BY DAN CAMPANA
It's been a year since this reporter traded in his editor's hat and came down river from Geneva.
Wouldn't you know, the thing most-missed from my days up north is something that might not be around much longer -- the Village of Campton Hills.
Still as old as a toddler, "The Hills" has had enough drama for a reality series set in what can only be described as the unhappiest place in Kane County.
Granted, the vote to dissolve Campton Hills is something of a fringe item for us here in Beacon Election Central, but who doesn't find this saga fascinating? OK, so maybe I'm the only one.
Here's the recap: Folks living west of St. Charles in Campton Township freaked out a few years ago about the looming threat of Elgin swooping in to annex a bunch of territory in this quiet, docile area dotted by healthy sized lots and a lack of squabbling among neighbors.
Some residents took action, and filed notice that they wanted to incorporate to protect themselves. The first attempt didn't pass county muster. Borders to broad, officials said. A slimmed down second try got the nod from county leaders and a judge, and got the incorporation vote on the ballot in April 2007.
On that Election Day, about 2,300 voters said yes to become village people. That represented about one quarter of the voters who had a say in the matter. I said it then, and I'll say it again, that's no mandate.
Fast forward through several months of village board intrigue, a judge allowing several subdivisions to disconnect and a relentless amount of sniping and griping, to find voters again preparing to decide if they'll dismantle Campton Hills. Nearly 500, as of Saturday, already have.
The Web doesn't have enough room to detail all the subplots and odd gossip that surfaced after Campton's creation -- and that's just the stuff my e-mail inbox and voicemail used to handle.
Even from afar, it's obvious to me that no one tried to make peace between the pro-Campton camp and the opponents. It became personal, and no one ever let it go. As you wake up on Nov. 5, be sure to check the results page to see what becomes of "The Hills."
This just in ... The Second District Appellate Court has upheld a local judge's ruling to allow several disconnections from Campton Hills. To read more, check out the court's ruling.
Question of the day: Who are those people in campaign ads and mailers? Not the candidates, obviously, but the "real people" who appear along side those wanting your vote and mine.
Why do I ask? Why do I care? It's probably because I'm not the only person looking at some glossy propaganda wondering about the mother and child who make repeat appearances for one local pol.
It's not unlikely for a parent to be concerned about bad guys online and the need for quality education. It just seems insincere when mom and son wear the same clothes in both ads and kiddo's disinterest leaps off the page in full color.
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