Same people, same old attitudes, too
The residents of the Village of Campton Hills voted, by a narrower margin than in the incorporation vote, to elect a pro-village slate of candidates to the village board with the exception of the new clerk.
The newly elected village president has stated the board can now get to the business of running the village and bringing the residents back together in a common purpose, the success of the village of Campton Hills. This is a noble goal for the board and residents.
In a March 4 meeting, the board voted to pay the current legal bill of $124,000 for services rendered from July to November 2007. Village Attorney William Braithwaite stated litigation costs are higher than normal and are mainly for litigation involving the disconnection petitions filed after incorporation.
I attended several legal proceedings involving disconnection and dissolution. The village was represented by three lawyers at each proceeding. The petitioners were represented by one lawyer. This seems like overkill on the part of the village, not a cost-conscious effort.
Residents within their legal rights in pursuing disconnection were blamed for the high litigation costs. Braithwaite said the village was being "attacked" and had the right to defend itself.
The disconnection petitions were filed by residents who had voted against incorporation and had the legal right to file for disconnection, which they have done. This is not an "attack" on the village but is group of residents following the procedures available to them under the law.
Two petitions have been honored and allowed to disconnect to date and 12 are still pending. The reasons for granting the two disconnections have yet to be disclosed.
The village board seems to ignore the fact it works for residents and is accountable to them for all actions. We are once again treated to negativity and selective dissemination of information.
It appears the election on Feb. 5 not only brought back the same people but the same attitudes.
Rich Seehafer
St. Charles