Collins' omission in Hoffman biz guide leads to e-mail spat

One reason Hoffman Estates decided last year to leave the Woodfield Chicago Northwest Convention Bureau was to publish its own business guide dedicated to the village.

Village officials began distributing the new guide by mail this month. The village board agreed that promoting businesses in Hoffman Estates during tough economic times was important.

But one trustee, Cary Collins, isn't happy with the final product.

Last week, Collins sent an e-mail to several village officials, including Mayor William McLeod, detailing his frustration that his law practice was excluded from the guide. Collins vented that the omission was "typical of the work product I have come to expect."

"I've only been in the village for 24 consecutive years, easy to forget," Collins wrote. "How many other businesses were forgotten?"

That e-mail prompted Village Manager James Norris to write an apology. Norris also said some businesses were left out because of the village's own limited data listings.

Other businesses, including Collins' law firm, were omitted because they didn't give the village permission to be included, Village Clerk Bev Romanoff.

The village's economic development staff, which compiled the guide, called each business to ask their permission to be included. Village Tourism Coordinator Linda Scheck previously said it was difficult to secure permission because many businesses erroneously thought it would cost them money to be listed. Often village officials weren't given the chance to explain the service was free to the businesses.

Despite Collins' concerns, even he agreed the guide was a good idea.

"Kudos to (whomever) had the idea and put the book together," he wrote.

The taxpayer-funded cost of printing was not available Tuesday.