Incumbents, Windon win in Barrington

Barrington voters showed support for their town’s current leadership Tuesday by choosing a pair of incumbents and the newcomer they endorsed for four-year terms on the village board.

The slate of Trustee Jim Daluga, Trustee Paul Hunt and Robert Windon were elected by a clear margin over independent candidate Michael Kozel, according to unofficial results.

Daluga had 863 votes, Hunt 778, Windon 662 and Kozel 494, with all precincts reporting.

“I wasn’t sure what to expect, but based on the results, it validates the hard work of the past eight years,” said Daluga, who was elected to his third term on the board.

Windon said the race for the third seat came down to him and Kozel. In choosing him, he believes voters expressed satisfaction with Barrington’s current direction.

“I think what the three of us shared was the feeling that we’re moving in the right direction,” he said.

Kozel said he found the campaign an enjoyable experience and wished the winners the best.

Hunt and Daluga adopted Windon, an assistant state’s attorney in McHenry County, as the third member of their slate, seeking to fill the vacancy left by outgoing Trustee Jeff Anderson.

Kozel ran as an independent candidate on the strength of his 30 years as a resident and businessman in Barrington.

While not overly critical of the current board, Kozel believed a different perspective on some issues was needed — particularly the long, expensive legal fight against Canadian National, as well as downtown redevelopment.

He argued that the village should have applied its financial resources to preparing for the impact of CN’s use of the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railroad from the beginning, rather than spending it on litigation to prevent it. He also felt the village should invest more in bike paths and bike lanes to reduce traffic downtown.

Windon joined the incumbents in defending the village’s decision to exhaust its legal options to try to make CN share more of the financial burden of the impact it’s creating.

Hunt, Daluga and Windon also spoke of the necessity of Barrington’s leadership role in the campaign to reform public pensions. Kozel argued the fight is best left to communities with fewer issues on their own doorsteps.