Barrington Hills mayor, challenger spar over EJ&E, communication

Robert Abboud doesn't know why George L. Schueppert thinks Barrington Hills government doesn't communicate well enough with residents.

Voters first elected Abboud village president in 2005, and the incumbent in the April 7 election said he touts a "perfect record" when it comes to communication.

He points to 2007 when he oversaw a number of public meetings on a proposed cell phone tower. He sat through 18 public meetings over what to do with the Duda property, he added, all which prove that he listens to the public.

"I don't know where it's coming from, it's just public theater for him," Abboud said.

Schueppert's first term as a village trustee draws to a close this year. He's disgruntled with Abboud's leadership style, saying how the village handled Canadian National's purchase of the Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railroad Co. is an example of poor management. He's angry the village didn't take the opportunity to meet with EJ&E officials in 2007.

Schueppert would have preferred Barrington Hills to have worked together with CN officials early on, and perhaps broker a mitigation deal similar to other villages like Hoffman Estates.

He also didn't like Abboud bringing in the Wisconsin and Southern Railroad Co. as an alternate bidder for the EJ&E, which Schueppert said that was done without his knowledge.

"There are matters that are dealt behind the scene," he said.

Abboud, while not satisfied with the approval of the EJ&E purchase, said he was happy with the way Barrington Hills protested it.

"When was the last time 30 municipalities worked together in a coordinated fashion and came together on the scale that we did?" he said.

The candidates also disagree over the financial health of the village. Schueppert claims the village's cash reserves are in their worst shape in 15 years. While Abboud acknowledged the impact of the economy on the village, he said Schueppert is twisting the facts. He said the reserves regularly fluctuate because the village lies in four counties which report figures at different times of the year.

Schueppert, president of the Great Books Foundation in Chicago, said his work on the finance committee has saved the village $100,000 per year in insurance costs with the police department.

Schueppert added he wished Abboud won his failed bid for 16th District U.S. Congressional seat, and said other village board members also hoped Abboud would have won, vacated his seat and left Barrington Hills. He said Abboud hasn't done enough working with surrounding communities.

"Listening to comments in and out of meetings, it seems quite clear to me our relationships with neighboring villages have suffered the last number of years," Schueppert said.

Abboud said Schueppert is not paying attention to the work he does on various committees.

Schueppert is running on a slate with trustee hopefuls Kenneth Bosworth, Pamela Cools and William Hannay. Abboud is supporting incumbents Fritz Gohl and Elaine Ramesh, as well as challenger Peter Wessel.

Whether or not Abboud will serve another full term or be lured out of town by a job has been brought up. Abboud, who voters elected as a trustee in 2000, said he plans to be in the village president's office for all four years, but he wouldn't promise.

A nuclear engineer, Abboud said if the Department of Energy presented a job offer, he would have to think about taking it.

"President Obama has asked to us to serve and to do what we can to serve our country," he said.