'Not Clear': Elmhurst Council Cuts Influencer Budget

ELMHURST, IL – A narrow Elmhurst City Council majority on Monday cut by two-thirds the $60,000 budget item that was designated, at least in part, for social media influencers.

This followed city staffers' shifting explanations of what the money was meant for.

"I'm sorry, I don't think staff has done a good job explaining this," Alderwoman Emily Bastedo said. "I'm less clear than when this meeting started."

The council discussed the $60,000 line item for more than a half hour.

In the beginning, Alderman Jacob Hill proposed cutting the item by $40,000.

"I think it's inadequately explained," Hill said. "I don't think it meets the litmus test for the budget if it can't be explained."

City Manager Jim Grabowski said the purpose for the line item was "mischaracterized a bit." It wasn't just for influencers, but "all of social media marketing," he said.

Aldermen, however, noted that another line item earmarked $10,000 was listed specifically for "social media marketing."

Grabowski's comment seemed to differ from the statement of the city's communications director, Kassondra Schref, at a meeting two weeks ago.

Then, Schref said the $60,000 was a "placeholder" in the budget in case another influencer opportunity arose. She said an outlet approached the city in the past year, but no money was budgeted.

At Monday's meeting, aldermen said they were confused over the categories in the budget for communications.

"It's not clear," Alderman Michael Bram said. "We can see the discussion here tonight. It doesn't seem like anybody is 100 percent certain on what is going on with this line item and how to define it from one year to the next and the cost from one year to the next."

A city budget document listed the $60,000 item as being for a "paid media/influencer campaign for Explore Elmhurst."

A social media influencer bills the organizations and communities they promote. As for "paid media," city officials appeared to believe they could pay a TV outlet to promote Elmhurst's downtown as part of the outlet's news coverage.

The city's finance director, Christina Coyle, said the money could be used, in part, to pay a WGN news crew to feature Elmhurst.

Alderman Mike Brennan expressed surprise that a news crew would require payment in such cases.

"I always thought that if we landed on WGN or ABC that they just came out and did this out of the kindness of their hearts, and sometimes they do and sometimes, I guess, they don't," Brennan said. "I would rather Elmhurst be in a position where we can take advantage of an opportunity to showcase our beautiful town."

Throughout the United States, media outlets consider payment from sources a breach of their ethics.

WGN, for instance, says it follows its trade group's code of ethics. The code states, "In journalism, content is gathered, selected and produced in the best interests of viewers, listeners and readers — not in the interests of somebody who paid to have a product or position promoted and associated with a familiar face, voice or name."

The City Council voted 7-6 in favor of cutting $40,000 from the item in question, with Alderman Brian Cahill absent.

Voting to ax the money were Hill, Bram, Bastedo, Rex Irby, Chris Jensen, Karen Sienko and Guido Nardini. Supporting the $60,000 were Brennan, Marti Deuter, Jennifer Veremis, Noel Talluto, Tina Park and James Nudera.

Shortly after, the council unanimously approved next year's budget with the change.

On Nov. 22, Patch filed a public records request with the city for any correspondence with the outlet that the city said wanted to feature Elmhurst. Four days later, the city delayed its response by seven days.