Boundary Issues for Voting and Services Discussed at MWRD Board Meeting

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.