DuPage County will continue using lobbying firms

DuPage County will spend $282,000 in the coming year to keep its state and federal lobbyists.

County board members approved one-year contracts with four lobbying firms. Three of them - Roger C. Marquardt & Co., NJ Kimme & Co., and All-Circo Inc. - will continue to push the county's legislative agenda in Springfield.

The fourth firm, BGR Government Affairs LLC, has been promoting DuPage's interests at the federal level since 2009.

"I believe that a strong, effective group of advocates on the ground in Springfield is vitally important for us and for our success," county board Chairman Dan Cronin said. "We're a non-home rule unit of government in some very, very tough times.

"I think we have a highly effective team, and we can measure the results," he said.

The decision to keep the lobbyists wasn't unanimous.

Board member Elizabeth Chaplin cast the only vote against the contracts. She said county board members should be the ones lobbying state and federal lawmakers.

But board member Don Puchalski said it's a "necessity" for the county to use lobbyists. He said there have been several legislative accomplishments, including improvements in the way electronic equipment is recycled, that can be traced to lobbying efforts.

As part of its contract, All-Circo will be paid $102,000 and NJ Kimme & Co. will get $35,000 to do lobbying work.

Wheaton-based Roger C. Marquardt & Co. will be paid $65,000. John "Chip" Humes, one of the company's employees, will coordinate the county's lobbying efforts with the state.

"He (Humes) will assist with the development of legislative strategies, the county's annual legislative agenda, the submission of regular reports to the county board, and the drafting of bills and amendments." officials wrote in a memo.

All three contracts begin Sept. 15 and end Sept. 14, 2018.

As part of its contract with DuPage, BGR Government Affairs will be paid $80,000 to represent the county between Sept. 1 and Aug. 31, 2018.