be used to expand the facilities of the Center property, adequate paddock areas, for example and make the Center a more attractive facility for larger numbers of the area people. He said the officers and directors had studied every aspect of the proposal together with the conceivable alternatives for a long time and that he and they would welcome dialogue hopefully to gain the permission of the Club membership to finalize the arrangement with the Park District.
Owen presented and read three items pertaining to the proposed transfer:
Item one – a letter to the members of the Board of the Park District of Barrington Hills;
Item two – a proposed resolution that might be adopted by the Park District to implement the formal transfer and
Item three – a “reverter clause” limiting use of the Center facility to “horseback riding purposes and, for purposes of Boarding horses only”.
Two aspects rendering such a transfer desirable are:
a) an end to our tax load with the added and also very desirable possibility that gifts to the Center operation could be tax deductible. This would attract substantial amounts from persons in this area, Owen added.
b) perhaps the tax remission could be made retroactive for the past year leaving us some $7,000 to the good.
Owen averred that without the tax relief promised by the Park District our path leads nowhere but downhill into the hands of the professional tax buyers.
Discussion ensued as to the degree to which the actions of current Board of the Park District might bind future Boards. Fear was expressed that in years to come should the complexion of that Board shift away from an understanding and appreciation of the horse in the community emphasis might be directed into other types of activity (i.e. tennis courts etc.) deleterious to the interests of the horse-oriented groups. Owen said that some latitude must be allowed to make room for future understanding by all parties but that in any dire event our aforesaid “reverter clause” stands as our protection to any radical deviation from the riding and boarding concepts for the entire operation. If plans are announced for undesirable uses of the property we can, under the clause, recover our property.
Mr. Holtzer asked what the reaction of the part of the community not interested in horses might be to having their Park District invest their funds in a horse-oriented activity. Owen explained that the Park District will, undoubtedly be faced with choices among a variety of interests as time goes on and will accommodate and help these interests in the order of their desirability and interest in the community in a balanced deployment of available money. The Park District, he said, is less a politically oriented body than the Village Board and less vulnerable to shifting tides of pressure from different groups.
There will be no major change in the operating procedures involving Jack as the Management Committee consisting entirely of people related directly to horsemen and their activities will work with him, honor his contract and protect his administration of the Center. (The proposed member of the Management Committee from the Park District Board is a well-known horseman and member of the Mounted Patrol to boot).
In the event that the Center should through some disaster cease to exist in its present form details of settlement would depend upon the insurance and encumbrances effective at the point of transfer.
Some confusion seemed to exist about the relationship between the Riding Club and the Riding Center as separate entities. It was explained that the Park District proposal relates only to the Center property. The Riding Club would continue to be an entirely separate organization with its dues income, trail maintenance and other activities separate from Park District control.
Discussion returned via a question from Ed Holtzer as to the possible future change in personnel on the Park District and the impact inherent in the appearance of a person or persons not horse oriented. Julian Hansen that the reverter clause would be binding but that no political body could possible, agree to certain nominees being selected down through all future years. Owen added that a certain amount of reliance on the honest intentions of the Park District spokesman must be entertained as their commitment has to be an implied one not a legal one. However, once again, the reverter clause is a legally binding and viable barrier to any deviation from the exclusiveness of horse related use of the Center property.
It was explained that the Park District will have no control or relationship to our riding trails; just to the barn and the surrounding fifteen acres of land.
Rob McCullagh noted that Park District ownership of the Center would be a valuable protective feature. The Center is surrounded entirely by the Forest Preserve who might undertake to acquire it from the Riding Club. Or the Forest Preserve might install a large public parking lot or other unwelcome public activity proximate to the Center property and the Riding Club as such might find it difficult in a political atmosphere to defend against such encroachments on our environment. The Park District being a politically oriented entity would be in a much more feasible position to erect defenses against such moves. A tentative plan for a Forest Preserve parking area is considering (installation of) a parking area about two years from now.
Mr. Scott asked if Riding Club dues automatically entitle one to use of the Center facility. No-such usage is arranged for by payment of use fees.
