“Start your Independence Day holiday weekend with a run through the Hills!…or walk, if you prefer!
The Village of Barrington Hills, together with Cuba Township, is hosting its 3rd annual Land We Love Run on Saturday, July 1st! The 10K run, 5K run/walk or the 2-mile walk will begin at 7:30 AM.
Register today to take advantage of the early bird rate!
Finishers’ medals will be awarded to seven age groups for the 5K and 10K. Additional awards include Best Costume and Most Donated Items for the Food Pantry.” – From the VBH Website
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.
Our Village Board of Trustees will be holding a special meeting beginning this evening at 6:30 PM. The purpose is to certify the results of the April 4 election and to vote on Board responsibility assignments as follow:
John Carpenter Clarke: None
Laura Ekstrom: Environment, Roads & Bridges and Equestrian Commission
Darby Hills: Building & Zoning and Plan Commission
Jessica Hoffman: Health
David Riff: Municipal Buildings & Grounds and Public Safety
Thomas Straus: Finance, Insurance and Village Personnel
Also, President Cecola is nominating David Riff to be President Pro Tem. A copy of tonight’s agenda can be viewed here.
Our Village Board of Trustees will be conducting their regular monthly meeting beginning this evening at 6:30 PM. Topics on their agenda include:
[Vote] Amended Village Budget FY 2023
[Vote] Resolution Authorizing the Issuance of Notice of Award for the 2023 Road Program Project by the Village of Barrington Hills, Illinois Resolution 23 –
[Vote] Ordinance Amending Escrow Requirements for Tree Removal Permits as Set Forth in Title 4, Chapter 6 in the Village Code Ordinance 23 –
[Vote] Resolution of Proclamation Appreciating Trustee Bryan C. Croll for 8 Years of Dedicated Service Resolution 23 –
[Vote] Resolution of Proclamation Appreciating Trustee Colleen Konicek Hannigan for 10 Years of Dedicated Service Resolution 23 –
In addition, nominations for new or renewal appointments to Boards and Commissions will be voted on. Four member of the Equestrian Commission is on the list of renewals, however there is a problem with the renomination of one of those members.
That member ran for and won a seat on the Barrington Hills Park District Board earlier this month, and now this represents a conflict. Therefore, an alternate should be considered at a subsequent Board of Trustees meeting.
A copy of this evening’s agenda can be viewed and downloaded here.
What follows was recently posted to the Village website:
“I strived to make Barrington Hills’ government a model for Illinois communities and our Village a more attractive place to live,” said Trustee Bryan Croll reflecting upon his time as Village Trustee. “I would say we proved that reducing taxes can be done; that raising taxes doesn’t have to be the norm. Admittedly, it takes time to analyze spending habits but it is a worthwhile effort.”
Homeowners would agree. During his two terms as Village Trustee, residents realized a Village property tax savings of almost 22%. “We reduced Village spending and the property tax levy for eight years while maintaining healthy cash balances,” said Croll satisfyingly.
He was elected to office in 2015 and appointed by the Board as a Member of the Building & Zoning Trustee Committee, but his biggest role was his appointment as Chairman of the Finance Committee where he rolled up his sleeves and delved into examining Village operations and its finances.
He researched and collected data of which schedules of annual revenues and expenditures were created going back to 2008 to allow for easy historical comparisons and accountability. These schedules have been incorporated into the monthly Board of Trustees meetings.
He further assisted in investigating and reporting on the investment performance of the Police Pension Fund, noting the poor returns and recommending a new manager, a change that was implemented.
Anyone who knows Trustee Croll or has listened to a Board meeting knows he is a numbers guy, instantly converting numbers into percentages no matter the subject, be it about the Village budget, personnel topics, or the Village road program–he will find the numbers! …X miles of road with a cost of X dollars per mile comes to about X percent of road over a period of X equals X. To support an initiative, Trustee Croll took into consideration if it met with the Village’s code and if it was in the best interest of all residents—a telltale of his devotion to our community and integrity as Trustee.
All throughout his tenure of eight years, Trustee Croll continued to be in tune with Village operations. Two years into his term, he was appointed to the Personnel Committee, replacing his role on the Building & Zoning Committee. Once again, after careful analysis, he endorsed cost-saving measures streamlining services and operations for Village staff, including the Treasurer, village engineer, and village attorney.
