Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting
January 6, 2022

Board Action: 
The MWRD Board singled out four items for discussion: 

• the 2022 Legislative Program  
• translation expenses
• IGA with the Village of Glenview.
• the expenses under $9900

All roll call votes passed unanimously.

2022 Legislative Program: (Agenda Item #21-22-0013)

• Commissioner Davis expressed concern with the program on two fronts. 1) Commissioners submitted sixteen items and only one was included; 2) Timing was a problem. Commissioners did not see the memo until hours before the December adjournment. He said he needed assurance that this would change to at least two months to discuss.  Executive Director Perkovich stated that the timeline could be adjusted. 
• Commissioner Spyropoulos expressed a need for more research on pension bonds. President Steele said the Board might need a study session on this topic.
• Commissioner Corral Sepulveda questioned legal aspects of communicating notifications such as late filing fees, expressing confidence in the traditional method of communicating via certified mail rather than email. The Executive Director said that users preferred the electronic opt-in because of its convenience. 
• Office of Independent Inspector General (IIG): Several Commissioners questioned why the MWRD would need to have their own IG when the current partnership with the Cook County IIG was working so smoothly. Mr. Perkovich said using the Cook County IIG is going well, however, the proposed legislation  would allow another option for the MWRD to have their own IIG. The current agreement with Cook County expires this year. President Steele stated that the MWRD initially did not have the authority to establish an IIG, but that they should have the option to do this.
• Several commissioners supported Commissioner Davis’s call for more in depth discussions on the legislative program. They called for regular updates from the MWRD staff in Springfield. Mr. Perkovich committed to these updates. He also stated that the legislative information had been sent out in September.
• Commissioner Sepulveda asked how the Board could be sure that their messaging was consistent when they lobbied representatives in the General Assembly. Mr. O’Connor, the team legislative leader, said he would issue a weekly email to be sure the commissioners were well informed.

Translation Expenses (Agenda Item #18-22-0015)

• Commissioners requested more detailed information on translation increases.
• The Executive Director explained they are expanding dissemination of information to more groups. Currently, information is sent in Spanish, Polish, Chinese, and English.
• Commissioner Garcia commended the outreach and asked staff to expand to Arabic as well

Storm Water Management: 
IGA with the Village of Glenview for flood abatement: (Agenda Item #22-22-0007)

• Commissioner McGowan expressed concern about the MWRD’s reimbursement process, considering that the Village of Glenview does not have its own diversity program.
• The staff reassured her that funds would only be transferred after Glenview had demonstrated compliance. The affirmative action department pays in increments and no funds are disbursed unless the goals are met. Dr. Barry of the diversity department monitors this. 

Deferred or deleted items:  None

New business: 

• The MWRD Board of Commissioners welcomed Chakena D. Perry, the commissioner appointed by Governor Pritzer to fill the vacancy left by Debra Shore. Commissioner Perry was formerly a staff member for Commissioner Morita, a former Deputy Press Secretary for Chicago Public Schools, and one of Chicago Scholars “35 under 35.” She earned a BA in history at Connecticut College and is currently a candidate for an MA in public policy from the Harris School of Policy at the University of Chicago. 

Observer - Georgia Gebhardt

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting
December 16, 2021

Budget:  