Ralph O’Neil outlined the clearly individual segments of the Riding Club/Riding Center relationship:
a) The Center will be on its own, the property of the the Park District of Barrington Hills, operated by Jack Arnold and administered by the Management Committee as defined and peopled in Item 2, Section 7 on page 2 (of the item) where the committee makeup is set forth.
b) The Riding Club of Barrington Hills as we have always known it with its own dues income, Horse Show, trail rides and other activities and the riding trail system. Riding Club income will continue to be applied to Riding Club debts, mortgages and other obligations.
Rob added the observation that the Center is not supported by Riding Club dues–many members do not use the Center and such support would be unfair to them, for one thing.
Owen felt that the people on the Park District Board are all dedicated to the concept of providing healthy, recreational activity facilities for the people of Barrington Hills. In any form of such activity they will play a major role in providing for the people facilities for the type of activity for which a demonstrable need and demand exists. As time goes. on this might include any of a number of activities in various parts of the area. In this particular instance an arrangement is contemplated around a demonstrated need and demand for a financially viable horse riding and horse boarding center and the desires of that segment of the population will be met.
In the process and to insure the proper control and management in a type of activity demanding great expertise, experience and understanding it is arranged through a management group made up of representatives of the established horse clubs to provide the proper control of the activity. In other areas of activity it is presumed that similarly sophisticated control groups will serve in like capacity.
Owen explained that in fact the same individuals will be managing overall affairs at the Center that are now performing that function and that Win Alberts, of the Park District Board, is of the same ilk.”
We’ll have some thoughts to share on this at a later date.
A copy of the minutes can be found here. A copy of the deeds that resulted can be found here.
Posted in BACOG, Barrington Area Library, DARCHED, EJ&E/Canadian National, Politics, Real Estate, Road construction, Topics Of Interest, TRAC on April 3, 2024| Leave a Comment »
Trees have been cut down and homes demolished around Rout 14 in Barrington to clear the way for the construction of an underpass beneath the Canadian National railroad tracks nearby. | Paul Valade/Daily Herald
By Steve Zalusky | Daily Herald
More than 1,200 trees stretching across six acres along Route 14 in Barrington have been taken down in recent weeks, clearing the way for a long-sought underpass beneath the Canadian National railroad tracks.
A priority for more than a decade, village leaders say the $94.1 million project will provide a faster and safer trip for drivers who often find themselves backed up in long delays at the tracks. It’ll also ease concerns about emergency vehicles getting stuck waiting for slow-moving freight trains to clear, officials say.
But while drivers may be eagerly awaiting the work’s completion in about two years, not everyone is embracing the project.
Homeowners in the historic Jewel Park subdivision north of Route 14 have seen dozens of their neighborhood trees removed and six homes razed — with two more set to face demolition — significantly altering the appearance of their community.
Crews later this year will replace the leveled homes and trees with a temporary 4-lane roadway that will carry Route 14 traffic through the area during construction of the underpass.
“They have got to basically move Route 14 on a temporary basis,” said Terry Riordan, a member of the Jewel Park Homeowners Association. “And they have chosen to go into our neighborhood.”
Established in 1925 by the Jewel Tea Co., the subdivision consists of more than 80 homes north the underpass site. Concerned about the project’s impact on their neighborhood, members of the homeowners association have met with Barrington officials several times and even walked through the project area with village representatives.
Read more here.
