Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting
January 19, 2023, 10:30 a.m.

Board Action:

• ​#39-23-0085    The environmental justice policy was strongly supported by the commissioners. Commissioner Davis voiced support for the policy which advances equity and diversity. Commissioner Spyropoulos echoed that support,  highlighting it as a “living document” that can adapt to changing times. Commissioners Garcia, DuBuclet and Brown also spoke in favor.
• #40-23-0086  The commissioners adopted criteria for leasing district lands. Commissioners complimented Director Perkovich and the staff for their work.  Commissioner Garcia stated that the district is more than a waste water treatment facility. It is the second largest property owner in the county. He complimented the Friends of the Chicago River for their work. The district receives $25 million per year in income from its leasing. Commissioner Spyropoulos expressed appreciation for the fact that the policy was broad in scope, allowing for flexibility, while Commissioner Brown approved the policy’s openness to input from municipalities.
• #42-23-0091 MWRD Legislative Program for 2023. Commissioner Davis complimented Director Perkovich and his staff on building in adequate time for the board to consider the program. He highlighted the plan to facilitate solar and wind initiative and strongly urged the agency to push for a Department of Diversity (JEDI-Justice, Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion).  He asked Director Perkovich if the staff was ready to act on the will of the board.  Commissioner Steele spoke for the director and assured Commissioner Davis that the staff was prepared to address this issue. Commissioner Spyropoulos  expressed support for an equity department and urged that it go beyond the creation of the department to being specific in its goals, authority and method of reporting. 
• #45-23-0109  The  Board accepted the appointments of the chairs and vice chairs for the standing committees as revised. Commissioner Steele stated that these assignments were for a period of two years. 

No New Business - No Executive Session

Observer: Georgia Gebhardt

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting
January 5, 2023

MWRD Commissioners elected

• Kari K. Steele for another term as President of the Board
• Kimberly Neely Du Buclet as Vice President, and
• Marcelino Garcia for another term as Finance Chair

They also postponed until the next meeting on January 19 the appointment of Chairs and Vice Chairs of the standing Committees.

Other Board Action:

• Passed a resolution to acknowledge and review studies regarding disparities affecting Middle Eastern or North African (MENA) people.  Currently MENA people are not a protected class under affirmative action or otherwise recognized as a category by the U.S. Census Board.  During discussion it came out that the City of Chicago is doing such a study and, once it was finished, the MWRD would review it and consider whether it should take any action to deal with any identified disparities of this group.  (Agenda #5, File # 23-0043).  One of the public speakers of the Arab American Association on behalf of the MENA Community thanked the MWRD for this resolution.
• Passed all other items on the agenda except for one item deferred and the other item deleted as described below.
• With regard to one Stormwater Management item (Agenda #35, File # 23-0015), the authority to enter into an intergovernmental agreement with the Chicago Board of Education to install green infrastructure at 24 schools, Comm. Spyropoulos asked where the staff was with creating a similar program for the suburban schools.  Executive Director Perkovich stated that the memo was being finished and should be brought to the Board soon.

Item Deferred:

• A purchase order for EMS PRISM Compliance Softward License Renewal.  Comm. Garcia said he had questions about whether PRISM was the right program to use.  He asked for deferral to allow the Executive Director time to provide a memo answering the Commissioner’s questions.  (Agenda #17, File # 23-0017)

Item Deleted by the Executive Director:

• Purchase orders to enter into agreements with 4 different entities for State Legislative Consulting Services.  (Agenda #22, File #23-0038)

Observer:  Priscilla Mims

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting
December 15, 2022

Board Action

• The 2023 budget of $1,624 Billion with 1957 FTEs was approved with no discussion.  The number of FTEs was a reduction from 1972 FTEs in the 2022 Budget with most of those reductions at the Stickney plant.  
• Also approved without discussion were amendments to the Sewage and Waste Control Ordinance. The primary changes were to replace the term Standard Methods with US-EPA Approved Methods; and to increase and simplify the Noncompliance Enforcement Charges Table which has not been changed since 2012.    (Agenda Item #IW22-001A)
• Resolutions calling for the payment of 2023 dues to the U.S. Water Alliance and the Water Research Foundation were approved after twice being deferred by Commissioner Davis over his concern that these two organizations were not being sufficiently pro-active in lobbying for legislation and regulation holding PFAS chemical manufacturers responsible for cleanup and removal.  (Agenda Items #22-1190 & 1191).   Note:  The 3M Corporation recently announced that they will eliminate the production of PFAS chemicals by 2025.