He supported outsourcing the 911 call center to QuadCom Police Dispatch, saving the Village over $300,000 per year, or in Trustee Croll‘s lingo: $300,000 per year, over seven years, comes to over two million dollars in savings thus far, not including the adjustment for inflation.
He promoted open space and cooperation with conservation groups, supported efforts to maintain Barrington Hills’ residential five-acre zoning, and the efforts to resolve pending legal issues.
Trustee Bryan Croll opted not to run for a third term. His talents lay well within the layers of negotiation and financial prowess. He had the natural ability to delineate the issues at hand and unfold a solution. Like Trustee Colleen Konicek Hannigan, his term as Trustee began when community issues divided residents.
“I wanted to give back to the community I grew up in and build a culture of transparency and responsiveness to community concerns. I believe I contributed to that. I enjoyed working and collaborating with my fellow trustees, Village staff, and other dedicated people who make our Village an outstanding place to live. They are all talented and hard working. I cherish the time I spent as a Trustee and value our accomplishments.”
Thank you, Trustee Bryan Croll, for your ardor for Village finances and mathematical wizardry, copious hours of analysis and preparation, and your unwavering integrity in serving the Village of Barrington Hills!
Monday, April 24, will be Trustee Croll’s last Board Meeting as next month the newly elected Trustees will be sworn in to complete the new Board.
The Village Roads & Bridges Committee meets this morning at 11 AM to review bids received for the 2023 Roads Program. A copy of the agenda can be viewed here.
Those planning to attend today should know the last three R&BC meetings have needlessly lasted an average of over an hour and a half due primarily to the lack of preparation and constant interruptions by the current Committee Chair.
What follows was recently posted to the Village website:
“Chances are you’ve seen the lime green Jeep zipping around town….the American Flag proudly displayed on the wheel cover. This would come as no surprise to learn that Trustee Colleen Konicek Hannigan is behind the wheel. The vibrancy of her vehicle matches her get-up-and-go drive. Yes, pun intended!
Trustee Konicek, as she is notably known, has always had, undoubtedly, a sense of duty to her village and to society. “I think that everyone should be willing to do something to serve their community,” said Konicek Hannigan, a visible lesson she learned from her father, Dr. Frank Konicek, who has been a volunteer member of the Village’s Board of Health since its inception in 1992 and is currently its chairman.
Trustee Konicek Hannigan has been a Village Trustee since 2013, deciding to get involved in local government at a time when a bit of strife existed between neighbors all throughout our community. Controversy surrounding bikes, horses or lighting dominated headlines–and friendships. “This community was so divided ten years ago, visibly divided, that I decided to run…to tone down the rhetoric and bring back the Barrington Hills of my childhood,” said Konicek Hannigan.
She recounted neighbors on horseback stopping by for a cup of coffee and a friendly chat; neighbors getting together to create a makeshift baseball diamond to play a neighborly game; and hot air balloons landing in backyards of nearby residents.
No doubt residents’ lives have been touched in one way or another by the actions and accomplishments of Trustee Colleen Konicek Hannigan. Perhaps it was while attending the annual Hills Are Alive Fall Festivals that she co-founded in 2013 with the goal of bringing the community together. Or perhaps while running alongside her when participating in the Police Torch Run or during the Independence Day 5K/10K that she not only participated in but organized and brought to Barrington Hills. Or maybe it was while supporting the Barrington Honor Ride and Run benefitting America’s Veterans which she arranged to have routed through our scenic Village. If not by one of these events, it has been most definitely by her conviction in protecting the Village’s open spaces, zoning laws, and the characteristics that make living in Barrington Hills truly unique.
Trustee Colleen Konicek Hannigan chose not to seek reelection this year, ending her tenure of ten years. She was elected to two four-year terms and appointed to fill the remaining two-year term of the Trustee vacancy that was created when then, Trustee Brian Cecola was elected as President.
“I feel that we are back to a friendly, courteous neighborhood since we don’t have to rent out Countryside School to have Board meetings anymore…I wanted to live in the neighborhood that I grew up in again, and I feel like that has mostly happened,” said Konicek Hannigan in a reflective manner when asked about her accomplishments. “I would count that as my greatest achievement.”
