The Centralia City Council Monday night rehired a Springfield consultant and lobbyist.
The City Council had earlier eliminated the $40,000 a year cost of employing Jeff Torricelli as part of budget cuts this summer.
But City Manager Lowell Crow says the city was having trouble pushing through payments from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. After checking with other cities, he found several working with Torricelli.
Councilman David Sauer felt Torricelli would more than pay for himself.
“I hate to have our City Manager not working with someone who is an insider in Springfield.”
Councilman Spanky Smith was the lone no vote.
“There is nothing more important than to have someone to lobby and throw our name out and keep us on the map, I understand all that trust me. With the timing right now that we are going through and things we could incur there are some questions and red flags.”
It was noted the plan was to eventually bring back Torricelli when finances improved.
