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Village Board of Trustees meet Tuesday

Posted in Aunt Blabby, BACOG, Barrington Hills Polo Club, Board of Health, Building Department, Clown Car, Conflict of interest, Data Center, Deception, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Economy, ePacket Agendas, Ethics, Finance Committee, Folds of Honor, Fox River Valley Hunt, FRVPC, Insurance Committee, Intergovernmental agreements (IGA), Lennie, Massbach Hounds, Minutes, One Barrington Hills, Organizations, Plan Commission, Plum Farm development, Police Pension Board, Police Reports, Politics, Property Taxes, Public Safety, Resident Spotlights, Riding Club Commission, Riding Club of Barrington Hills, Roads & Bridges Committee, The Land We Love Run, Topics Of Interest, Transparency, Tree Preservation Ordinance, Unions, VBHPD, Village Attorney, Village Board, Village Clerk, Village Code, Village Director of Administration, Village Engineer, Village President, Village Treasurer, Yabba Dabba Doo, Zoning Board on May 17, 2026| Leave a Comment »

The Village Board of Trustees will be conducting their regular monthly meeting Tuesday evening beginning at 6:30 PM. Topics on their agenda include:

  • [Vote] Board of Health Appointment:
    Frank Konicek – Chairman, one-year term
  • [Vote] Riding Club Commission Appointments:
    Elaine Ramesh – Chairman & Member, each a one-year term
    Mary Beth Holsteen – Member, one-year term
    Susan Helenowski – Member, one-year term
    Vicki Kelly – Member, one-year term
  • [Vote] Plan Commission Appointments:
    Matthew Vondra – Chairman, one-year term & Member, 3-year term
    Christopher Geier – Member, three-year term
    Brent Burval – New Nominee* for Member, three-year term
  • [Vote] Zoning Board of Appeals Appointments:
    Gina Koertner – Member, five-year term
    John Gigerich – Member, five-year term
  • [Vote] Police Pension Board Trustees Appointments:
    Christopher Krzysko, Two-year term
    George Panos, Two-year term
  • Register Now: Land We Love Run 5K/10K Celebrating America250 on June 28, 2026

A copy of their agenda, including info on listening to the meeting, can be viewed and downloaded here.

*No bio provided

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Barrington Hills Park District (Riding Cult) meets tonight

Posted in Agendas, Algonquin Rd, Animal Welfare, Barrington Hills Park District, Barrington Hills Polo Club, Commercial Horse Boarding, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Equestrian Commission, Ethics, Financial Statements, Fox River Valley Hunt, FPDCC, FRVPC, Horizon Farm, Horse Boarding, Intergovernmental agreements (IGA), Massbach Hounds, Politics, Privacy, Property Taxes, Public Safety, Riding Center Advisory Committee, Riding Club Commission, Riding Club of Barrington Hills, Taxes, The Other Half, Transparency, Unions on May 13, 2026| Leave a Comment »

The Barrington Hills Park District Board/Riding Cult of Barrington Hills will hold their monthly meeting this evening in person and via Zoom at 6:00 PM. Some topics on their agenda include:

  • Approval of the April 2026 Park Board Meeting Minutes (Not provided)
  • Treasurer’s Report Review, Approval of the April 2026 Park District Financials (Not Provided)
  • Advisory Committee Report (Not Provided)

A copy of their agenda can be viewed here. Instructions for accessing the meeting remotely can be found here.

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U.S. Route 14 Underpass Update

Posted in Aunt Blabby, EJ&E/Canadian National, IDOT, Public Safety, Real Estate, Taxes, Topics Of Interest, U.S. Route 14 Underpass on May 8, 2026| Leave a Comment »

 

Construction activity has ramped back up over the past month, with crews completing the following work:

  • Completed the walls and bottom of the Route 14 culvert, a storm sewer that will carry the relocated Flint Creek beneath the roadway. Formed and poured on-site, the next step is to form the top slab (deck) of the culvert. Once complete and cured, the structure can be backfilled.
  • Began work on the railroad bridge. Crews completed installation of sheeting for the north bridge abutment (the structural element on each end of a bridge) and began excavation within the sheeting area. Structural formwork will be placed as excavation continues. Once complete, the abutment will be poured in concrete. Similar operations will begin for the center bridge pier and the south bridge abutment over the coming months.
  • Made substantial progress on the storm sewer pump station building, including brick and roof truss installation. Most of the surrounding area has been designed to drain naturally away from the Route 14 underpass. However, during rain events, the sloped roadway sections will channel water toward the lowest point of the underpass. Large storm sewers will capture this water and direct it underground to the pump station, located just east of Jiffy Lube. The pump station will collect water in the completed pit, pump it back to the surface, and slowly release it into the relocated Flint Creek. This entire drainage system has been engineered to ensure positive drainage and has been reviewed and approved by the state, Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
  • Continued relocation of utilities.

