Kane Co. hires consultant with financial ties to Lauzen

Kane County will double its access to architectural and engineering expertise by hiring a second consulting firm with a long history of supporting Aurora-based politicians, including Chairman Chris Lauzen.

Don Biggs, Kane County's operations staff executive, announced the selection of Cordogan Clark & Associates this week. The company was one of eight firms submitting qualifications for the consultant job. Included in the eight is the county's longtime architectural and engineering consultant, Wight & Co., which most notably assisted in the design and construction of the county's judicial center campus and jail.

Wight & Co. suffered a bit of black eye with the county earlier this year when its off-the-cuff cost estimate to build a new shooting range for the sheriff's department ended up costing double its forecast. Lauzen pointed to that missed estimate as a good reason to bring in Cordogan Clark & Associates.

"In no way are we moving away from Wight," Lauzen said. "Wight and Co. has shown their competence and the value of their experience. But we anticipate that, over the next 10 years, we have substantial building to do. What we are doing is putting in place a system where we have a second opinion. It will be a collaboration rather than a winner takes all."

Lauzen said Cordogan Clark & Associates was selected based on the rating system created by county staff. He said he didn't even see the rating system until after the firm was selected this week. The rating system placed Cordogan Clark & Associates at the top of the list based on 10 qualities. The firm was rated three points better than Wight & Co.

Those three points came from a higher score given to Cordogan Clark & Associates for "strength of team personnel" and a better history of litigation against the firm than Wight.

Cordogan Clark & Associates has been a major contributor to Aurora Mayor Tom Weisner's campaigns. It's also donated $2,450 to Lauzen in various election cycles during the past 18 years. The most recent donation came in 2012 during Lauzen's run for county board chairman.

Cordogan Clark & Associates has also won contracts for work with the Aurora Public Library and Aurora University. Aurora businessman Dick Hawks sits on the board of trustees for both of those entities. Hawks currently serves as Lauzen's unofficial chief of staff and was present for the announcement of the county's selection of Cordogan Clark & Associates this week. He was unavailable for comment Wednesday.

Lauzen said the financial support he's received from the firm had nothing to do with the awarding of the county contract.

"I wasn't even part of the grading process," Lauzen said. "I appreciate the question. If there's anything that we're doing here that I can't talk with (the media) about, then I shouldn't be doing it."

The value of the contract is undetermined. County officials are still negotiating a fee schedule with Cordogan Clark & Associates.