Stormwater Management

• Blue Island Washington Street Flood Control purchase order previously approved was rescinded.  The staff expects to resubmit with Blue Island and MWRD sharing the costs.  #22-1129.
• Additionally, ten other inter-government projects were approved without discussion most for either green alley or permeable pavement contracts.
• Two end of year reports were accepted:  Prioritized Projects covering 2022 and into 2023; Future projects to be considered; and a map showing the locations.  #22-1148.

Commissioner Requests

• Commissioner Sepulveda asked for a list of projects that were not accepted for consideration under #22-1148.
• Commissioner Davis asked that the recent PSAS Board Directions be transmitted to both the U.S. Water Alliance and the Water Research Foundation and the “Polluter Pay Principle” applied to these two and any other Water organization membership that the MWRD has.  Commissioner Sepulveda asked for quarterly reports on these requests; a list of MWRD activities on this issue, and a list of the organizations’ activities.  She also requested a list of committees with whom our staff is in conversation.
• Commissioner Garcia asked if there is an increase in participation goals when change orders increase by significant dollars including those contracts where change orders take them from under to over the $100,000 floor.
• Commissioner Garcia asked for a Study Session on Procurement.  He listed several issues to explore.  The League will monitor this request.
• Commissioner Sepulveda attended an EPA meeting on the Robbins water problems and suggested that when projects are considered for water main replacements, the MWRD also look at whether the sewers should be replaced at the same time so as to perhaps qualify for some state and federal monies.

Board Attendees:  Davis, DuBuclet, Flynn, Garcia, Pogorzelski, Sepulveda, Steele, Spyropoulos
Absent:   Yumeka Brown                                                                 

​Observer:  Diane Edmundson                                Length of Bd meeting: 75 min.

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting
December 1, 2022; 10:30 a.m.

Board Action:
Agenda Item #41-022-014B- Commissioners adopted the Affirmative Action Ordinance Revised Appendix D of the MWRD of Greater Chicago on an unanimous roll call vote.
Main provisions of the ordinance:

1. Certification from the City of Chicago, Cook County and other approved governmental agencies will be accepted.
2. Diversity Department will accept certification requests year-round instead of once a contractor is part of a winning bid.
3. The District will formulate a process for a Diversity Advisory Council during the next 6 months.
4. Furnish and Deliver contracts will be routed to Diversity. All Furnish and Deliver board letters will contain statements on whether goals can be added or not.
5. Diversity will develop a stand alone Small Business Program in 2023.
6. There will be reporting on a bi-annual basis.

President Steele reminded the commissioners that this is a living document and can be changed as circumstances evolve.

Agenda Item #2-22-1047:  The MWRD Board of Commissioners honored outgoing Chakena Perry, highlighting her impressive credentials. Ms. Perry is a graduate of Connecticut College and the University of Chicago. She has been the youngest commissioner on the Board. Commissioner Perry has been an activist in Planned Parenthood, chair of the Cook County Young Democrats and worked for environmental justice. 

Agenda Item #5-22-1080: The MWRD Board honored Nellie L. Jones (1976-1982) who was the first black woman commissioner at the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District. Ms. Jones was an architect of the first affirmative action program. Commissioner Perry introduced the extended family of Nellie Jones, whom she had invited to her last meeting. Several commissioners expressed interest in developing a program to further highlight and honor Ms. Jones.

Stormwater Management:

• Agenda Item 37-22-1071- The Board granted the authority to amend the Intergovernmental Agreement with the Board of Education of Chicago to extend the Space to Grow program through 2023.

New Business:

• As of December 8, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Building will be named the Barbara G. McGowan Building in recognition of the commissioner’s thirty-two years of service. 

Commissioner Comment:

• After the second public comments, Commissioner Davis expressed interest in an equity department. This would require legislative authority. It would cover more than just affirmative action.

Observer: Georgia Gebhardt                    Executive Session:  Yes

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting
​November 17, 2022; 10:30 A.M.

Board Recognitions:

• The MWRD Board recognized retiring Inspector General Patrick M. Blanchard. Commissioners expressed appreciation for his integrity and wished him well in his retirement. Mr. Blanchard complimented the agency on its high standards of administration. 
• Commissioners Morita and McGowan were lauded for their service to the MWRD. Ms. Morita will be leaving to take a seat on the Cook County Board, while Ms. McGowan will retire having been the third longest serving commissioner in the history of the agency.

Much of the rest of the meeting was spent in discussion of a review of amendments to the Affirmative Action Ordinance. 

