Brockton council is considering hiring a lobbyist to help get the municipality some federal stimulus funds.
At Monday night’s council, Mayor Charlie Bagnato originally wanted council to support a motion to hire Global Public Affairs  for a four-month contract at $6,000 a month in hopes the firm could obtain money for a new administration centre and hockey arena that’s pegged at around $28 million.
However, when the issue came up at council, Bagnato noted that they should follow the municipality’s procurement policy and at least tender the project out.
The mayor told council that the presentation made by the lobby firm last week “opened my eyes” with what they could do in trying to get various building projects approved.
At first it appeared council was not in favour of the idea.
“I’m concerned about paying someone to do this,” Coun. Dan Gieruszak said, noting they have council, municipal staff, an MP and MPP who should be able to help get projects approved.
Gieruszak said that if the municipality approved of going with a firm, “we must spell out what the expectations are.”
Coun. Chris Peabody said he was against the idea. “It was a very informative presentation, but I find it too expensive,” he said, adding, “I was against using lobbyists seven years ago and I still am,” referring to a plan in 2002 to hire a lobby firm in hopes of obtaining funds for a water pipeline project.
The mayor, who grew visibly upset at council’s reluctance, said the municipality should be looking at the bigger picture and remember that it failed in its last two attempts to obtain funds.
“The complex will last 40 to 60 years and cost $28 million, (the fee) represents about one per cent. It’s a mere pittance,” he said, adding under his breath that council was “acting like small town” for not seeing it his way.
However, councillors were not dismissing the idea outright and instead suggested staff prepare an RFP?(request for funding proposal) that could be tendered out to potential lobby firms.
“Who knows, maybe we’ll find someone who can do it cheaper,” Coun. Tim Mancell said.
Mancell also thought the municipality should “expand our options” instead of “putting all of our eggs in one basket”.
It was noted that other municipalities were successful in getting various infrastructure projects approved while Brockton did not.
Staff will prepare a report for council to discuss at a future council meeting.
After the meeting the mayor said hiring consultants to help obtain funds for the new centre was the way to go.
“We will never ask for $28 million again. This is a one time thing and we need to be successful and they can access the people making the decisions a lot better than we can,” he said.
When asked why he would be in favour to hire a lobby firm now when he was against it for the pipelines, Bagnato said he wasn’t against the lobbyist, he was against the pipelines. “Ninety-four per cent of the people didn’t want pipelines, so I didn’t want to spend on lobbyists for that. I represented the people then and I represent the people now.”