Hartstein Showered with Praise at Final Meeting

Buffalo Grove welcomed its newest elected officials Monday night, but most of the Village Board’s 90-minute meeting was spent delivering accolades to outgoing public servants.

State representatives Sidney Mathias (R-53) and Carol Sente (D-59), Lake County Board Chairman David Stolman and trustees showered praise on Elliott Hartstein, who after 12 years as village president turned the reins over to Jeff Braiman, and on DeAnn Glover, who is retiring after 16 years as a trustee.

Mathias and Sente read resolutions acknowledging both officials’ leadership, while trustees approved their own resolutions honoring Hartstein and Glover.

Meanwhile, Stolman declared May 2 as “Elliott Hartstein Day” in Lake County.

Hartstein and Glover received buffalo pins, crystal buffalos and custom shirts from the village in recognition of their service. In continuation of the village’s tradition of naming a local landmark after outgoing mayors, Braiman also announced that White Pine Trail, which connects Chatham Park to the Alcott Center, will be renamed “Elliott Hartstein Trail.”

Hartstein dished out some praise of his own, thanking the community for the opportunity to serve; acknowledging former village managers Bill Balling and Bill Brimm, who were among those in the jam-packed village chamber; and noting that other local entities, such as schools, parks and libraries, contribute to the village’s success.

“Thank you all. Thank you all very much for making Buffalo Grove what it is today and what it will be for years to come,” he said.

He also thanked his family, including his father, Ray, a founding Oakton Community College board member who Hartstein said was his inspiration.

Hartstein said he was humbled by all the praise and pledged to remain involved in matters of importance to him. “There are a lot of things that I care about” on local, regional and state levels, he said.

In other leadership transitions, Braiman and three new trustees took the oath of office. Mike Terson was elected to a four-year term last month, while Andrew Stein was elected to fill a two-year term that stemmed from last fall’s . to fill the remaining two years of Braiman’s trustee term.

The board also formalized a slew of committee appointments, including Eric Smith as chairman of the plan commission. Smith, a long-time plan commissioner, temporarily left the group last fall to until a new official was elected in April. Other commission appointees Monday included Joanne Johnson as plan commissioner and Frank Cesario to the zoning board of appeals, which will be chaired by Bruce Entman.