Peru’s Mayor will veto an ordinance that would have hired Attorney Scott Schweickert as the full-time city attorney. The city council voted 7-1 in favor of hiring Schweickert with Alderman Aaron Buffo casting the only no vote. Buffo says he voted no because the city didn’t do an application process and the contract was never negotiated. Schweickert says he was asking the council for a $150,000 contract for him to quit his private practice and work for the city full time.
Mayor Ken Kolowski says Schweickert was his appointment and he wants him to keep representing the city.
He says the city has been doing fine getting things done while Schweickert has been the corporate council. Schweickert says the city is growing fast, and with companies like GAF Roofing Materials moving in, the city will make more money. He says the Tax Increment Financing District would bring in $20 million.
Alderman Tom Payton says this would have been a progressive step that the city council was taking. He says the city has a 55 million dollar operating budget.
Resident Martin Rue Jr. also told the council that he was not for it as well because the city is already spending too much money. City Clerk Dave Bartley says the mayor will write down what he doesn’t like about the ordinance, but it could be brought up again at a future city council meeting for another vote.