Related: “Jewel Park residents share their concerns regarding the U.S. Route 14/CN Underpass project”
(Click on image to enlarge)
Posted in Cook, County, DARCHED, Politics, Property Taxes, Resident Spotlights, Topics Of Interest on March 28, 2024| Leave a Comment »
BARRINGTON TOWNSHIP 174th ANNUAL TOWN MEETING NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN To the legal residents of the Town of Barrington in the County of Cook and State of Illinois that the ANNUAL MEETING OF said Town will take place on: APRIL 9th, 2024, A.D. Being the second Tuesday of said month. The Town Meeting for the transaction of miscellaneous business of said Town will be held at the hour of 7:00 o’clock P.M. on said day at BARRINGTON TOWNSHIP, 602 SOUTH HOUGH STREET, BARRINGTON, ILLINOIS 60010 and a Moderator having been elected, will proceed to hear and consider reports of officers and decide on such measures as may, in pursuance of law, come before the meeting and especially to consider and decide the following: Resolution to contract for Senior Citizen Services Resolution fixing the date and hour of next years’ Annual Town Meeting Any further business to come before the meeting. Dated at Barrington Township, this 25th day of March 2024. Daniel P. Fitzgerald, Town Clerk AGENDA APRIL 9th, 2024 7:00 P.M. Meeting called to order Pledge to the Flag Approval of Agenda Township History & Purpose Report Clerk directs electors to appoint Moderator MODERATOR:TBD 1.Approval of the minutes of the previous years’ Annual Town Meeting 2.Supervisor’s Annual Financial Reports. 3.Review tentative budget for the Town Fund for fiscal year March 1, 2024, through February 28, 2025. 4.Review proposed tentative budget for the General Assistance Fund for fiscal year March 1, 2024, through February 28, 2025 5.Supervisor’s Annual Report…………D. Robert Alberding 6.Clerk’s Annual Report……………… Daniel P. Fitzgerald 7.Assessor’s Annual Report……………Jacqueline Stephens 8.Cemetery Committee’s Annual Report………Fritz Gohl OLD BUSINESS NEW BUSINESS 1.Resolution 2024-R-05 to contract for Senior Citizen Services. 2.Resolution 2024-R-06 fixing the date and hour of the next years’ Annual Town Meeting. 3.Any further business to come before the meeting. ADJOURN
Published in Daily Herald March 25, 2024 (4613336), posted 03/25/2024
The agenda can be viewed and downloaded here.
Posted in DARCHED, EJ&E/Canadian National, METRA, Politics, Public Safety, School Districts, Taxes, Topics Of Interest, TRAC, Traffic, Unions on March 22, 2024| Leave a Comment »
Village of Barrington President Karen Darch
“This past Tuesday, our community came together at Barrington’s White House for two Rail Safety Sessions hosted in conjunction with Metra. Since the tragic death of Barrington High School student Marin Lacson in January, we have all placed a renewed emphasis on ensuring that our residents stay safe around the rails in Barrington.
At the Community Rail Safety Sessions, Metra representatives emphasized obeying all warning signals and crossing gates; waiting until a train is fully passed and warning lights and bells have ceased and gates are deactivated before venturing across the tracks (as often a second train might be blocked by the first); never driving or walking around lowered gates; and paying attention to markings on the crossings and platforms.
In addition, Metra representatives reminded us that disobeying a rail signal is not only a serious safety issue, it’s illegal. First-time offenders in vehicles can incur up to a $500 fine for trespassing on the tracks when the grade crossing warning devices are activated. Second and subsequent violations can incur doubled fines. This type of violation requires an appearance in court and may result in a six-month suspension of a driver’s license if repeat offenses are committed.
Finally, if you do find yourself witnessing or becoming involved in a train crossing accident, or if you see a problem on the tracks, find the Emergency Notification Systems “blue sign” (see below) that is located at every rail crossing and call the 1-800 number. This sign gives the public critical emergency contact information at every grade crossing, enabling the public to reach the railroad responsible for the crossing and to identify the specific crossing in the event of an emergency.
I hope you have a safe and wonderful weekend.”
Karen Darch
Village President
Editorial note: Can’t make this up…
Posted in DARCHED, Nostalgia, Politics, Press Release, Topics Of Interest on March 19, 2024| Leave a Comment »
“This sale is the total and only liquidation of McGonigals Pub in Barrington. Everything in pub is for sale by appointment only.
3/19 3pm to 6pm (Today)
3/20 9am to 4pm (Wednesday)
3/21 9am to 4pm (Thursday)
3/22 9am to 4pm (Friday)
From kitchen equipment to bar decor will be for sale. McGonigals Pub is housed in a 100 year old building in the heart of downtown Barrington. This traditional Irish pub contains a treasure trove of great item.
Don’t miss out on this unique opportunity to get some great finds or quality equipment for your restaurant or bar. PLEASE CALL 847-393-6715 TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT.”
Read more here.
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