Schaumburg, Hoffman Estates 2021 mayoral updates to be virtual

Much has changed since the positive forecasts for 2020 that were part of the annual state of the village addresses given last winter by the mayors of Schaumburg and Hoffman Estates.

With the scheduled dates for those presentations coming around again, both their format and content are coming into focus.

Schaumburg Mayor Tom Dailly's State of the Village address on Tuesday, Jan. 12 will take place virtually, and Hoffman Estates Mayor Bill McLeod is leaning toward that approach for his Community Update set for Wednesday, March 3.

Normally held at Chandler's in the Schaumburg Golf Club, Dailly's address will be hosted by Schaumburg Business Association via Zoom from 7:30 to 9 a.m. Jan. 12.

"I don't want to spend a lot of time talking about COVID, I want to focus on what 2021 is going to bring," Dailly said. "This starts off a new fresh year. ... But I want to talk about how well the village has done to get through 2020. I think the businesses in particular want to know what the village is doing."

Road projects, especially Woodfield Road, were a big undertaking in 2020 that should help serve the future needs of businesses and residents alike, Dailly added.

The distribution of COVID-19 vaccines will likely set the pace for economic recovery in the area and, if widespread by May 1, could also help maintain such summer traditions like the Prairie Arts Festival, Summer Breeze concert series and Septemberfest, Dailly said.

Though the Hoffman Estates Chamber of Commerce and Industry has reserved space at the recently renamed Now Arena for a breakfast event on March 3, McLeod believes his Community Update will be virtual unless things change dramatically with the pandemic.

But as he points out, 2020 demonstrated that two months can feel like an eternity in terms of the changes they bring.

"There is a vaccine and that's certainly hopeful," McLeod said. "From the optimism of people will come change."

Chamber President Tricia O'Brien said the traditional video format of McLeod's update will remain, but he may be doing the Q&A portion of the event afterward virtually.

Registration for the Schaumburg State of the Village can be done at the Schaumburg Business Association website at schaumburgbusiness.com. The cost is $10 for members and $15 for nonmembers.

For the Hoffman Estates Community Update, registration can be done on the chamber's website at hechamber.com or by calling (847) 781-9100. Virtual registration costs $10. If live attendance and a hot breakfast become possible, their cost would be $25.