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TO: Mayor Richard C. Irvin
FROM: Alex Voigt, Deputy Chief of Staff
DATE: March 10, 2020
SUBJECT:
A resolution approving an agreement with Bukola Bello for Lobbying Services on behalf of the City of Aurora.
PURPOSE:
The purpose of this item is to request the City Council's approval to hire an additional lobbyist to represent the City of Aurora.
BACKGROUND:
The City of Aurora is currently represented by Dan Shomon, Inc. (DSI) and has been since 2006. The Council approved an extension of DSI's agreement for the 2020 year, which will remain intact. However, the given the current volume of work related to city representation in Springfield, it was determined Aurora would benefit from an additional voice.
DISCUSSION:
Aurora has worked closed with DSI on a number of issues over the years and more recently they have become more complex and issue-specific. For example, Dan is representing Aurora as we navigate through the Lime Sludge Disposal legislation, working between State and Federal agencies to move Aurora's agenda forward. Additionally, the lead service line legislation is anticipated to be back during the Spring Session, which will require a significant amount of his time. These two significant legislative issues are in addition to the thousands of bills filed that must be monitored for their impact on Aurora. The volume of work and the significance of the work continues to increase, which can be a challenge to monitor.
This change has been an evolution over the past year, and the city has adjusted its legislative strategy to be far more aggressive and proactive in response. We have increased contact and communication with our Local Legislators, increased our presence with our governmental partners like DuPage Mayor's and Managers, MetroWest and the Illinois Municipal League as well as an increased physical presence by city staff and the Mayor in Springfield.
In spite of all of these efforts, it has become clear that the city would benefit from ...
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