Heights Hires Private Companies to Help Operate City Departments

The city council approved replacing a department head with a consulting firm and operating two other departments with the help of a private company.

The Chicago Heights Economic Development Department is operating under the consultation of the company JPH Inc. for the time being, after the city council voted 5-1 in favor the move at their Monday meeting. The firm will fill the role of economic development director, once held by Joe Kudra, who took the city's early retirement incentive. Mayor David Gonzalez said the city has not determined whether the move toward contracting out the economic development department head's duties will be temporary or permanent. "We haven't made the determination whether to bring it back in-house or to continue increasing the companies that can help us with economic development," Gonzalez said. "Right now, what we need is somebody just to cover the …

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