• The Board amended the Adopted 2022 Budget that had been approved on December 9 by increasing the Corporate Fund by $834,900.  Much of this increase is due to an increase in the Maintenance & Operations budget to accommodate the carry forward of a building services contract and to cover higher planned costs for parts and chemicals.
• In addition, the Capital Improvements Bond Fund was increased by $65 M from the 2022 Adopted Budget, due to changes in the schedules for several capital projects.
• With these changes, the 2022 Budget is final at $1.294 B. (Agenda Item 1, File #21-1219)
• The Tax Rate for 2022 is $0.3747 per $100 of Equalized Assessed Valuation, unchanged from the 2022 Adopted Budget.  This is slightly less than the $0.3765 rate for 2021.  However, the total tax levy for 2022 is $678.9 M, a 2.5% increase over 2021. 
• Also unchanged from the 2022 Adopted Budget is the number of employees at 1,971, an increase of 31 as compared to the 2021 Adjusted Budget. 
• An amendment which created an Environmental Justice Section reporting to the Executive Director (but which added no costs) passed unanimously.  This new Section will be staffed by an Assistant Civil Engineer (a currently vacant position to be transferred from the Engineering Department) and the Human Relations Manager for diversity, equity, and inclusion. This new Section is to coordinate activities outlined in Strategic Goal 5 in conjunction with the Climate Action Plan. (Agenda Item 3, File # 21-1221)
• A proposed additional amendment to the budget, which would have had no impact on the totals, was pulled for discussion and later voted down.  Under this amendment, $50,000 would have been moved from one line item to provide funding for legal services for the Board of Directors.  Commissioners Davis, Garcia, Morita, and Corral Sepulveda voted for the amendment.  President Steele, Vice President McGowan, and Commissioners Du Buclet and Spyropoulos voted “no.”  Those voting against cited the fact that the MWRD has a Legal Department, and Comm. Du Buclet said she could find no other body that had its own lawyers on staff apart from that government’s legal department.  With the 4-4 tie, the motion to approve this amendment failed. (Agenda Item 2, File # 21-1220)
• Apart from the discussion of Agenda Item 2 above, there was no other discussion concerning the specifics of the budget.

Other Board Action:

• The Board approved, by separate vote but no discussion, an ordinance establishing the right-of-way for the construction, operation and maintenance of the Flood Control Project in the Worth Woods Subdivision in Worth, Illinois.  (Agenda Item 12, File # R21-004)
• All items on the rest of the agenda were approved, including the item under Stormwater Management, the authority to enter into an intergovernmental agreement with and make a payment to the Village of Willow Springs for the acquisition of a flood-prone property in an amount not to exceed $465,000.  (Agenda Item 51, File # 21-1171)

New Business:

• Comm. Garcia pointed to the upcoming review of new policies for 2022 concerning Land Use and Environmental Justice, as well as the review of the existing Affirmative Action policy.

Observer:  Priscilla Mims

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting
December 2, 2021

Board Action:

• Of the 40 agenda items, six were pulled for discussion:  Among them was a request to advertise for contract farming at the Hanover Park plant.  The purpose of the farming is to allow for continued disposal of MWRD created biosolids on the land.  By planting corn, the nutrients from the biosolids are absorbed, thereby allowing for continued disposal. Cost of contract to the MWRD is estimated at $628.4 thousand. Commissioner Spyropoulos requested a deferral and asked for a report to include the history of the property, how the growing process came about, and what other options including planting tree samplings can be grown.  Commissioners’ Garcia and Morita respectively asked for a status report of the biosolid project and a list of other options for this land including cost.  (Agenda Item #11 21-1114)
• Another land use issue was the request to advertise for bids on a 5-year lease on 3.78+ acres of vacant district property in Forest View.  Initial rental bid set at $155,000.  This is the 2nd time this request has been on the agenda; and after initially deferring at this meeting, Commissioner McGowan lifted the deferral.  The property would be paved over for truck parking because, according to staff, it is not suitable for recreation due to its location.  Commissioner Davis said that the Land Use Policies need to be looked at and applied to this type of property.  Commissioner Garcia, Chair of the Land Use Committee, noted that 80% of MWRD land is already in conservancy and that the adjacent canal was created for business. He said that the committee and staff are working on a draft of two polities on Land Use and expects there will be a Study Session in January 2022.   (Agenda Item #14  21-1135)
• After receiving a report of the significant violations of pretreatment standards or other requirements by industrial users, Commissioner Spyropoulos asked if there is a public list of non-compliant businesses and was told that the staff would provide a list.  She noted that in 2019 there were 61 on the list and in 2020, 66.  The 2021 data should be available by mid-year 2022.  The EPA has said that the MWRD needs to be tougher on industrial users who are non-compliant.  (Agenda Item #36  21-1106)

Stormwater Management

• The Board approved an intergovernmental agreement with and to make payment to the city of Prospect Heights to acquire flood-prone property in an amount not to exceed $376,000.  (Agenda Item #40 21-1142)

New Business

• Commissioner Davis noted that the last Inspector General’s report noted significant cost overruns.  Davis said that the board regularly receives change orders with more than 5% cost overruns and 20% delays. He said he will be monitoring future requests.
• The Board approved a motion to authorize Juneteenth as a District Holiday.
  
