Geneva alderpersons question $55K pricetag for lobbyist, bid to drop fails

The Geneva City Council prepared to approve its nearly $143 million budget following a public hearing Monday when Fifth Ward Alderperson Robert Swanson suggested they save $55,000 by stripping out the cost of the Springfield lobbyist.

“I don’t see the need for that expense,” Swanson said. “I think with our facilities study and knowing that we may be going to referendum in the future, and asking our taxpayers to pay more, I think we should be as tight with the budget as possible.”

Swanson said the lobbyist agreement has always bothered him.

“We do not have an agreement right now, so we’re working on a month-to-month basis,” Swanson said. “I think it would show the community that we’re willing to tighten our belts, too.”

Mayor Kevin Burns said the lobbyist has been working with the city “for some time now.”

“He has been, I believe, successful with respect to not only securing funds but re-securing funds representing our voice in Springfield on issues ranging from energy, transportation, housing LGDF (Local Government Distributive Fund)– you name it,” Burns said.

“Just this past year ... an additional $2 million was secured to assist in the East State Street Corridor reconstruction,” Burns said. “That $2 million was – for all practical purposes – wiped out by our friends at IDOT. "

Because of the lobbyist’s relationship with the professional staff at Illinois Department of Transportation, the city secured that funding again, Burns said, preventing any further delays on the reconstruction project.

The city’s contract is with JLD Consulting Group LLC, records show.

City Administrator Stephanie Dawkins said the lobbyist is paid through various city funds. If the issue is electric legislation, then he’s paid out of the electric fund.

“Depending upon what types of legislation he’s working on is how we charge the accounts,” Dawkins said.

First Ward Alderperson Anaïs Bowring said she did not favor removing the lobbyist from the budget.

“I think that we already have a very tight budget that is really being responsible with taxpayers' money and –respectfully – oftentimes by spending the money wisely, we save money in the long run,” Bowring said.

“Now is a time when we really do want to have representation in Springfield so that we make sure we don’t lose important opportunities on the whole host of issues that the that the mayor was referencing,” Bowring said.

Bowring said while the city is a member of the Metro West Council of Government, the lobbyist is someone who is just looking out for Geneva’s interest.

Third Ward Alderperson Dean Kilburg said he attended a Metro West meeting last month and learned that neither Batavia nor Carpentersville employed a lobbyist.

“I’ve never met our lobbyist,” Kilburg said. “And based on what we’re paying the guy, it would be nice if he would attend at least one council meeting a year.”

Third Ward Aldlerperson Becky Hruby said she did not see evidence of what the lobbyist was doing for the city.

“I would appreciate some reports or updates on what initiatives the lobbyist is working on – where and when our voice is defined or determined,” Hruby said. “I think it’s misleading to make these blanket statements when I feel like we’re kept in the dark.”

The council voted 9-2 against a motion to remove the lobbyist expense from the budget, with Swanson and Hruby casting the two lone yes votes and Burns also voting.

Then all voted yes to pass the fiscal year 2026 budget.