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No Material Weaknesses Reported on Financial Audits of Water Reclamation District

6/21/2017

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Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting - June 15, 2017

Significant Decisions Made:

The annual audits of the various funds of MWRD were reported and discussed in detail and all received no material weaknesses. There was increase of revenues of $19 million and increase in expenditures of $24.6 million related to increased construction and pension payments. (Agenda Items 17-0623 and 17-0628)
Authorized the sale of a piece of district real estate located at 3548 South Ashland Avenue in Chicago, owned and not used since 1908, to the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co, for $50,200. They were the sole bidder. (Agenda Item 17-0616)
There was some discussion about the the payment of $2M to the U.S, Corps of Engineers as an advance of funds for their non-federal sponsor’s share of costs related to the Chicagoland Underflow Plan McCook Reservoir. The funds are necessary to keep progressing on the ongoing project while efforts continue to procure federal funds to complete the project. There is an $11 million shortfall. Payment was authorized. (Agenda Item 17-0664)

Unexpected Events/Items:

Chicago High School Students, winners of their Science Contests, reported on their successful winning experiments for the hour prior to the commencement of the meeting. This was not on the agenda.

Other Comments/Observations:

The formal meeting was called to order at 10:46 a.m., (scheduled for 10:30am) and most of the business was processed via the consent agenda.

Observer - Syvia Tillman Meeting Length: One hour fifteen minutes

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Addison Creek Flooding Addressed by Water Reclamation Board

6/12/2017

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Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting - June 1, 2017

Highlights of meeting:

A purchase order was approved to acquire parcels of land and to contract with a law firm to represent the District in acquiring these property rights in connection with the construction, operation and maintenance of the Addison Creek Channel Improvements Project. This project involves the municipalities of Northlake, Stone Park, Melrose Park, Bellwood, Westchester, and Broadview and will reduce flooding along Addison Creek in these towns. Approximately 2,200 properties should expect relief from flood damage.
Hanover Park Water Reclamation Plant (HPWRP) is a waste water, raw sewage treatment facility. This plant owns 200 acres, known as Fischer Farm, adjacent to HPWRP. "This farmland also includes 100 usable acres for growing corn, oats and soybeans. Solids produced at this HPWRP are recycled as soil conditioner for the farm fields." MWRD received authority to award Contract Farming to Oros & Busch Application Technologies, Their services include land application of waste water residuals.
The Chatham Neighborhood of Chicago is an area where basements are prone to flooding. It is also common for the yards and streets to be flooded. The Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT) has already been working in this neighborhood to address the flooding with community groups and residents suggesting practical and affordable improvements such as repositioning downspouts, adding rain gardens and backflow preventers to help keep property dry. The MWRD entered into an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with and will make payment to the City of Chicago to share the cost of a research pilot study in this neighborhood to reduce basement backups and flooding. The pilot study will evaluate up to 40 homes for a combination of flood control devices and passive storage systems and be headed by CNT.

Resolutions:

The Board officially recognized the "Recovery on Water" rowing team that uses the Chicago waterways, for the positive impact it has made on the lives of many breast cancer survivors. For more information on Recovery on Water.
The Board also recognized the Veterans of WW II especially at the 73rd Anniversary of D-Day, June 6, 1944 and Honor Flight Chicago.
Chicago landscape photographer Brad Temkin was congratulated by the Board on being named as a 2017 Guggenheim Fellow for his project "The State of Water", containing photographs of MWRD infrastructure and other cities' water management infrastructure.

These items were deferred from the agenda:

Purchasing of new and replacement computer hardware from HP Inc.
The resolution recognizing Dr. Lakhwinder S. Hundal's 25 years of service and contribution to the field of soil and water environment.

Observer: Michele Niccolai

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No Material Weaknesses Reported on Financial Audits of Water Reclamation District

Addison Creek Flooding Addressed by Water Reclamation Board

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