Chapel Hill looks to lobby

Mayor Mark Kleinschmidt is hoping to draw national attention to Chapel Hill issues.

On his recommendation, the town of Chapel Hill is considering hiring a private lobbying firm to represent them to the federal government.

Kleinschmidt said potential lobbying issues could include transit, housing and community development work.

“We could possibly benefit from having greater advocacy in Washington,” he said.

“Having someone represent our interests there … seems to me to be a valuable goal.”

Kleinschmidt said the idea arose from conversations with other mayors, whose towns have experience with lobbying to help ensure that they have funding.

“In this environment we’re in now where government at all levels is kind of strapped for cash, it becomes more competitive,” he said.

Kleinschmidt has asked the town manager to review the budgetary impacts of hiring a lobbying firm.

He said the budget report should come back to the Town Council this spring, though the process is still in early stages and the council has not yet voted to hire anyone.

Norma Houston, adjunct professor of law and lecturer in the School of Government at UNC, said lobbying efforts by local governments are not uncommon.

“Sometimes it will give the government a greater level of comfort that their concerns are being closely watched,” she said.

Houston said that local governments often hire lobbyists to represent them on specific or broad issues, or to watch a local bill running on their behalf.

She also said the town can legally enter into a lobbying contract but that the council should decide whether it would be in the town’s best interest.

If Chapel Hill decides to go forward, it won’t be the first in the state to do so — other towns across the state have lobbyists at both state and national levels.

The city of Wilson hired the Ferguson Group, a private lobbying firm, to represent them in Washington, D.C. from 2005 to 2011 for about $120,000 each year.

It has also been represented by lobbying firms at the state government level since 2006.

Brian Bowman, public affairs manager for Wilson, said that among other issues, the city hoped to get federal money to protect old buildings in the downtown area.

Bowman said the town successfully acquired the federal funds, and downtown renovation projects are still underway.

“We wanted to preserve the historic buildings because once they’re gone, you can’t get them back, and we didn’t have the money to do that on our own,” he said.

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