Hearing Tuesday on Barrington Hills election complaint

The Illinois State Board of Elections will hold a public hearing Tuesday to consider claims that a slate of Barrington Hills village board candidates violated a new campaign disclosure law.

The complaint against “Save 5 Acres” candidates Patty Meroni, incumbent trustee Joe Messer and Karen Selman will be heard at 11 a.m. March 29 at the Thompson Center, 100 W. Randolph in Chicago.

The accusation, filed by former Barrington Hills trustee George Schueppert, alleges the three candidates deposited $5,000 donations in their campaign fund without identifying resident Benjamin LeCompte III as the contributor. The candidates have since created individual campaign funds to address what they characterized as an oversight.

Schueppert’s attorney, Richard Means, said the candidates also have returned LeCompte’s donations.