The Oswego Village Board Tuesday night will consider new agreements with lobbyists working to help secure funding for two majors projects – a Metra commuter rail extension into Kendall County and an alternative water source for the village.
Oswego, Yorkville and Montgomery in 2018 hired Chicago-based lobbying firm Kasper & Nottag, P.C. to represent the municipalities at the state level in their effort to bring commuter train service to the area.
In 2020, Oswego hired lobbying firm Elevate Government Affairs to represent the village at the federal level. Yorkville, Montgomery and Kendall County joined the intergovernmental agreement for the lobbying firm.
Oswego decided to go forward with a federal lobbying firm knowing “the country was at a critical turning point” where a major capital infrastructure package had been talked about for 2021, officials said.
“On the state side, the lobbyists have proven their value by helping secure a $100 million Metra extension grant as well as $1.2 million in other infrastructure grants,” Oswego Village Administrator Dan Di Santo said in an email response to The Beacon-News.
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Oswego, Montgomery and Yorkville are in the midst of an analysis of three options for an alternative water supply.
Oswego officials said their options are Lake Michigan water obtained through the DuPage Water Commission; using Fox River water, which would include the construction of a treatment plant with other towns in the area; or getting Lake Michigan water through an agreement with Joliet.
“Going forward, we expect our state lobbyists to continue to advocate for us on accessing these grant funds as well as support the necessary state legislation for Oswego to join either the DuPage Water Commission or Joliet water commission this spring,” Di Santo said.
“As for the federal lobbyists, last year when we hired them we foresaw passage of a federal infrastructure bill,” he said.
President Biden signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act on Monday, which allocates over $500 billion towards transportation projects, officials said.
“We expect that our federal lobbyists will put us in a place to take advantage of the funding opportunities in this bill for important projects such as our water source issue, the Metra extension and our major capital projects such as Wolfs Crossing Road,” Di Santo said.
The retainer agreement cost for Kasper & Nottage is $7,000 per month, to be shared equally between the three municipalities involved. The monthly retainer agreement cost for Elevate Government Affairs is $12,500 that would be divided four ways between Oswego, Yorkville, Montgomery and Kendall County, according to village documents.
Oswego village staff has recommended approval of both resolutions.
Linda Girardi is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.