Mayor’s Message March 14, 2025

Dear Residents,

Last night at our monthly board meeting, we had a presentation of a possible cricket stadium complex in South Barrington near AMC.  

Cricket has been said to be the second fastest growing sport in the United States, and that certainly seems to be true here locally. As you may know, we have many league cricket games occurring in South Barrington during the spring and summer season. We hope to have future conversations on this proposal and learn more about it. 

Happy Holidays!

We have many celebrations going on at this time of year.  

Holi which I wrote about last week is ending today. Ramadan which is mentioned below is underway and St Patrick’s day is just around the corner. One of the things I love about our community is the diversity of our population and the opportunities we have to celebrate these unique holidays together. So, Happy Holidays to all.  

Iftar Dinner 

This week, I had the pleasure of attending the 2^nd Annual Community Iftar Dinner hosted by Barrington Area Muslims and Al-Azhar Islamic Foundation, which was held at the South Barrington Park District Banquet Hall. The event brings community leaders, neighbors, and friends from across the Barrington community to celebrate a meal and learn about Middle East culture.

Ramadan holds great significance in the Muslim community and is observed by millions of Muslims worldwide, as well as in the United States. It is a time of fasting, prayer, reflection, and acts of charity. During this month, Muslims abstain from food and drink from dawn until sunset, focusing on spiritual growth, self-discipline, and strengthening their relationship with God and humanity. Ramadan Iftar is a traditional evening meal that all Muslims partake in when breaking the fast at sunset.

Metropolitan Asian Family Services (MAFS)

I had the pleasure of attending Dr. Kumar’s surprise birthday party.   Dr. Kumar is one of our most engaged and caring residents.   She is responsible for beginning and growing MAFS.   As a tremendous local resource, the Metropolitan Asian Family Services (MAFS), offers comprehensive and integrated social services to the immigrant populations of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Middle Eastern and European countries. The organization strives to educate, counsel, assist and empower individuals and families to become productive members of the community. I am very impressed by their mission. For more information on MAFS visit their website or view their  February 2025 Newsletter.

Greggory grand opening

One of the things I enjoy about putting this email newsletter together is having the chance to write about the newest restaurants to open in our community.

In that vein, I have the privilege this week of announcing another new restaurant opening as last Friday, I attended the ribbon cutting ceremony at The Greggory, now open, in The Arboretum. On behalf of the Village of South Barrington, congratulations and welcome to our community! 

Pictured above (L-R) attendee, Mayor McCombie, The Arboretum owner Rick Heidner, Jimmy Mandas, Bill Veremis, Gregg Horan, and Chef Jose Sosa along with The Greggory staff. 

Tax Exemption Application

Cook County has a program in place to potentially lower your property tax bill. 

The Property Tax Savings program through the Cook County Assessors website offers exemptions to help homeowners lower their property tax bills. To find out more about this program click the link below or see below, in my message for more information. https://www.cookcountyassessor.com/exemptions

Job Fair

Cook County Commissioner, Kevin Morrison, likes to keep us informed of events happening in the 15^th District. In his previous newsletter he highlighted a Job Fair event in Bartlett he is co-sponsoring. This is the 14^th Annual Job Fair event, and it is sponsored by, in addition to Commissioner Kevin Morrison, the State of Illinois, Cook County, Hanover Township and State Representative Fred Crespo. The Job Fair will be held on Wednesday, March 29 from 11:00 am to 2 pm at the Hanover Township Senior Center, 240 S. IL Rt. 59 in Bartlett. Please see the flyer below for details.

Housewatch Form

We are entering vacation season and as a reminder, if you are leaving town for any length of time, I encourage you to utilize your alarm system and fill out a Housewatch Request Form. 

The Housewatch service is provided by our Police Department, available at no cost to all our residents. Patrol officers will conduct periodic checks of your home’s perimeter while you are away to verify nothing unusual is occurring on or about your premises. Help us keep your family and property safe!

Yard Waste Collection 

Spring officially begins next week and as you begin your spring yard care, remember the Village Yard waste collection begins on Monday, April 7. 

You can buy your yard waste stickers at Village Hall or at Jewel (1485 Palatine Road, Hoffman Estates, or 150 Main Street), Barrington. The cost for the sticker remains at $3.25 each. The stickers must be affixed to each 30-gallon biodegradable landscape bag left out at the curb for collection on garbage days. 

Easter at the Arboretum

The Arboretum will be providing FREE Easter photo opportunities starting Saturday, April 5. The location for the event is the heated holiday tent near Star Cinema Grill. The event is from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. and remember to bring your own camera, as there is not a professional photographer onsite.

As always, I am here to listen to your thoughts and concerns. Feel free to email me at pmccombie@southbarrington.org or use the anonymous comment boxes located in the lobbies of Village Hall and the Police Department. I review these messages privately and value your input.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day,

Paula McCombie

Mayor