• The Board also authorized the extension of the sunset provision of the Affirmative Action Ordinance to be moved from December 31, 2021 to June 30, 2022 to accommodate the yet to be received new Disparity Study.

Board Requests

• Commissioner DuBuclet requested a list of Media vendors used by the District to advertise.  
• Commissioner Spyropoulos requested staff provide a memo on the District’s process and violators for the last five years and also include what other agencies are doing in this regard.  

After Meeting Public Hearing on the 2022 Budget

• Commissioner Davis said that the Budget is a statement of values and asked that a dashboard on budget progress towards climate change goals be created and an Environmental Justice Office be created within the agency.   He also asked that the Space to Grow Project be expanded to include the suburbs of which there are 120+ in Cook County.  His third request for future budgets is the hiring of an attorney reporting directly to the board.
• There was only one public Speaker, Mr. Michael Archie.  He said that the board, based on its current trajectory, cannot reach its goal of energy neutrality by 2023.  He said the technology is out there to meet it by 2030-35, but the District has to embrace the technology.

Observer:  Diane Edmundson

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting
November 18, 2021

Board Action:

• Consent agenda items (except #1,2, & 3) were passed unanimously by a roll call vote.
• #8-(21-1073) There was a question on the disparity between the bid and the estimate for the item. Executive Director Perkovich explained that it was a more complicated bid because of its location at the executive airport. This resulted in fewer bids being submitted.
• #24-(21-1065) There was a brief discussion related to the increase in funding for tree saplings. Commissioner Davis emphasized that this project was important to the work on climate change and the environment. Several commissioners asked for cost per tree. ED Perkovich reported cost was 50 cents per sapling which will fund 8,000 more trees. 
• #31-(21-1057) asked to extend the collective bargaining agreement to December 31, 2021. Commissioner Davis stated that he supported the unions but asked how much more time would be needed for negotiating the contracts. Director Perkovich assured the board that the negotiations would be wrapped up by the end of the year and there would be no further need for extensions.
• Ordinances 2 & 3 were passed unanimously by roll call vote. R21-003 vacates the Right of Way for the Flood Control Project in Ford Heights. UC21-001 authorizes an amendment of the User Charge Ordinance of the MWRD.

Deferred item: 

• #1 (021-015) -Authority to amend the sunset provision of Ordinance 020-003 to extend expiration date from Dec. 31, 2021 to June 30, 2022 for Affirmative Action Ordinance. Commissioner Garcia requested this be deferred.

Executive session was requested by Commissioner Spyropoulos to discuss minutes of the meeting that are closed to the public. Time of session: 14 minutes.

Commissioner Corral Sepulveda requested a list of MWRD janitorial positions. Commissioner Davis asked for same information. President Steele reminded Board that any information requested is always shared with the entire board.

Observer: Georgia Gebhardt

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting
November 4, 2021 

The majority of the one hour board meeting was devoted to the Commissioners asking Staff questions about what criteria is used to award inter-government agreements to assist local municipalities and other governmental organizations with green infrastructure projects.  Commissioners learned that the staff is now ranking requests based on the amount of water captured, the median income of the area covered, and the structures protected to determine the most productive contracts.    The board then gave staff the authority to negotiate these agreements. Stormwater Mgmt.  21-1034.

Board Action: 

• Several of the 48 agenda items were pulled for discussion, but none were deferred or deleted. 
  
• Final approval was given to amend the Rules of the Board of Commissioners to allow board members to attend executive sessions remotely after the Covid state of emergency has passed as long as an in-person quorum has been met.  (Agenda Item 21-0128).
• Six bond issuances were approved totaling just over $1 billion dollars.
• MWRD’s agreement with the CC Sheriff’s office to support its Prescription Drug Take-Back Program was extended another year.  MWRD will contribute $80,000. (Agenda Item 21.-1014).

