Geneva City Council OKs contract for public engagement consulting

The Geneva City Council unanimously approved a $65,000 contract Monday for public engagement consulting services.

The contract is with EOSullivan Consulting LLC of Libertyville which specializes in bringing local units of government and their communities together, City Administrator Stephanie Dawkins said.

The contract calls for a multi-phase approach with $55,000 for consulting services plus $10,000 for two surveys.

“They will develop a plan that helps determine the best course forward in determining the city’s future as it relates to providing efficient and reliable public services.”

—  Stephanie Dawkins, Geneva city administrator

“This was budgeted and we are proposing to use ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funds for this expenditure,” Dawkins said.

“Over the past few years, the city has followed a process to identify its needs according to the Strategic Plan priority of providing equipment, infrastructure and facilities necessary to maintain efficient and reliable public services,” Dawkins said.

“The next phase of this process is to engage the community in a collaboration to determine the future of the city and potential community buy-in for enhancements and investments necessary to achieve that vision,” Dawkins said. “In order to do so, and with direction from the city council, it is recommended that the city engage with a consultant to help conduct community engagement, generate a consensus plan, conduct an education campaign, and ultimately help secure community support for the plan generated.”

The company will achieve this through messaging, public engagement, a community committee and scientific survey research, Dawkins said.

“They will develop a plan that helps determine the best course forward in determining the city’s future as it relates to providing efficient and reliable public services,” Dawkins said.

The process should take six to eight months, starting with surveys, data gathering and then hosting community open houses – virtual or in person, and go hand-in-hand with the city’s Facilities Master Plan, Dawkins said, which is ongoing.

“The idea is, we will identify, through the Master Plan, what some of the needs of the city are and then survey the community what types of needs the community would support,” Dawkins said.

A year ago, the city council approved a facilities study contract for $99,500 for all of its buildings, such as city hall, police department, public works and the two fire stations.

Dawkins said she expected the EOSullivan work to be completed either by late December or early January.

Fifth Ward Alderperson Robert Swanson asked if the city put out a request for proposals or choose a consultant and then develop a plan.

Dawkins said this was not a typical process for this type of consulting service.

“We have done it for strategic planning purposes, for a broader – but for more specific, this is kind of a first for the city,” Dawkins said. “In this case, we looked at individuals who met the requirements that we followed, talked to them and interviewed them that way.”

Swanson asked how the $65,000 cost was determined. Dawkins said it was an estimate from the company and the contract is “not to exceed” that amount.