TITLE
Recommendation to authorize City Manager to execute contract for federal legislative advocacy services with Smith, Esposito & Lyerly, dba E. Del Smith and Company, Inc., in the amount of
$118,320 for a period of one year. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
The firm of E. Del Smith and Company, Inc., has successfully represented the City of Long Beach in Washington, D.C. before the United States Congress and various federal agencies for over 30 years. The previous contract between the City and E. Del Smith and Company, Inc., which was amended by the City Council on November 23, 2004, expired at the end of the Fiscal Year 2005 (FY 05). Based on the unique access and influence of the firm’s partners in Washington, D.C., and their extensive understanding of the City of Long Beach and related agencies, the approval of this proposed annual contract is recommended.
SUMMARY OF LAST YEAR’S ADVOCACY EFFORTS
The past fiscal year was a tremendously active year for the City on the federal level. Below is a summary of some of the major issues the City faced that E. Del Smith and Company, lnc., was intricately involved with.
.Federal Energy Bill
This year, E. Del Smith and Company, Inc., spent significant time advocating against legislation in the federal Energy Bill that would pre-empt the City’s decisionmaking authority related to the siting and permitting of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) facilities and a proposal to grant the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission eminent domain over LNG terminals. The firm kept the City informed of the latest developments, made connections with key legislators, advised the City on the need
for correspondence, facilitated meetings for our federal legislative delegation, and aggressively represented the City Council’s position to oppose legislation that would pre-empt state and local government authority. The firm was also helpful in coordinating the joint efforts of both the City and the Port, which was also opposed to the pre-emption language i...
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