Stormwater Management

• Approval was given to amend a 2020 intergovernmental agreement with the City of Des Plaines for the acquisition of flood-prone properties in an amount not to exceed $10 million. Previously, an acquisition amount was not specified. (Agenda Item 21-1035)

Special requests

• Comm. Mariyana Spyropoulos requested a discussion with the CC Sheriff’s Office to include Sundays in their Prescription Drug Take-Back Program schedule.
• Comm. Barbara McGowan followed up on her previous request for a list of partnership contracts that includes the dollar amount the District paid, the names of the contractors, and the dollar amount each received.

Observer - Diane Edmundson

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting
October 21, 2021 

Commissioner Debra Shore said good-bye to fellow commissioners, staff and the public, thanking them for their work and support, and noting she and her colleagues strove to improve the quality of lives for all residents.  Saying that as an environmental activist, her landing on the MWRD Board was “improbable” and that it was equally improbable “to be leaving here as I am.” President Biden appointed Ms. Shore as Regional Administrator for Region 5 of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, where she has already begun work. 
Ms. Shore quoted from President John F. Kennedy’s “Strategy of Peace” Commencement Address to American University in 1963:  “If we cannot end now our differences, at least we can help make the world safe for diversity.”

Public Comment
Diane Edmundson, League of Women Voters of Cook County Board Member,  addressed the board, requesting the Agency restructure its Board Meetings so executive sessions are held at the end of the board meeting prior to adjournment.  Ms. Edmundson said this change would allow more efficient use of staff and observer time, and generally help the Public.

• Commissioner Shore asked staff to come up with proposals to accommodate the League’s concerns, and Commissioner Morita was supportive, asking staff if there were any reasons why the change couldn’t be made. 
• Commissioner Corrall Sepulveda called on her previous role as Clerk for the Village of Hanover Park, and said having executive sessions at the end of public meetings was considered “best practice” and “seen as a way to make meetings more accessible to everyone.”
• Commission DuBuclet also asked if there was a legal reason not to make the change. President Steele asked staff to circulate a memo written two years ago on this issue. 
• Vice President McGowan asked staff and Board members if they had received comments from others about this issue. 
• It was agreed the board would return to the issue after new Commissioners read the subject memo.

Board Action 

• The Board heard Dr. Catherine O’Connor read the proposal to sell $575 million in general obligation bonds to fund District capital projects.  The Board voted in favor by acclamation, with all but Commissioner Davis present.   (Agenda Item 21-0962)
• Three items passed as part of the consent agenda with limited discussion. They grant the MWRD authority to advertise $13 million worth of janitorial; trucking; and facilities work. The three items included a $2 million contract for janitorial services at the Erie Street headquarters (deferred from the Oct. 7 meeting); $6.5 million in truck hauling of bio solids; and Drop Shaft Modifications and Collection Facilities work for $4.5 million.  (Agenda Items 21-0879 (18), #21-0937 (19), #21-0942 (20).
• The board also approved, as part of the consent agenda, a contract change order for biosolids handling. The change will pay Steward Spreading $14,137,905 for the work, instead of the previously agreed $12,937,905; an increase of $1.2 million. (Agenda Item 21-0936 (31).
• The Board continued its debate over board rule revisions that might allow Commissioners to attend Executive Sessions remotely (so long as an in-person quorum has been met) after the Covid state of emergency has passed.  Commissioner Corral Sepulveda made a series of motions and amendments, with the initial motion agreed upon unanimously, and the amendments passing without the support of President Steele or Vice President McGowan.  (Agenda Items 21-0923 (46), 21-0923A, 21-0923B)

Stormwater Management

• The Board agreed to assist the City of Northlake in the amount of $600,000, for the purpose of acquiring flood-prone properties in that community.  (Agenda Item 21-0947 (47)

Special requests

• Commissioner Shore asked Staff to provide proposals to accommodate the League’s request to move Executive Sessions from the middle to the end of the board meetings [but before the board adjourns].
• President Steele requested staff to circulate a memo on Board executive sessions.
• Commissioner Garcia asked staff if there was anything the MWRD could do to assist with the drinking water crisis in Dixmore and Harvey.

Observed by Laurie Morse