TO: Mayor Richard C. Irvin and Members of the City Council
FROM: Alex G. Alexandrou
Chief Management Officer
DATE: December 17, 2021
SUBJECT:title
Engagement of the law firm of Barnes & Thornburg, LLP as special counsel to assist the City with federal executive, legislative, and administrative relations.
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PURPOSE:
To provide information regarding the engagement of special legal counsel to advocate for and to protect the interests of the City before the federal government and its agencies and officials.
BACKGROUND:
For several years, the City has engaged consultants to represent its interests before Illinois State Government. These lobbyists have been instrumental in securing needed legislative and regulatory decisions favorable to the City - and in preventing or mitigating decisions that would be detrimental to us. Our lobbyists make it possible to monitor and respond to rapid developments in Springfield that could significantly impact the City, its operations, and its resources.
Building off the success the City has experienced with its state lobbying team especially during the pandemic, the City Council has budgeted for the engagement of federal lobbyists in 2022. While the rationale for retaining federal lobbyists is similar to the City's rationale for developing its state government affairs team, the need on the federal level is significantly greater. As the second largest City in Illinois, Aurora is the second largest fish in its respective pond and its residents represent a considerable portion of the legislative and representative districts that include its territory. While Aurora is well-represented by our federal legislators and staffers in the Senate and House alike, they do have other demands on their time and attention. Additionally, the sheer size of the federal government bureaucracy makes it impossible and unrealistic to expect that our legislators alone can intercede for us on every issue.
While Section 2-261(b)(10) of the City Cod...
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