Wednesday night, our Village Hall accommodated a large audience interested in the Plan Commission meeting agenda. AC Power gave a presentation on their proposed solar field on the closed landfill property on Mundhank Road east of Willow Creek Church.  The field would be built for a Community solar program, which they anticipate would reduce electric energy costs by up to 20%.  AC Power builds solar fields on Brownfield sites rather than farmland or other easily usable land.  Not all details were available. I invite you to attend the Public Hearing scheduled for 7:00 pm on May 23 to hear more about the proposal and share your thoughts.

Thursday, I attended two meetings for the O’Hare Noise Compatibility Commission (ONCC) of which I am a board member representing South Barrington. The Commission meets regularly and works with the city of Chicago’s Department of Aviation and the FAA to recommend noise abatement solutions.  There were three airlines honored for their noise reduction efforts with our Fly Quiet Recognition awards.  The awards presented were based on preferential flight path, scheduling, fleet quality, and ground run-up. The winners were Delta Airlines for the Air Carrier category, Air Wisconsin for the Regional Carrier category, and Turkish Cargo for the Cargo Carrier category.  If you would like to know more about the airport construction taking place, please click here.

Many of our residents who have individual private wells took advantage of the low-cost water testing event through the Barrington Area Council of Governments. The results of the 2023 BACOG water testing are below, please read this important information.  Our public water supply is tested on a regular basis and is not part of this testing program. Overall, 211 samples were turned in from South Barrington.

• 25 tested Total Coliform positive E. Coli:  12%
• 2 samples tested positive for both Total Coliform and E.coli:  0.31%
• 5 samples were invalidated due to Residual Chlorine
• 3 samples were invalid due to hold time validation

The Lake County Environmental Lab shared that eight of the participating South Barrington residents received unsatisfactory results due to the presence of Total Coliform bacteria.  There was one participating South Barrington resident who received unsatisfactory results due to the presence of both Total Coliform and E.coli.  These residents were contacted and given their results, and instructions on how to fix the issue and retest their water.

It is important to test your private well water annually. Please mark your calendars for the 2024 BACOG Private Well Water Testing Event to be held on Tuesday, October 1, 2024, 11:00 am – 6:30 pm at the Barrington Area Library.  You will be able to purchase kits at the Village Hall before this event.

Martin McLaughlin, State Representative of the 52^nd District, and Legislative Director Pamela Cools, have sent an update to the Barrington Road project:

“The Barrington Road project, from Central Road to IL 62 (Algonquin Road), Contract 62K33 is currently in Phase II (Design and Plan Preparation Phase). The project scope of work consists of roadway reconstruction and widening, areas of resurfacing, retaining wall construction, culvert replacement, ground stabilization, drainage work, traffic signal modernization, and shared-use path construction. The reconstruction and widening portion of the project from Mundhank Road to IL 62 will consist of providing two lanes in each direction, separated by a median.

The Department is targeting a letting in the early years of the 2024-2029 Multi-year Program, pending plan readiness, land acquisition, and funding availability. Construction may begin as early as fall 2025 or spring 2026 and is expected to last approximately two construction seasons for substantial completion.”

The office of Congressman Krishnamoorthi is excited to announce their upcoming Passport Fair. This event promises a wonderful opportunity for community members to acquire essential travel documentation. Experts will be on hand to address common challenges and guide participants through the necessary steps, ensuring a seamless process. The event will be held on Saturday, May 18^th and will take place at Gail Borden Library located at 270 N Grove Ave, Elgin, IL 60120.  Please reserve your spot by clicking RSVP.

There are countless ways to celebrate Mom this Mother’s Day weekend. The Arboretum has many options for entertainment, retail and dining.  See below in my message for options or visit The Arb website to see all the Village has to offer.