Hoffman Estates approves multiple contracts, repeals school-curfew code and awards public-safety grants

Hoffman Estates officials on Feb. 24 approved a range of contracts and actions across a special board meeting and multiple committee meetings, including a $4.62 million award for street revitalization, the purchase of a $2.5 million ladder truck, and repeal of the village’s school-curfew ordinance.

The votes took place in a series of meetings held that evening: the special village board session, plus standing committees for finance; public works and utilities; public health and safety; and transportation and road improvement. Several items were routine renewals or contract awards; others involved capital purchases or grant-funded equipment for public safety.

Why it matters: The package of approvals affects near-term capital spending, public-safety capability and local infrastructure work scheduled for 2025. Several purchases are tied to outside funding or cooperative purchasing sources that limit the village’s exposure but commit future operating or maintenance responsibilities.

Major actions and discussion highlights

Employment agreement amendment — village manager The board approved an amended and restated employment agreement for Eric Paul (referred to in the meeting as the employment agreement between the Village of Hoffman Estates and Eric Paul). Trustees discussed two clerical edits — a stray “30” on page 1 and a date change from March 1 to Feb. 28, 2025 — before moving and approving the amendment by roll call. The motion carried.

NEOGOV HRIS contract — finance committee The Finance Committee authorized a three-year contract with NEOGOV for human-resources information system software in an amount not to exceed $97,693. The contract will add applicant tracking (Insight), onboarding, e-forms for workflows (tax and direct-deposit forms) and a performance-management module to replace paper evaluations. John Lopez, a NEOGOV representative, attended the meeting. Committee members confirmed the first-year costs and the transition timeline; staff said the criterion vendor will be sunsetting and that the first-year NEOGOV cost and the brief overlap were already budgeted.

Northwest Fourth Fest drone show — finance committee The committee authorized a contract with hireyouavpro.com (Denver) for a drone show at the 2025 Northwest Fourth Fest in an amount not to exceed $37,500. Staff said the 2025 show will be longer and use more drones than the 2024 show (last year’s show ran about nine minutes; the 2025 contract covers 12 minutes of choreography, with possible additional minutes depending on battery life and weather). The drone show is scheduled for a July event night separate from the village fireworks.

Central Square (Superion) annual subscription — finance committee The Finance Committee approved renewal of the village’s annual subscription and support agreement with Superion LLC (Central Square products) for finance and community-development applications. Staff noted an extraneous pet-licensing module was included in the original quote and said an updated quote (omitting a $2,236 module) will be provided by the next board meeting.

Pfizer lift-station change order — Public Works & Utilities Committee The Public Works & Utilities Committee authorized change order #1 for the Pfizer lift-station improvements (Mark Tam Construction, Elgin) in an amount not to exceed $10,199 and granted a 77-day time extension. Staff and consultant SIORBA recommended upgrading the electrical service from about 10 kVA to 25 kVA after an equipment-demand analysis; the extension reflected supply-chain delays and a misdelivered transformer from the utility. Staff estimated the work will finish in the third quarter of 2025.

Children’s Advocacy Center renovation — Public Works & Utilities Committee The committee awarded a construction contract to Total Pro Construction (Chicago) as the low bidder for the Children’s Advocacy Center interior renovation project in an amount not to exceed $84,770. Staff said the CAC received a $100,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Opportunity (2024) and that the center secured the grant funding before work begins; the village’s role is limited to project management and bid administration and carries no direct financial commitment from the village.

Generator purchase — Public Works & Utilities Committee The committee approved a purchase under the Sourcewell cooperative program for a Caterpillar XQ230 generator from Altur Power Systems (Elmhurst) not to exceed $162,825. Staff described this as a replacement for an aging 100 kW generator; the new 182 kW unit increases capacity to serve multiple lift stations, backup wells and other nonemergency uses at Village Green.

Lifepak monitors — Public Health & Safety Committee The Public Health & Safety Committee approved purchase of 13 Lifepak 15 cardiac monitors/defibrillators from Stryker (Chicago) in an amount not to exceed $702,333.14. The chief said the devices are past their 8–10-year life expectancy; funding includes a FEMA Assistance to Firefighters grant that covers 90% of the cost, with a 10% local match budgeted by the village. The chief told trustees final contract language remained under legal review but expected to be resolved before the board meeting.

