No conflict of interest says Metro East village TIF consultant whose business is also managing new construction

WASHINGTON PARK, Ill. (First Alert 4) – A Metro East consultant is drawing criticism from elected leaders for managing construction projects in addition to his role as a consultant for the village.

Last month, Washington Park Mayor Leonard Moore announced a new fire station is coming on Forest Blvd near Kingshighway.

In October 2021, the village’s building that housed its fire, police and public works departments burned down.

Moore and the Board of Trustees haven’t come to an agreement to accept state funding to help rebuild the building.

Within the last year, Moore contracted Courtney Hoffman as a tax increment financing consultant. Hoffman also serves as a council member in the city of East St. Louis.

During an August press conference, Moore and Hoffman announced only a new fire house will come to the old site on Forest Blvd. The cost of the incoming station is more than $800,000.

A check obtained by First Alert 4 shows a Village of Washington Park check for $803,000 written for Hoffman Feingold Agency, a business Hoffman owns. Hoffman said he works as a project manager, developer and appraiser.

The village pays Hoffman through his company a $55,000 salary. He said he hasn’t been paid any extra money outside of the salary so far.

Hoffman added if the trustees vote with the mayor on state funding then the village can replace the more than $800,000 it’s spending on the fire station.

Hoffman provided First Alert 4 with the contract between the village and his business. The contract states: “…Washington Park to allow the Consultant exclusive rights to select contractors and services…”

“I’m not an employee of the village,” Hoffman told First Alert 4. “And if I were, I can absolutely see that being a conflict of interest. I work under my organization for the Village of Washington Park. The trustees don’t like me because I’m basically there helping the mayor move everything forward.”

Washington Park Trustee Mary McKinney told First Alert 4 the board didn’t approve Hoffman’s contract with the village, the new fire house or new fleet of roughly $472,000 worth of police cars Hoffman helped the village secure.

Hoffman cited a 2020 pandemic-era ordinance the board passed to grant the mayor emergency powers. Hoffman cites the need for buildings for first responders and the dysfunction with government leadership preventing the village to operate for the safety of its residents.

“COVID is over,” McKinney said. “They’re just using that excuse to do what they want to do with that money. We really need to have an investigation into what’s going on with the village’s funds.”

McKinney said the board is looking to revoke the emergency ordinance passed in 2020 giving the mayor emergency powers.

“It may be justified, but to be spending it without approval of the board of trustees under emergency authority is very poor local government,” said David Stokes, municipal director at Show-Me Institute, a public policy think tank based in St. Louis.

The new firehouse is expected to be completed at the end of the year.

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