Weather permitting, the contractor plans to begin excavation and installation of a new storm sewer on Drury Lane over the next month, along with continued construction of the railroad bridge structure.

To stay informed and receive project updates, please visit the dedicated project website us14underpass.com or watch for email notifications.

Posted May 6, 2026

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Mayor Johnson determined to block Bears’ move to Arlington Heights

Posted in Chicago Sun*Times, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Dumb Bunny, Look For The Union Label, New Normal?, Overhead, Politics, Property Taxes, Public Safety, Real Estate, Springfield, Taxes, The Chicago Way, Unions on May 6, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Rendering of the proposed Chicago Bears stadium in Arlington Heights. | Provided by Manica Architecture

By Fran Spielman | Chicago Sun*Times

Mayor Brandon Johnson on Tuesday mounted the legislative equivalent of a goal-line stand against the Bears’ quest for the property tax break needed to pave the way for a domed stadium in Arlington Heights.

Johnson questioned why any lawmaker from Chicago would even think about providing a massive tax break for a professional sports team valued at nearly $9 billion, while ignoring the need for what he calls progressive revenue to increase school funding and help working people struggling to make ends meet.

“If we’re asking anyone to tighten the belt, we should look at whose belt is exploding — and that’s the ultra-rich. As their bellies get fat and our people are starving, this is not the time to balance the budget off the backs of working people,” the mayor said at his weekly news conference.

“The type of tax structure that they would set up for large corporations and billionaires without a clear pathway to provide certainty as well as equity for everyday working people, I believe that’s a mismatch there. And quite frankly, the infrastructure they’re even discussing in the suburbs — those infrastructure needs have been present on the lakefront for a very long time.”

Hours before joining fellow Chicago-area mayors in Springfield, where he has had little success, Johnson made it clear that he would use whatever political muscle he has to block the so-called megaprojects bill now before the Illinois Senate after clearing the Illinois House on April 22.

Though Chicago is no longer part of the conversation to build a domed stadium needed to keep the Bears in Illinois and stave off a move to Northwest Indiana, Johnson is still holding out hope to keep the Bears in the city.

Article continues here.

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Six Flags Great America in Gurnee implements new policy requiring children under 16 to always have adult chaperone

Posted in Lake & McHenry County Scanner, Public Safety on May 3, 2026| Leave a Comment »

File Photo – Six Flags Great America | Photo: Jeremy Thompson / Flickr (Creative Commons)

By Sam Borcia | Lake & McHenry County Scanner

A new policy has been implemented requiring children under the age of 16 to be accompanied by an adult at all times at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee to maintain a “safe” environment.

A chaperone policy was quietly put into place last month at Six Flags Great America, as well as Hurricane Harbor Chicago.

All guests 15 years of age or younger must be accompanied by a parent, guardian or chaperone who is age 21 or older for entry into the theme park or water park.

The youth guests must be accompanied by the parent or guardian for the entire duration of their visit after entering.

The policy will be enforced daily beginning at park opening. A valid government‑issued photo identification with date of birth is required for all chaperones at the time of entry.

One chaperone may accompany no more than 10 guests ages 15 or younger.

Any guest 15 years old or younger found inside the park without a chaperone will be “immediately subject to removal from the park.”

Article continues here.

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Village Board of Trustees meet tonight

Posted in Aunt Blabby, BACOG, Board of Health, Building Department, Clown Car, ePacket Agendas, Equestrian Commission, Ethics, Finance Committee, Financial Reports, Insurance Committee, Intergovernmental agreements (IGA), Little Duck Butt, Minutes, OMA, Pension Funding, Plan Commission, Police Pension Board, Police Reports, Politics, Property Taxes, Public Safety, Real Estate, Road construction, Roads & Bridges Committee, Taxes, The Land We Love Run, Tree Preservation Ordinance, Unions, VBHPD, Village Attorney, Village Board, Village Clerk, Village Code, Village Director of Administration, Village Engineer, Village President, Village Treasurer, Yabba Dabba Doo, Zoning Board on April 27, 2026| Leave a Comment »

The Village Board of Trustees will be conducting their regular monthly meeting this evening beginning at 6:30 PM. Topics on their agenda include:

A copy of their agenda, including info on listening to the meeting, can be viewed and downloaded here.

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Carpentersville could save $2M by switching to new 911 dispatching service

Posted in BCFPD, Chicago Tribune, Intergovernmental agreements (IGA), Public Safety, Topics Of Interest, VBHPD on April 25, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Carpentersville is not renewing its contract with QuadCom 911, which provides emergency dispatching services for village police and fire calls. Switching to a new agency could save about $5 million over five years, a village official said. (Gloria Casas/The Courier-News)

By Gloria Casas | For the Naperville Sun

Carpentersville has notified QuadCom 911, the agency that provides emergency dispatch services, that it’s ending its contract with them effective May 2027 in a move projected to save about $2 million over five years.