Vehicle and apparatus purchases — Public Health & Safety Committee The committee approved: (1) a replacement 2025 Ford Explorer Interceptor utility vehicle optioned from Friendly Ford (Roselle) for up to $46,009.55 using cooperative pricing, and (2) purchase of a 2025 Pierce Velocity 100-foot tower ladder from McQueen Equipment (Sourcewell pricing) not to exceed $2,500,000, with authority for the village manager to approve change orders up to 5% if necessary. Staff emphasized the ladder-truck purchase is part of the capital-improvement program; the quoted Sourcewell price was being secured now to lock in current pricing despite a multi-year lead time.

Emergency repair ratification — Public Health & Safety Committee The committee ratified emergency repairs to Fire Engine 22 by Comm Sales and Service (Hodgkins) in the amount of $40,923.30. Staff said the engine required an emergency rebuild to return a frontline apparatus to service.

2025 Street revitalization contract — Transportation & Road Improvement Committee The Transportation Committee awarded Contract No. 1 for the 2025 Street Revitalization Project to Builders Paving LLC (Hillside) as the lowest qualified bidder in an amount not to exceed $4,618,028. The project covers work on 20 streets; nine additional streets will be bid in a subsequent contract. Staff said Builders Paving (merged with Arrow Road Construction in 2023) is IDOT-qualified and has an acceptable performance record on prior village projects.

Votes at a glance (selected) - Employment agreement (Eric Paul): motion carried (roll call; no nays recorded in the transcript). Note: two clerical edits noted before approval. - NEOGOV HRIS contract (three years, not to exceed $97,693): approved by Finance Committee (roll call; no nays recorded). - Drone show (hireyouavpro.com, not to exceed $37,500): approved by Finance Committee (roll call; no nays recorded). - Central Square (Superion) annual subscription renewal: approved by Finance Committee (roll call; no nays recorded). - Pfizer lift-station change order (Mark Tam Construction; +$10,199; +77 days): approved by Public Works & Utilities Committee (roll call; no nays recorded). - Children’s Advocacy Center renovation (Total Pro Construction; not to exceed $84,770): approved by Public Works & Utilities Committee (roll call; no nays recorded). Staff noted the project is grant-funded; the village is providing project management only. - Caterpillar XQ230 generator (Altur Power Systems; not to exceed $162,825): approved by Public Works & Utilities Committee (roll call; no nays recorded). - Lifepak 15 monitors (Stryker; not to exceed $702,333.14): approved by Public Health & Safety Committee (roll call; no nays recorded). Funding: FEMA Assistance to Firefighters grant (~90%); 10% local match budgeted. - Ford Explorer Interceptor (Friendly Ford; not to exceed $46,009.55): approved by Public Health & Safety Committee (roll call; no nays recorded). - 100-foot Pierce ladder (McQueen Equipment; Sourcewell price; not to exceed $2,500,000): approved by Public Health & Safety Committee (roll call; no nays recorded). Village manager authorized to approve change orders up to 5%. - Ratification of emergency engine repair (Comm Sales and Service; $40,923.30): approved (roll call; no nays recorded). - 2025 Street revitalization (Builders Paving LLC; not to exceed $4,618,028): approved by Transportation Committee (roll call; no nays recorded).

What officials said - “My name is doctor Renee Edwards McMullen. I am a 28 year of resident of Hoffman Estates… I am honored to be considered as a member of the Hoffman Estates Cultural Awareness Committee,” applicant Renee McMullen told trustees during the board’s appointment interviews. - “Last year was the first year that the commission tried a drone show. And it was, I would say it was pretty successful,” a staff member (Dan) said when presenting the drone-show contract to the Finance Committee. - “They were having difficulty just getting any transformers at all… The transformer that ended up showing up was the wrong transformer,” a staff member (Joe) said when explaining the Pfizer lift-station delay and the reason for the 77-day extension. - “We were successful in being able to obtain [the FEMA grant]… 90% of that will be paid by FEMA,” the Fire Chief said about the Lifepak monitor purchase and grant funding.

Next steps Several contract details and minor quote corrections (including an omitted Central Square module fee) were to be finalized and returned to the board at the next regular meeting or otherwise handled through staff administrative updates. For purchases tied to cooperative programs or grant agreements, staff indicated procurement or legal language was under final review where noted.