Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Buffalo Grove High School's state championship winning cheerleading team was honored this week by the Buffalo Grove Village Board.
The accolades continued this week for Buffalo Grove High School's varsity cheerleading team. The team, which earned the state cheerleading title in February, was honored by the Buffalo Grove Village Board. The cheerleaders, who arrived in uniform and wearing their state medals, received a certificate and a golden buffalo pin from village officials. "You should be very, very proud of what you've accomplished in the championship," Village President Jeff Braiman told the team. The cheerleaders are coached by Jeff Siegal, Matt Meyer, Steve Nolt, Erin O'Donnell, Stephanie Pehr and Becky Serra. The team includes:
Monday, March 25, 2013
Buffalo Grove officials say $50.
The next time a Buffalo Grove snowplow runs into your mailbox, you could receive a larger reimbursement from the village. Residents whose mailboxes need replacement following a plow collision are now eligible for a $30 reimbursement from the village. Buffalo Grove officials decided last week to boost that amount to $50. Under the policy, reimbursements will be provided to residents whose mailboxes and posts are damaged beyond repair. The village will either replace the mailbox and post with standard ones (purchased by the village for $31.45), or provide up to $50 toward the replacement of a decorator mailbox and post. Those residents will have to install their own mailboxes, and reimbursement will be provided after residents provide …
Sunday, March 24, 2013
Darren Monico will assume the position April 1.
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Sunday, March 24
Buffalo Grove will welcome a new village engineer next week, when Darren Monico begins work on April 1. “The Village of Buffalo Grove seeks top-notch candidates. Mr. Monico stood out as an experienced professional with good follow through, a strong work ethic and high integrity,” Village Manager Dane Bragg said. The interview process included written exercises and assessment center activities. Monico will replace Village Engineer Dick Kuenkler, who retired in 2012. Monico is a graduate from University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Illinois. He has worked for the Village of Barrington since 2007 as the Assistant Director of Engineering and Building. His experience includes capital improvement programming and managing engineering …
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Buffalo Grove Police Chief Steve Balinski expressed gratitude to the community this week for its support during his 36 years of service. He will retire April 2.
Buffalo Grove officials intended to put the spotlight on Police Chief Steve Balinski Monday night, honoring him in the final days of his service. But Balinski turned the tables when he took the podium and spent about six minutes praising Buffalo Grove staff, trustees, community members and others who have touched his life since he joined the Buffalo Grove Police Department in 1976. “I think that we’ve accomplished everything we’ve had in 36 years, especially being one of the safest communities in the country, because of the people that are here … and I can’t thank you enough,” he told village staff, elected officials, residents and police officers and relatives who attended the Village Board meeting. “I feel blessed,” he said. “All of you…
Saturday, March 16, 2013
Mike Skibbe will temporarily replace Greg Boysen, who is leaving the village in early April.
When Buffalo Grove's public works director steps down next month, another experienced employee will be ready to step in. Civil Engineer Mike Skibbe has been appointed interim public works director by Village Manager Dane Bragg, the village announced Friday. “Mike has championed technological innovation and leading edge work processes within Public Works,” Bragg said. The village has started a national search for a permanent public works director, who will replace Greg Boysen. Boysen, who has been employed by the village for 35 years, announced this month that he has accepted a position in Wisconsin. His last day is April 2. Skibbe has worked for the village since he was hired in 1998 as a part-time engineering aide while he was still a …
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Raupp Boulevard Bridge is slated for replacement in 2014.
Raupp Boulevard Bridge came a step closer to being replaced last week, when Buffalo Grove officials entered an engineering agreement. The bridge, which goes over Buffalo Creek, is on Raupp Boulevard, 600 feet south of Lake-Cook Road. Its superstructure was determined in 2010 to be in a state of “advanced deterioration” by the Illinois Department of Transportation. Village officials gave their consent last week for engineering firm Baxter & Woodman to design a new bridge. Eighty percent of the cost of the design work will be covered by a federal grant, leaving $23,971 as the village’s cost. The grant is provided through the Federal Highway Bridge Program, which provides funds based on bridges’ efficiency ratings. The actual construction …
Buffalo Grove marked its 55th year with a reception and a proclamation.
As 1950s music played in the background, Buffalo Grove residents and leaders gathered last week to celebrate the village's 55th year. Displays with old photos from Alcott School — now known as the Buffalo Grove Park District's Alcott Center — and the village showcased Buffalo Grove's past, while handouts touting the village's present sat nearby. Of course, no party would be complete without treats. Sweets were served at the March 4 gathering, which was immediately followed by a Village Board meeting. During the meeting, Village President Jeff Braiman read a proclamation recognizing the village's milestone. "I guess this is sort of like sending yourself a birthday card," he noted. How long have you lived in Buffalo Grove? What are the …
Monday, March 11, 2013
Greg Boysen, who has served as Buffalo Grove's public works director for 35 years, is stepping down to take a new position.
Buffalo Grove will lose its longtime public works director next month, when Greg Boysen will step down to pursue a new position. Boysen, who has served Buffalo Grove for 35 years, has accepted a position as the director of public works in Beloit, Wis., village officials announced last week. April 2 will be his last day in Buffalo Grove. “It has been a great honor and privilege to serve this great community,” Boysen said in a press release from the village. Boysen began his career in municipal service while in college working for the City of Urbana Public Works Department as a part-time/summer seasonal Engineering Technician, and later bcame a full-time engineer. Boysen served a civil engineer in Champaign before he was hired as Buffalo …
Sunday, March 10, 2013
Buffalo Grove Sgt. Scott Eisenmenger was named the department's Employee of the Year.
Buffalo Grove Sgt. Scott Eisenmenger was honored last week as the police department's 2012 Employee of the Year. Eisenmenger, who has served Buffalo Grove for 18 years, excels as the department's training coordinator, explained Bill Balling, who presented the award on behalf of the Buffalo Grove Rotary Club. The award includes a plaque, a $250 donation to the charity of Eisenmenger's choice and a $250 donation in his name to the Rotary International Foundation. Buffalo Grove Police Chief Steve Balinski also gave special commendations to Patrol Division Cmdr. Tom Reed and staff member Effie Harris, who also received a commendation in 2011.
Monday, March 4, 2013
Citing concerns about the Open Meetings Act, three of the four Buffalo Grove candidates have backed out of this week's forum. But opinions vary as to whether the law would allow them to participate.
Update: March 6: All Four Buffalo Grove Trustee Candidates to Participate in Forum Update: Noon Tuesday: Trustee Andy Stein said this morning that due to what officials have learned this week, he doesn't expect there to be a candidates forum for this race. "I was prepared to participate in it," he said of the Save Buffalo Grove group's event. "At this point, the likelihood of having one - I don't think it's likely," he said. Update: 11 p.m. Monday: As of Monday night, this week's candidates forum appears to have been called off. Trustees said they will follow the advice of the village attorney, who believes the gathering has not been properly noticed for a public gathering of elected officials. Trustee Beverly Sussman said she's …
Penny Novy
9:20 am on Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Our mailbox was hit last winter. The village came out and replaced it with the $31.45 mailbox. We don't care that it isn't stylish because it serves its purpose. We're happy with that. Hopefully the village isn't going to dole out $50 to anyone who claims theirs was a 'designer' mailbox. I also hope the village keeps the old mailbox so it isn't passed around the neighborhood for use of others to … more ›