Accolades pour in for retiring Buffalo Grove trustee

Tributes are starting to flow in the waning months of Buffalo Grove Trustee Jeffrey Berman's final term, including one from former state Rep. Carol Sente at a recent village board meeting.

"I don't believe I know a trustee, I'm honestly saying this, who has given as much to the position as you have," said Sente, who represented the 59th House district for nine years before opting not to seek re-election in November.

"When I think of the village of Buffalo Grove, I think of you. And when I think of a model trustee, I think of you."

Berman announced in December that he would not run for a sixth, four-year term on the village board.

Sente said he has been a passionate advocate for Buffalo Grove over the years.

"Even when sometimes I didn't agree, you were not just disappointed. You were also thankful. You were balanced. And that's all anyone can ask for," she said.

Sente presented a resolution from the Illinois General Assembly that hailed Berman's service and lauded him as an "inspiration to all those who seek to make their communities stronger and more vibrant."

Berman said he was deeply touched.

"I think my colleagues will know that there are often times when this position feels somewhat thankless," he said. "And the gesture is well received and very much appreciated."