News Briefs: Town managers nationally honored; Property-assessment appeals set record; Winnetka student wins forensics prize

Glencoe Village Manager Phil Kiraly and Highland Park City Manager Ghida Neukirch were recognized as two of the National Academy of Public Administration and LocalGov250’s “250 Champions,” a national honor celebrating public servants across the United States, from all levels of government. 

Kiraly and Neukirch were the only two city managers in Illinois to receive the honor. 

The 250 Champions Initiative highlights individuals who go above and beyond in their roles, demonstrating excellence in public service and making a meaningful impact in their communities. Honorees were selected from hundreds of nominations representing all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. territories. 

“This honor belongs to the dedicated team, community stakeholders, elected officials, and colleagues I work alongside every day,” Kiraly said in a statement. “Public service has always been my calling, and I’m grateful for the chance to represent the great work being done by my fellow local government leaders across the country — and to do it right here in Glencoe.” 

Village Manager Kiraly was recognized by the Village Board and staff on March 19. 

He, Neukirch and all 250 Champions will be honored at an event on May 12 in Philadelphia, preceding the International City/County Management Association’s Local Government Reimagined Conference.

County reportedly receives record number of appeals

The Cook County Board of Review received 290,256 property assessment appeals during the 2025 tax year, a record number for the agency, according to a release from the county on March 10.

This figure represents a 20.97% increase in appeals — which are submitted by homeowners, businesses, and other property owners across Cook County — over 2022, the last time the northern suburbs were reassessed, the county says. It’s also a 5.96% increase compared to tax year 2024, when the City of Chicago was reassessed.

In a joint statement, Board of Review Commissioners George Cardenas, Samantha Steele and Larry Rogers Jr. said in the statement that “accessible and equitable taxpayer service is central to the agency’s mission.”

The joint statement says, “We are committed to giving every property owner the information and support they need to navigate the appeals process. Despite the record number of appeals we received this year, we will continue to deliver timely, transparent, and accurate decisions throughout the 2025 appeal session.”

Throughout tax year 2025, the Board of Review reportedly expanded community outreach to make services more accessible, hosting in-person workshops, virtual seminars and multilingual sessions and partnering with neighborhood organizations to reach first-time filers, seniors, small business owners, and communities that have historically faced barriers with the appeals process, the release says.

This year’s record reflects the Board of Review’s strong public engagement, along with its decision to reopen the appeal window for townships that had already closed. The reopening — from Dec. 3-12, 2025 — followed delays in the distribution of the second-installment property tax bills.

The Board of Review determined that extending the appeal window was necessary to ensure every property owner had a fair opportunity to seek relief.

Appeals filed during the 2025 session will be reflected on second-installment property tax bills mailed in 2026, according to the county.

For more information, visit the Board of Review’s website.

Winnetka student helps Cedarville University to forensics championship in Ohio

Nathanael Kolssak, of Winnetka, won the state championship in impromptu speaking during the Ohio Forensics State Championship on Feb. 20-21.

Kolssak, a senior communications major, helped Cedarville University win the team championship as well, as the host school captured the overall speech and debate titles for the second straight year.

“It’s a huge win for our students and a testament to how hard they work week in and week out,” said Eric Mishne, Cedarville’s director of forensics. “To defend the state championship in both speech and debate, and to do it while hosting, makes this especially meaningful.”

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