Peru Mayor vetoes council’s decision to appoint corporate counsel to full-time position

Peru Mayor Ken Kolowski vetoed two ordinances during Monday night’s Council meeting that would have allowed current Corporate Counsel Scott Schweickert to join the city as a full time employee.

The aldermen voted 8-0 in favor of adopting an ordinance editing the language of the corporate counsel position and voted 7-1 on a second ordinance to accept an employment agreement with Schweickert. Kolowski vetoed both decisions.

Alderman Aaron Buffo was the one dissenter in the second vote and said he doesn’t disagree with statements saying Schweickert has done good work for the city. Instead, he said he disagrees with the agreement as it originally stands because there were no negotiations and he viewed it as a first draft.

“The city did not take this out for applications,” Buffo said. “It’s very likely Scott would be the best candidate, but we don’t know that for sure.”

Alderman Tom Payton spoke in favor of the ordinance granting the city a full time counsel. Payton said the move would save the city money in the long term.

“We have an opportunity to bring our counsel in house at a set price,” Payton said. “I believe this would be a win because we’d save money long term, and the amount of work Scott Schweickert would do in-house would be tremendous.”

Mayor Ken Kolowski said his decision to veto the Council’s decision was not made in haste. The conversation surrounding the corporate counsel ordinances spanned three closed sessions over the past six weeks, including a two hour closed session before Monday’s regular Council meeting.

“I’m not questioning (Schweickert’s) abilities or talents, I appointed him.” Kolowski said. “But, I think the system in place is working and is extremely successful.”

Kolowski said taking on Schweickert full time would create a new department for the city and would be expensive. For those reasons, he said he doesn’t think the move would be right for the city at this time.

Kolowski said there’s a difference of opinion between him and some aldermen on whether or not taking Schweickert on full time would save the city money.

Schweickert said he made the city the original offer to be a full time employee. The employee agreement says he would come in full time and give up his private practice in exchange for a $150,000 salary including benefits and paid vacation.

Schweickert also stated he’d take on additional duties, including work related to economic development.

“The day to day operations of the city need more professional oversight ... to help improve the operations and efficiency of the city,” Schweickert said. “I think it’s gonna be hard to find somebody else that has been around the city, has the desire to work for the city and the dedication and love of the city that I do.”

At the next council meeting on Sept. 26, Kolowski plans to present a written statement to the aldermen explaining his reasons for exercising his veto power. The Council will have the opportunity to bring the matter back to the table during the following meeting on Oct. 10.

Peru City Council meetings are held every two weeks at 7:00 p.m at 1901 Fourth Street.