While Trustee Colleen Konicek Hannigan may no longer be sitting on the Board, bets are her sights are set on new endeavors within our community. What those entail remains to be seen.
Thank you, Trustee Colleen Konicek Hannigan, for your dedication to all things Village related, your behind-the-scenes hours and selfless service!
Monday, April 24, will be “Trustee Konicek’s” last Board Meeting as next month the newly elected Trustees will be sworn in to completethe new Board.
The Northern Illinois Lego Train Club will descend on the Dundee Library in East Dundee to show off their massive Lego Train Expo. The event will run Saturday, April 1, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday, April 2 from 1 to 4 p.m. The Dundee Library is located at 555 Barrington Ave. (Rt. 68) in East Dundee. Admission is free, and there is no registration required.
The Northern Illinois Lego Train Club has created a whimsical world built out of LEGO for all to enjoy and will share it at this special expo at the Dundee Library. Experience buildings, castles, spaceships, farms, famous cartoon characters, and LEGO Minifigures getting into all sorts of mischief. Custom-running LEGO trains connect all the different areas into a cohesive train display with characters from one often bleeding into other areas in a humorous manner. NILTC also excels at little vignettes throughout the layout that often get lots of attention and big laughs from the adoring crowd. Whether you’re young, old, or somewhere in between, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
From March 12 through April 8, the Dundee Library will also be accepting LEGO donations. For more information about the library, visit www.frvpld.info or call (847) 428-3661.
“INVITATION TO BID NOTICE is hereby given that the Village of Barrington Hills will receive sealed Bids until the 11th day of April 2023 at 3:00 p.m. local time at the Village of Barrington Hills, 112 Algonquin Road, Barrington Hills, IL 60010 at which time the Bids will be publicly opened and read aloud for the following project: VILLAGE OF BARRINGTON HILLS 2023 ROAD PROGRAM Work description: Provide all labor, services and materials necessary for the resurfacing of various roads throughout the Village of Barrington Hills.
This work consists of: hot-mix asphalt removal; placement of hot-mix asphalt binder and surface course; replacement of drainage structures and sewers; restoration and other associated improvement required to complete the project in accordance with the plans, specifications and all other applicable standards. The Contract Documents may be inspected and purchased at Trotter and Associates, Inc., 38 W Grand Ave, Fox Lake, IL 60020, beginning March 29, 2023. Contact Heidi Patla at h.patla@trotter-inc.com to purchase the contract docs. Hard and/or electronic copies are available. Payment for Contract Documents is non-refundable and shall be payable to Trotter and Associates, Inc. in the form of cash, certified check or money order. No partial sets of specifications or drawings will be issued. The non- refundable cost for plans and specifications is $50.00. Addenda will be issued only to plan holders.
Bidders will be required to provide Bid security equal to five (5) percent of the Bid in the form of a Bid Bond written by a company properly licensed in Illinois, a certified check or a cashier’s check. The successful Bidder must also comply with all the provisions of the Davis-Bacon Act and all wages must comply with the Illinois Department of Labor Prevailing Wages for McHenry, Lake, Cook, and Kane Counties.
The Village of Barrington Hills, in accordance with the Laws of the State of Illinois, hereby notifies all Bidders that the Village reserves the right to reject any and all Bids, to waive minor informalities or technicalities, to advertise for new bids, or to request confirmation or clarification from any bidder regarding information contained in a bid. The Village will affirmatively ensure that the contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement will be awarded to a responsible and responsive Bidder without discrimination on the grounds of race, color or national origin, but the Owner reserves the right to reject any or all Bids received and to waive formalities.
Your Bid will be required to be submitted under a condition of irrevocability for a period of sixty (60) days after submission. Bids shall be received in a sealed envelope addressed to Village of Barrington Hills, 112 Algonquin Road, Barrington Hills, IL 60010 which is marked in the lower left-hand corner EXACTLY as follows: BID: Village of Barrington Hills 2023 Road Resurfacing Program Published in Daily Herald March 30, 2023 (4597651), posted 03/30/2023”
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.