QuadCom formed through a 1979 intergovernmental agreement between eight local municipalities. In addition to Carpentersville, it handles emergency dispatching calls for police and fire in East Dundee, Barrington Hills, West Dundee, South Barrington and Rutland Dundee Fire District.

The Carpentersville Village Board recently approved a resolution to notify QuadCom of its decision, which requires 12 months’ notice per the contract.

Officials with QuadCom were not available for comment.

The decision to leave QuadCom came after “an increasing review of options that our village really believes would be moving us to a more resilient dispatch agency with the added benefit of a substantial price decrease,” Village Manager Brad Stewart said.

While village trustees have not voted on a contract with a new vendor, it has received a proposal from Southeast Emergency Communications (SEECOM) based in Crystal Lake. It serves 13 agencies, including neighboring Algonquin, Lake in the Hills and Huntley.

SEECOM is offering a fixed rate of $37.06 per call in the first and second year of a five-year contract, Stewart said. The rate escalates over the remaining three years and tops out at $52.06 per call, he said.

The fifth-year rate is about $10 less per call than what QuadCom is charging in its 2026-27 budget year, Stewart said.

Article continues here.

Editorial note: This topic will be discussed at the Board of Trustees meeting Monday (See agenda note here).

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Barrington Countryside Fire Protection District Board meets tonight

Posted in Agendas, BCFPD, Intergovernmental agreements (IGA), Jewel-Osco, Open Meetings Act, Overhead, Pension Funding, Politics, Property Taxes, Public Safety, Real Estate, Taxes, Transparency, Unions, VBHPD on April 20, 2026| Leave a Comment »

The lease on the BCFPD fire station adjacent to Village Hall is being reviewed according to their agenda. | Courtesy Google maps

The Barrington Countryside Fire Protection District (BCFPD) Board of Trustees meets this evening at 6:30 PM at 22222 N. Pepper Road in Lake Barrington. Topics on their agenda include:

  • Station 37 (Barrington Hills) Lease Review
  • Local Incident Management Assistance Team (IMAT) (Type IV) Memorandum of Understanding

A copy of their agenda can be viewed here.

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Village of Barrington posts “E-Mobility Device” reminders

Posted in Public Safety, School Districts, Springfield on April 17, 2026| Leave a Comment »

“As the weather warms up, the Village is thrilled to see more people walking and biking around town. As a reminder, under current state law, the use of low-speed e-scooters on any public rights-of-way within the Village remains illegal. Likewise, the use of other e-mobility devices, such as e-bikes and gas bikes, within certain public rights-of-way, including sidewalks, remains illegal.

The use of many of these e-mobility devices is also restricted by age. Low-speed gas bikes and Class 3 low-speed e-bikes may only be used by people who are at least 16 years old. In communities outside of the Village that have authorized low-speed e-scooter use, they may be used only by people who are at least 18 years old.

The Secretary of State is currently prioritizing the coordination of legislation to provide the necessary definitions for these various classes of devices, as well as additional regulations governing their use to ensure consistent regulatory standards throughout the state.

The Village will share more information on that legislation and the associated regulations once they are finalized and approved. Until that time, we remain committed to the safe use of our rights-of-way, including the roadway and sidewalk. The public is encouraged to report the reckless use of e-mobility devices via 911 so our police department can respond and address the situation.”

Related: “Illinois Senate Unanimously Passes Giannoulias E-Bike Bill”

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‘Toll-Free in ’73’? Illinois tolls cost drivers $27 billion since then

Posted in Illinois Policy Institute, Illinois Tollway, Pension Funding, Politics, Public Safety, Road construction, Springfield, Taxes, Unions on April 13, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Drivers paid nearly $27 billion in tolls from 2024 back to 1973, the year the roads were to become toll-free. Now the largest passenger toll hike in Illinois history is possible.

By Patrick Andriesen | Illinois Policy Institute

In the 53 years since they were supposed to become free, drivers have paid nearly $27 billion to use Illinois’ toll roads.

Those drivers now face the possibility of the largest passenger toll increase in state history.

In a move to gain union support, last year’s transit bailout bill allows the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority board to implement a hike that could raise $1 billion more in tolls a year starting in 2027.

Passenger drivers could see an increase of 45 cents per toll, driving the average up to $1.24, based on the most recent data. Commercial tolls could rise 30%.

That’s despite the fact that since 1973, the authority has collected more in tolls each year than it needed to operate and maintain the system. The agency reported more revenue from tolls in 2024 than any year in the tollway’s history.

For a hike to take effect Jan. 1, the board must vote by Dec. 2.

Record toll revenue in 2024

Illinois has five toll roads totaling almost 300 miles, mainly in Northern Illinois. The tollway authority took in nearly $1.44 billion in tolls in 2024, the most in any year since tolls were first charged in 1959.

Commercial drivers paid $742 million of that, again more than any other year in the tollway’s history, and passenger drivers paid $697 million. The total of almost $1.44 doesn’t count revenue recovered from fare evasion and penalties.

Article continues here.

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