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Commission hears lobbyist proposal; some commissioners question $14,500/month price
Summary
A contractor, Shay Terrigan, proposed a county lobbyist contract at $14,500 per month. Commissioners asked for time to review the draft contract, legal memo and budget implications and to compare costs with neighboring counties before deciding whether to place the item on the agenda.
County administrator Lena presented a written proposal from Shay Terrigan to serve as a county lobbyist and policy liaison, including a draft agreement, draft resolution and legal-justification memo. Lena summarized the package and said the proposal lists a monthly fee of $14,500 to represent multiple county departments at the state level.
A county official summarized the materials for commissioners and said the contract would cover outreach to Montgomery on issues such as 9-1-1 dispatching and other county priorities. One commissioner voiced concern about the total annual cost (described in session as approximately $174,000 per year) compared with what a neighboring county (Madison County) pays and said he would need time to study the proposal in light of fiscal responsibility to taxpayers.
Commissioners asked staff to circulate the proposal documents to the group, to check whether the contract requires a budget amendment and to return a recommendation after checking comparable arrangements in similarly sized counties. No formal motion or vote occurred; commissioners agreed to review the draft and consider next steps at a future meeting.
