Manteno uses PR firm to answer questions

MANTENO – When the village of Manteno was inundated with calls, questions and information requests several months ago, it turned to a public relations firm for help.

It was the beginning of a contentious time for the village back in the fall of 2023, when the proposed Gotion lithium battery plant was seeking a change of zoning from light to heavy industrial at the 333 S. Spruce St. site.

The village turned to Jasculca Terman Strategic Communications in Chicago to handle public relations for all the planning and board meetings surrounding the zoning change.

Manteno paid the firm $47,268 over a three- to four-month period.

The amount came under scrutiny by some area residents at Tuesday’s Village Board meeting.

During public comment, Diane Baker asked why the village paid a “high-end” PR firm, and why the fees weren’t paid by some other agency such as the Economic Alliance of Kankakee County or by Mayor Tim Nugent.

“It sounds to me like the Manteno village ... under Mayor Nugent is paying a publicity firm to push a private business on the backs of the taxpayers because these were paid from the general fund,” Baker said during public comment.

Nugent said the village was thrust into the international media during that time.

“We were getting calls and inquiries from not just around here, but from around the world, and we needed some people that were adept at public relations to help us maneuver [through] some of that,” he said.

Nugent said the village used the firm from October through December 2023.

The residents who oppose the Gotion plant filed Freedom of Information Act requests to find out when and how much the village paid the firm.

“The people of Manteno do not owe this company anything, and they should not be promoting it on the backs of Manteno citizens,“ Baker said. ”You should be ashamed of yourself. I think it’s a misappropriation of public funds, and I hope they look into it legally.”

Jasculca Terman Strategic Communications helped Manteno navigate all the requests, and it set up a question-and-answer portal on the village’s website to help provide information to residents.

“It helped address the concerns of the citizens,” Village Administrator Chris LaRocque said. “Obviously, Gotion coming into town was a big deal. It’s unprecedented, obviously, in this area, and I believe the mayor kind of orchestrated that and made the decision that we should probably have some help for some of the responses that were required for that development.”

The firm was used solely in response to handling the additional work required on the Gotion decision.

“We felt it was important to put a good message out to the community,” LaRocque said. “Obviously, the board was in favor of it, as well as all the other nine taxing districts who had public meetings. So, we wanted to make sure that we represented the village in a good light and represented that important project in a good light.”