Audio recordings from last month’s regular Village Board meeting are available for review. Since the meeting lasted about four and a half hours, we’ll do our best to summarize the highlights and lowlights from the meeting.
Ten people spoke during public comment, although for some reason the recording from the eighth speaker is not available.
The first speaker informed attendees of the upcoming roadside trash pickup in April and then went on to plead that some Board members put politics aside and pay Patrick Bond, temporary Village Counsel for the services he’s been providing to the Board. We agree, and his comments can be heard here.
The fifth speaker brought up her observation that there is a “substantial similarity” between the SOS Party’s campaign logo to that of the Village of Barrington Hills copyrighted logo used in Village communications, and she questioned if this was legal under copyright law.
She also expressed concern that the use of the SOS Party logo in campaign media might confuse residents and possibly could infer some form of endorsement by the Village in the SOS Party campaign.
Here’s a side-by-side comparison of the two logos she referred to:
Save Open Space Logo
Barrington Hills Logo
Her comments can be heard here, and again, we recommend readers listen to all who commented.
During the Finance discussion of the monthly bills for payment, payment to Patrick Bond was again denied via a motion by Trustee Harrington. Trustees Gohl, Messer, Meroni and Selman then approved his motion in the political lockstep we’ve come to expect from most on this Village Board. In a prior vote, Trustee Gohl had voted in favor of Bond’s payment.
The Roads & Bridges discussion followed with some disheartening news about the backlog of road resurfacing in Barrington Hills. It was questioned if the goal of repaving 3.2 miles per year was even attainable.
History disproves this since in 2013 3.15 miles of roads were resurfaced once legal expenses were dramatically curtailed. Nonetheless, that is likely too little too late, and though discussions will continue at this month’s Board meeting, it’s likely some amount of tax increase will have to be passed on to residents.
During the Public Safety portion of the meeting, as previously reported, Trustees voted not to consolidate 911 Dispatch with QuadCom by a vote of 4-2, with President McLaughlin abstaining. Trustee Harrington stated his priorities were safety first and financials of the consolidation second. Later, when explaining his vote against consolidation, he stated he’d like to see more numbers before deciding. That’s a bit contradictory.
Next came the Building and Zoning discussion and action beginning with a motion to override the veto of the LeCompte/Anderson Horse Boarding Ordinance. Prior to the vote, President McLaughlin weighed in on his concern over passing the Ordinance based on the legal exposure it would likely create for the Village.
As we’ve recently learned, his concerns were warranted. According to the Cook County Circuit Court website (click here to view the record), a complaint was filed against the Village just four days after Trustees Gohl, Harrington, Messer, Meroni and Selman voted to override the veto, and now a special Village Board meeting is scheduled for Monday to discuss a defense against the complaint.
During this same session, Trustee Messer motioned to set compensation for the Special Counsel named by President McLaughlin to review the proceedings that led to the LeCompte/Anderson Horse Boarding Ordinance at $0. Trustee Meroni seconded, and the motion passed 5-2 in what, unfortunately, has become an all too familiar partisan vote.
The Administration portion of the meeting actually began at the start of the meeting since President McLaughlin moved it forward. Richard Semelsberger, a 26-year veteran of the Barrington Police Department, was promoted from acting Police Chief to a permanent appointment with a unanimous vote. Officer Joseph Colditz was then promoted to the post of Deputy Chief, and we congratulate both gentlemen on their well-deserved promotions.
The status of an Ordinance passed in January which changed the authority to appoint special counsel, from being solely at the discretion of the Village President to the Village Board in its entirety, was then discussed. Trustee Messer sponsored the measure, and it passed by a partisan 5-2 vote.
President McLaughlin vetoed the Ordinance, and went on to cite Illinois Statutes that prohibit such a change without prior passage of a referendum by residents of the Village. As it turns out, what Trustees Gohl, Harrington, Messer, Meroni and Selman approved in their proposed Ordinance at the January Village Board meeting is unconstitutional under State Law since it would essentially change our form of government.
Politically charged banter was peppered throughout the meeting. Most of it emanated from four Trustees clearly supporting the SOS Party, but honestly, is a public meeting of our elected officials really the forum for this?
We don’t think so and many agree. We understand even some SOS supporters in the room that night were taken aback by what they witnessed.
The link to the menu of edited recording segments from the meeting can be found here.
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