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Boundary Issues for Voting and Services Discussed at MWRD Board Meeting

2/28/2020

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Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting
February 20, 2020

Board Action:

Agenda Item 38. 20-0053 A. At the February 6 Board Meeting, the board asked to split this agenda item, the MWRD Legislative Initiative for Springfield, into 2 sections and deferred the resolution. In this meeting, the board approved Initiative #1 that would amend the District’s enabling ordinance to allow the Board to transfer excess revenue from any source legally available to the pension fund. Initiative #2 - to request amending the enabling ordinance to allow all Cook County voters to vote for MWRD commissioners regardless of whether they reside within the MWRD area - was deleted.
Agenda Item 29. 20-0169. The authority to issue a three month permit to Commonwealth Edison Co. to use 10,000 sq. ft. portions of land parcels in Bedford Park as helicopter landing zones for delivery and access to its transmission line. Further consideration of tree removal along with reclamation and remediation for the parcels will be built into the permit. This was approved with consideration that there be a $5,000.00 annual fee
Deleted Agenda Item: - Item 10. 20-0149 Authority to Furnish and deliver Sodium Bisulfite. No venders met the criteria for compliance. Commissioner McGowan asked if minority firms were contacted.
Deferred Agenda Item: Item 24. 20-0097 was deferred for a second time. The authority to award contracts to furnish, deliver and install an upgraded operator for TARP Gate 1 at the O’Brien Water Reclamation Plant.
Nine Resolutions were presented honoring February’s Black History Month and several individuals.

Public Comments:

Sally Stone and Rob Sulski spoke on behalf of land parcels 34A and 34C in Glenview and Northbrook regarding the lack of care and management of parcel 34B. Invasive plant specie’s seeds are flowing downstream and creating contamination problems in the other two parcels. Those two communities have volunteers that maintain those parcels. They suggested mowing earlier and often. The Board agreed to follow up with answers by the end of the week and agreed to consider community help.

Commissioner Request:

Commissioner Cameron Davis requested that in the future, proposed Ordinance resolutions be published at least 30 days in advance of board review or vote for public notice and comment.

All commissioners except Garcia were present. He arrived for the 1:00 p.m. Study Session covering the Affirmative Action Disparity Study Report.

Observed by: Pat Lind Length of Meeting - 2 hrs.

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MWRD Board Discusses Proposed State of Illinois Legislation Program for 2020

2/9/2020

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Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting
February 6, 2020

Primary Topic Discussed:
State of Illinois 2020 Legislation Program (Agenda Item 20-0053)

Legislative Initiative #1 of State of Illinois 2020 Legislation Program was unanimously approved. This will amend the District’s act to allow the Board of Commissioners to transfer excess revenue from any source legally available to the pension fund. Currently, there is only statutory authority to transfer property tax and interest income. An example would be if TIF surplus funds were redistributed. These could be transferred to the pension fund. The initiative would provide the Board with flexibility in utilizing excess revenue. A two thirds vote would be required for such action.

Legislative Initiative #2 - was separated from the original agenda item. This initiative would amend the District Act to extend the right to vote for the Board of Commissioners to all registered voters in Cook County. Currently, only voters within the corporate boundaries of the District have this right. The District has legislative authority for stormwater management throughout Cook County. Rationale: to bring the District political boundaries into line.

Commissioner Shore stated that this is a fairness issue for voters outside corporate boundaries. In the past grants have been rejected because residents were not within the district boundaries. There is no relationship between voting and paying taxes. All have a right to services.
Commissioners all expressed general support for the initiative but had questions to be answered before they could feel confident in voting. Commissioner McGowan asked for a specific list of the municipalities affected. There will be a study session on February 20 at which questions regarding the initiative can be addressed. The deadline for all bills to be out of committee is March 27, 2020.
The motion to divide the two legislative initiatives was approved unanimously.

Commissioner Garcia (in absentia) requested a weekly legislative report while the General Assembly is in session.

Other Board Activity:
The MWRD Executive Director gave the quarterly report for the Retirement Fund. (Agenda Item 20-0126)

He was gratified to report that 30% of the firms working with the fund are owned by women and/or minorities.
There is a net operating deficit because contributions do not cover payouts. Longer-lived pensioners, while a positive, bring funding challenges.
Returns on investments must fill this gap.

An Ordinance directing the County Clerk to reduce levy of taxes on Capital Improvement Bonds for levy year 2019 was approved with 8 ayes; 0 nays

New business:

Commissioner Davis reported feedback from his constituents regarding ethics ordinances. They requested thirty days for public comments on all ordinances.

Observer - Georgia Gebhardt Meeting Length: 2 hours

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Boundary Issues for Voting and Services Discussed at MWRD Board Meeting

MWRD Board Discusses Proposed State of Illinois Legislation Program for 2020

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