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Will the MWRD Board Create an Inspector General Position?

4/27/2017

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting - April 20, 2017

Significant Issues Discussed/Presented:

At the very end of the meeting, President Spyropoulos requested that the Legal Department draft a resolution on developing an Inspector General position for the MWRD. No discussion ensued. Public speaker, George Blakemore, urged that the position be "independent".
A representative of the Sierra Club called upon the MWRD to actively support HB2958 calling for a statewide ban on Coal Tar pavement sealants. Historically, coal tar sealants have been used in the central and eastern U.S. 85 million tons of coal-tar based sealants are used annually to coat driveways, parking lots, and playgrounds. According to a study by the USGA, someone living next to coal-tar-sealed pavement has a risk of cancer that is 38 time higher than urban background exposure. Water running off a parking lot coated with coal-tar-based sealcoat had 30 times more toxic chemicals called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons [PAHs] than water from an unsealed lot. The Sierra Club has produced an excellent information sheet for distribution.* The Club noted that the MWRD does not use coal tar sealants.

Three resolutions were deferred from the agenda and will likely reappear in upcoming meetings:

Resolution #17-0439: Requesting authority to award a contract to HC Construction Companies at $8.85 million dollars for an Organic Waste Receiving Facility and Digester Gas Flare System Upgrade, at the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant. Executive Director, St. Pierre, explained that this contract is part of phase one of the Strategic Plan's goal for MWRD operations to become energy neutral and will help with the need to reduce phosphorous in the water dispersed into the Chicago area waterways and ultimately the Mississippi by getting carbon into the Calumet Plant. The plan includes the selling of excess energy which St. Pierre stated will offset the cost of this contract. Board members were not ready to agree and asked for deferral. Commissioner Avila believes a study session is needed.
Resolution #17-0411: Requesting authority to advertise for a contract for Phase 1 of the Buffalo Creek Reservoir Expansion which is estimated to cost between $20 and $24 million dollars. The expansion is along the Des Plaines River to capture storm water which will benefit downstream waters and homeowners. It was estimated that 107 structures in Cook County will benefit. No reason given for deferral request.
Resolution #17-0393: Requesting authority to advertise for a contract to truck haul liquid sludge from the Lemont Water Reclamation Plant. Estimated cost $262,700. No reason given for deferral request.

Diane Edmundson - Observer

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MWRD Cybersecurity Concerns Continue

4/10/2017

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Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting - April 4, 2017

Major Item Discussed:

The Board approved a purchase order to CDW Government LLC, to furnish and train on FireEye Web Security. FireEye provides real-time threat protection for web, email and files, against cybersecurity attacks. Commissioners asked questions regarding training, particularly since 41% of cyberattacks are related to employees. They were told that people will be trained to monitor 24/7 to try to stay ahead of “bad thinks” and that both incoming and outgoing traffic will be monitored. (Agenda Item #17-0326)

Highlights from the Meeting:

The meeting started with the Mayor from Crestwood as a public speaker discussing leasing 7 acres of land from MRWD at a reduced cost 6% vs 10%. (I was unsure what the base amount the 6% would be paid from.) The Mayor shared that the Village of Crestwood would take over development of the area itself, using all union labor, and the sight would include retail shops/restaurants, a retention pond and Veteran’s Park. The Mayor stated that the debt would be paid off in 8 years. The lease of the land is for 60 years and it is estimated to generate 2,500 job. I believe it was approved. (Agenda Item #17-0385)
Another resolution was recognition of Mohammed Ali Shabbir the leader of a group from India who has been reviewing MWRD sewage treatment systems. Interestingly, it was noted that Mohammed Ali Shabbir is from the opposition party, but he works with everyone to improve the conditions for 7.5 million people in his city. (What a great idea!)
Resolution #17-0380 authorized an intergovernmental agreement between MWRD and the Cook County Assessor’s Office. The resolution deals with properties outside of the district that are contributing to stormwater run off, but are not fee accessed on those properties. David St. Pierre stated that they are still working on this issue and it is complicated.

Final Comment: The meeting was adjourned for an executive session to discuss human resource issues. One of the commissioners graciously shared with me that I would need to exit due to the executive meeting breakout and kindly offered that I could wait in her office. She was not able to tell me how long the meeting would last and after waiting 20 minutes, I left the building.

Observer - Laura Davis Time observed - 40 minutes

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Will the MWRD Board Create an Inspector General Position?

MWRD Cybersecurity Concerns Continue

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