Hoffman Estates board approves raises for winners of next elections

Hoffman Estates village board members have approved pay raises for the next board members to be elected in 2019 and 2021.

"We generally look at it every 10 or 12 years," Mayor Bill McLeod said. "It doesn't affect anyone currently in office."

The last time the board approved such raises was in December 2007. But they didn't take effect until after the spring election of 2009.

The mayor currently is paid an annual salary of $25,000 and receives $100 for every village board meeting and night of board committee meetings.

After the next mayoral election in 2021, the holder of that office will receive an annual salary of $30,000 and be paid $150 per village board meeting or night of committee meetings.

Each of the six trustees currently receives a salary of $5,000, but those who win office in 2019 and 2021 will have a salary of $6,000.

While the mayor and trustees are considered to put a lot of time into their work for the village, which they report on at each regular meeting, the village clerk has a full-time job at village hall in addition to being an elected position.

The clerk currently receives a salary of $60,744. Under the newly approved compensation ordinance, the position's pay would go up to $62,764 on May 1, 2019; $64,800 on May 1, 2020; and $68,800 after May 1, 2021.

Like the mayor, the trustee and clerk positions' pay per meeting will go up from $100 to $150 once the increases take effect.

McLeod explained that while the village board meetings and committee meeting nights are considered separate events even when on the same evening, multiple committee meetings on the same night are considered to be just one gathering for the purpose of compensation.

As chairman of the local liquor control commission, the mayor will receive a $150 per month raise -- for a total of $950 per month -- after the 2021 election.

Two trustees at a time also serve on the liquor commission on a rotation throughout the year. While serving, those trustees will see their monthly pay increase by $50, for a total of $300 per month.