• Commissioner Corral Sepulveda was particularly concerned that the language of the ordinance be clear and concise, and that there be a common understanding of the intent of the document both among commissioners and the staff.
• There was a consensus that the MWRD would acknowledge the certification of other agencies, but would continue to be a self-certifying agency.
• Commissioner Corral-Sepulveda said that in examining the language, parts of the process could be confusing to those who were applying for certification. The process needs to be streamlined.
• Commissioner Spyropoulos  suggested it would be reasonable to accept the work that another agency had already done and to simply add whatever might be missing.
• Commissioner Corral-Sepulveda was concerned that the staff did not seem to be clear on the intent of the Board.  
• There was some discussion of the need for the verification process to be done before the bidding. Commissioner Morita asked why it could not be an ongoing process.
• President Steele expressed a hope that this be passed in December. However, there seemed to be many unanswered questions, leading Commissioner Garcia to suggest that another study session was necessary before finalization.
• The vote at this meeting would be to continue to review. (Agenda Item 22-014A, #38)

Agenda Items 22-0931, 0932, 0933 (#8, 9, 10)  Commissioners requested quarterly reports from lobbyists to monitor the progress of making companies responsible for PFAS. Commissioner Spyropoulous suggested that there be a specific schedule of dates for the reports. Commissioners Garcia, DuBuclet and Morita asked for updates from the executive director. 

Agenda Item 22-1033 (#37) This was an item to enter into an intergovernmental agreement with the city of Evanston as part of the green infrastructure program, one of  whose goals is to expand into the suburbs. The Executive Director reported they are working with consultants now to increase participation.  There has not been an overwhelming response from suburban schools. Commissioner Davis suggested it might be because there are no cohesive funders in suburban areas, like there are in the City of Chicago. Executive Director said they would work to improve outreach.

Consent agenda (#1-38) was unanimously approved on a roll call vote, except for #27 which was deferred.

New business: Will do a poll to find a date after Thanksgiving for study session on affirmative action amendments.
 
Observer: Georgia Gebhardt

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting
​November 3, 2022  

Three Water Associations’ membership renewals that were deferred from the October 22nd Board meeting were again deferred after extensive discussion prompted by Commissioner Davis’ statement that he would vote NO on all three.  His statement represents his strong viewpoint that State and National Water trade associations should better represent water utilities by adopting the “polluter pay principle” in their legislative agendas.  In particular, PFAS, which are considered a forever toxin, need to be identified and stopped at their manufacturing source.  
Executive Director Perkovich noted that he is in regular conversation with these trade organizations but that the issues are complicated.  The very robust discussion that ensued involved all nine commissioners and led to requests for more specific information about what the Trade Associations are doing to lobby for PFAS removal and what resources would be lost if membership was dropped.  They also asked the District to develop a strategy for how best to proceed.  Davis wants the District to push the Trade Associations to take more responsibility for helping utilities protect water effluents in addition to limiting member’s legal liability.  Several commissioners stated that they want to continue membership but work with staff and the District’s state and federal lobbyists.  Items #12-14, 22-0931,32,33
The resolution requesting board and public review of the Affirmative Action Ordinance Amendment prompted a request for another Study Session as several recommendations from the Disparity Study were not included.  Important missing items were the acceptance of other government procurement certification lists, moving previously exempted furnish and deliver contracts under AAP compliance, establishing a Diversity Advisory Council, and revisiting the surety bond requirement.  Item #44, 022-014

Budget & Employment

• Commissioner Spyropoulos asked if the delay in issuing the 2nd installment property tax bills has significantly affected the MWRD.  Answer:  No because of healthy reserves and the District has already received the 1st installment payment.      Item #37, 22-0991

Stormwater Management

• The Board approved entering into a $900,000 intergovernmental agreement with the Village of Winnetka for the acquisition of flood-prone property.       Item #43, 22-0981

Deleted Agenda Items

• #17, 22-0947  Commissioner Sepulveda asked that this item which was deferred at the October 22 meeting be deleted.  It is for a Technical Assistance Program to assist women and minority businesses.  She stated $100,000 is not enough investment to ensure a successful program and wants a new RFP with more specifics, expectations, and dollar investment.
• #41, 22-0994  The Executive Director deleted without discussion a request to grant the County of Cook a 75-year non-exclusive easement to construct, install, operate, maintain, repair, and remove a public road across several North Channel Parcels.   

Deferred:

• In addition to Items 12-14 above, a 3-year license renewal and software maintenance agreement was deferred by Commissioner Garcia without board discussion.  Item #22, 22-0053

                                    
Note:  The AAP Study Session will be held on November 9, 2022

Observer:  Diane Edmundson