Monday, April 22, 2013
BCFD to interview candidates for administrator to oversee details of creating separate fire department.
Negotiations continue to be stalled between the village of Barrington and the Barrington Countryside Fire District, whose current intergovernmental agreement expires at the end of the year. Meanwhile, the BCFD is preparing to separate from the village. “It looks like there is going to be a separation by the end of the year,” said Ryan McKeon, spokesperson for the BCFPD. The ongoing dispute centers on the BCFD’s desire to add a water tender and personnel, which the village is against. McKeon said, at a meeting of the BCFD last week, trustees reviewed proposals for purchase of a new tender, a 3,000-gallon water tanker. In order to prepare for a possible split, the BCFD needs to obtain appraisals for the equipment the parties own …
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Village of Barrington still working with Countryside Fire District to determine future of intergovernmental agreement.
Barrington Village President Karen Darch provided an update on the status of an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) with the Countryside Fire Protection District, at Monday’s village board meeting. The Countryside Fire Protection District gave notice of termination of its contract with the village on Sept. 10, 2012, due to a dispute over the hiring of additional personnel and adding firefighting equipment. Darch said the village and fire district have been in a meet and confer period for the past few months. She said the fire district voted to terminate the meet and confer period. However, the district is still interested in continuing dialogue with the village, Darch said. During citizen comments, longtime Barrington resident Larry …
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Illinois House Rep. Peter Roskam will open a satellite office inside Barrington Villlage Hall.
The Barrington Village Board approved a lease agreement with U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam for office space in village hall, at the Feb. 11 meeting. Roskam’s district is spread out and ranges from south of Wheaton to Crystal Lake. Barrington Village President Karen Darch said Roskam was looking to locate a satellite office in the northern part of his district. His other area office is in West Chicago. “This is good news for us,” Darch said. “This is nice for us to have first hand contact with federal officials here.”
Saturday, December 29, 2012
Miller has given a thought for the week after every Board of Trustees meeting.
If you regularly attend or watch the Barrington Board of Trustees meetings on Channel 4, there’s one part that’s guaranteed to make you smile. Village Trustee Steve Miller has become well-known among board meeting attendees for his bi-weekly thought of the week, delivered at the end of each board meeting. Miller, a golf equipment salesman by day, was elected to the board in 2005. Before becoming a part of the Board of Trustees, he had a "thought" he left on his voicemail message. "I used to send out things like this when I was in management. [Trustee] Beth Raseman gave me the idea to do it at comments so I've tried to make them relevant to the season or holiday or challenges we are facing," Miller said. Miller’s outgoing and positive …
Thursday, December 27, 2012
Several trustee candidates filed their nomination papers simultaneously this month.
Candidate filing is complete for the April 2013 election. Barrington's Village President Karen Darch will run unopposed next year, as will Village Clerk Adam Frazier. Darch's slate includes current Trustee Tim Roberts and residents Pete Douglas and Sue Padula, both running for Village Trustee. The opposing slate includes JoAnn Fletcher, Michael Kozel and James Magnanenzi, who are all running for Trustee positions. Douglas, Padula, Fletcher, Kozel and Magnanenzi filed petitions simultaneously earlier this month. A lottery will now be held to determine what order their names will appear on the ballot. Tim Roberts' name will appear 6th, as he filed last. Residents will elect three of the six candidates to the Board of Trustees.
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Two buildings consisting of office and retail space will be built on the corner by Evanston-based developer Arthur Hill & Co.
The Barrington Village Board approved a recommendation from the Plan Commission for a mixed-used retail and office development to be built at Hough and Main Streets. The vote didn’t come without several controversial opinions from the public. Many addressed the board to say Barrington is oversaturated with vacant office space, and the project would do better with residential units instead. The board heard from many existing building owners who expressed their fears that the Evanston based Arthur Hill & Co. developer will poach tenants away from them. Some say since the developer didn’t have to pay for his land, only the buildings, he will be able to slash rent costs for tenants, offering a more desirable space. Village President Karen …
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Opponents of the Hough/Main project say they would rather see residential space instead of office in the new development.
Village of Barrington officials presented its 2013 budget before the Board of Trustees and members of the public during a public hearing Monday. As in years past, the budget presented was balanced and conservative, given the current economic times. Jason Hayden, Barrington’s director of community and financial services, took the podium to present the budget. In similar fashion to the Nov. 19 Town Hall Meeting, some controversy erupted over the tax increment financing (TIF) District, specifically the new Hough/Main development project. Mike Kozel, Barrington resident and Board of Trustees candidate in the 2013 election, said the plan, which calls for retail and office space, doesn’t meet the needs of today’s market. Running-mate Jim …
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Residents and business owners expressed concerns about the $22 million development which is partially funded by the village's TIF district.
Tension was high last night at the village of Barrington’s Town Hall Meeting. Community members and business owners gathered at the meeting to hear from village officials about the current state of Barrington. Main topics included the redevelopment project at Hough and Main Streets and how the village is handling finances regarding the project. The estimated $22 million dollar project partially funded by the tax increment financing district (TIF) is not welcomed by all. The village says an Evanston-based developer has plans to build retail and office space on the village-owned property. Mike Kozel and Jim Magnanenzi were first to express concerns about the project during the meeting. The two, who are running for village Trustee …
Saturday, November 10, 2012
Two crosswalks will receive flashing signs to notify drivers a pedestrian is entering the crosswalk.
- GOVERNMENT
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Saturday, November 10, 2012
The village of Barrington has secured a grant from the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) to improve the safety at four pedestrian crosswalks in the Village. The crosswalks at Main Street and Hager Avenue as well as at Main Street and Coldspring Road will receive solar powered rapid flashing beacon signs. The rapid flashing beacons are push-button activated and have been demonstrated to help alert passing motorists of a pedestrian entering the crosswalk. In addition, these two crosswalks, plus two additional school crossings, will receive “Stop for Pedestrian in Crosswalk” signs. The village of Barrington is excited to offer this improvement to the safety at these crosswalks in order to help protect school children and other …
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Barrington Village Manager Jeff Lawler calls statements made at a recent Barrington Countryside Fire Protection District Board of Trustees meeting "untrue."
The dispute between the village of Barrington and the Barrington Countryside Fire Protection District (BCFPD) continues to flare this week. Village Manager Jeff Lawler said many statements made by the BCFPD Trustees at Monday’s board meeting were simply untrue. “We can’t have a reasonable discussion if the facts aren’t straight,” Lawler said. Tension between the village and the BCFPD is high due to a dispute that led to the end of their intergovernmental agreement. The BCFPD wants to add an additional water tender to the fleet and hire more staff at the district’s expense. The village says these additional costs are unnecessary. Lawler said although the district is willing to pay staff and equipment fees, the Barrington taxpayers will …
William Lee
8:48 am on Tuesday, April 23, 2013
This displays the utter stupidity of the situation and the foolish intransigence of Countryside. It sounds like a change in the Board is needed to involve those who actually care about the countryside and can get past egos. more ›