Barrington expects CN fight to cost less in 2011

Barrington's ongoing legal fight against Canadian National Railway may or may not be more successful next year than it has been in 2010, but village officials are at least confident it will be cheaper.

After spending a projected $750,500 on the dispute this year, the village included just $240,000 for related legal fees in its 2011 budget.

Of course, the village budgeted just $250,900 for the court fight in its 2010, an estimate they expect to nearly triple while appealing the federal Surface Transportation Board's approval of CN's purchase of the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern railroad.

The village is expecting the U.S. Court of Appeals to rule early next year on the sale, which Barrington and several other suburban communities say is leading to long traffic delays at crossings and other negative impacts.

The appeal undoubtedly had a big effect on the cost of legal services this year, Village President Karen Darch said.

But despite the legal costs, the total amount of spending in the village's general fund this year is expected to be less than budgeted. The 2010 budget estimated general fund expenditures at $15.47 million, while the current projection for actual spending is $15.07 million.

Next year's budget calls for $15.17 million in spending.

The unanticipated savings came from cost-cutting in a number of areas, as opposed to one or two major reductions, officials said.

“Every department has stepped up to find efficiencies and to find ways not to spend all the dollars that were budgeted,” Village Manager Jeff Lawler said.

Since the layoffs of 13 employees two years ago, Barrington appears to have reached a sustainable staff level and anticipates dropping the equivalent of only three quarters of a full-time employee in the new budget. That worker is a public service officer in the police department who left this year and whose responsibilities will be taken on by existing employees, Lawler said.

“Quite frankly, with the environment we're in, we're willing to take a risk to not replace a position,” he added.

Revenues in 2010 are projected to be $15.46 million a bit below the budgeted $15.53 million and are anticipated to be $15.57 million in 2011.

“We think there will be some modest growth in revenues, from sales tax and the like, but we're still staying conservative,” Lawler said.