Annual Financial Reports of the MWRD & MWRD Retiree Health Care Trust Receive Excellent Report

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting
​June 6, 2024

Board Action:

• #7 24-0472   Michael Malatt, CPA, gave the MWRD a clean bill after the annual audit. He stated that the audit results were free from misstatement and that the firm was able to issue a “clean opinion” which is the highest rating possible. No weaknesses and deficiencies were found. He described the report as “boring” because nothing of concern was found. 
• #1 0490   The MWRD Commissioners voted unanimously to appoint Steven J. Lux as Treasurer of the MWRD of Greater Chicago. 
• #10 24-0474    Commissioner Davis questioned this item related to the rejection of bids. This particular agenda item was not the issue, but rather Davis was concerned about the ongoing history of rejecting bids because of such things as missing signatures and other minor omissions. He stated that this type of rejection discourages bidders. Bidders spend a good deal of time preparing their bids, and taxpayers lose when there are delays for months. Commissioner Davis said that this has been an ongoing issue, for which the department has not yet found a solution. 
  
• Commissioner Garcia echoed Davis’ comment. He said procurement processes still need attention. It is not happening and is taking too long.  Commissioner Corral-Sepulveda asked when the software contract expires. Perhaps a different software might help. What has the department done to respond? Commissioner Garcia asked if the MWRD was moving toward a consultant. He suggested that this would be a good move.  Commissioner Davis agreed, emphasizing that the consultant should be independent of the MWRD and its related associations.  Commissioner Flynn stated that she would expect bidders to be professional and to meet all the requirements without having missing signatures and other details.  President Steele directed ED Perkovich to provide the commissioners with necessary information and follow up on this issue.

Deferred Agenda Item:  

• #27 24-0464    Commissioner Garcia requested that this item be deferred. It is authority to award a contract to furnish and deliver electrical supplies for a one-year period.

Commissioner Request: 

• #35 24-0469   Commissioner Spryropoulos requested an update on the agenda item which requests the authority to decrease the contract to design and build a biosolids processing facility at the Stickney Water Reclamation Plant. 

Executive Session: A 20-minutes session was held to discuss minutes of the Open Meetings Act.   

Observer:  Georgia Gebhardt                                                 ​Meeting length:  1 hr. 20 min.