Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting  –
November 7, 2024

Prior to the start of its formal agenda the Board heard 45 minutes of testimony from 12 people –most residents of the town of Harvey --regarding the MWRD’s proposal to buy out a dozen flood-prone homes in the town and use those parcels to construct a stormwater holding basin. There were comments in favor of and against the plan. The Board had also heard comments from Harvey residents at the October 17th Board meeting.   

• Christopher Clark, Mayor of Harvey and several current and former Alderman spoke in favor of the stormwater basin construction and thanked the Board for approving the project, saying payments to residents for their homes seemed generous.  They were wearing T-shirts reading “Harvey Supports Water Basin.”  
• Those in opposition cited distrust of the Mayor; fear the project was too close to a school and confusion about why the 12 homes had been selected when there were hundreds of abandoned properties in Harvey.   An elderly resident whose home would be demolished in the plan said she was too old to move, lived alone, and did not know where to go.   
• The Board did not respond to comments; President Steele offered to assist the elderly resident.

Stormwater Management

• Item 10. #24-0982 and Item 25. #24-0971.   In agenda item 25, the Board increased without comment the amount of an existing purchase order for small streams maintenance (group A) by $347,000 bringing the new total cost to $3.9 million for work contracted to J&L Contractors, Inc.  Clearing streams of brush and deadfall facilitates stormwater flow throughout Cook County, and is a tool for flood prevention.  Agenda item 10 provided authority for the MWRD to advertise a new contract for stream maintenance at an estimated cost of $3.9 million.  This was also passed without discussion.
• Item 37. #24-0995. The Board accepted without comment a report from the Stormwater Management Committee saying a project to acquire 2 flood-prone properties in Northlake at a cost of $550,000 was cancelled because the homeowners were not interested in selling their property.

Industrial Pollution

• Item 30  #24-0956.  Report on public notification of dischargers found to be in significant noncompliance of pre-treatment standards or other requirements during 2023.  This is an annual report of industrial polluters, which in this case included two pages of corporate names. 
• ​Commissioners Davis and Flynn pulled this item from the consent agenda for discussion. Their questioning focused on the procedures, penalties and timelines for escalating sanctions against non-compliant dischargers.  Staff answered Commissioner questions and the item was returned to the agenda.

Phosphorus Removal

• Item 11 #24-1007.  The Board agreed without comment to advertise a contract for chemical phosphorus removal from wastewater with an estimated cost between $16 and $19 million dollars.

General

• Item 19 #24-0991. Without discussion the Board awarded a $20 million contract for rehabilitating Salt Creek Intercepting Sewer #3 to Inliner Solutions, LLC.  
• Item 4 #0985.  Toward the end of the meeting President Steele brought forward a resolution on the part of the Board of Commissioners to adopt Volume 1 and certain portions of Volume 2 of Cook County’s multi-jurisdictional hazard mitigation plan. 
• Other resolutions recognized Veteran’s Day, October as Hindu Heritage Month, and November as National Native American Heritage Month

The entire consent agenda was approved.

Observer - Laurie Morse                       Executive Session: No          Meeting length: about 2 hours

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD)
​Board of Commissioners Meeting​
October 17, 2024

Public Comment

• Eight public speakers including a community activist from Evanston and a non-profit representative spoke for 70 minutes before the agenda business began.  Residents expressed deep concern with the location of the proposed retention basin [close to a school], the loss of their home with not enough compensation to purchase equivalency, the requirement for several elderly individuals to move, and their distrust of the mayor.  
• It wasn't clear if the community activist had been invited by Harvey residents to speak, but he was very vocal and talked about the commissioners losing voter support if they do not address the resident's concern.  President Steele assured the residents that the MWRD wants to work with them and that she will speak with the relocation staff.  
• She also allowed the commissioners to offer comments which almost never happens during the public comment period.  Several Commissioners voiced their concern and support for finding a compromise. Commissioner Spyropoulos suggested holding another public meeting in Harvey so that residents' questions and concerns are fully heard.

Board Action

• At 11:45 a.m. the Board began to discuss agenda business. 
• Item #47 was deferred by Garcia with no questions allowed.  This is a contract procurement issue based on the selection of a bid that was not the lowest and has been contested several times.   Another bidder that was the lowest spoke and asked that the contract go out for rebid. Later in the morning, Garcia lifted his deferral and asked that Item #47 be placed on the afternoon agenda.  A roll-call vote affirmed the afternoon placement.  During the afternoon session, this item was voted on, again by roll call, and passed with 6 ayes, 1 no, 1 present, and 1 absent.  #24-0936.

All other agenda items were approved without discussion including:

• 1)   $37 million dollar in General Obligation Refunding Bonds.
• 2)  Resolutions recognizing "imagine a Day Without Water; October as LGBT History Month; and the 35th anniversary of the Federation of Women Contractors.
• 3)  Motion to approve dates and times for the 2025 regular board meetings of the MWRD.

An Executive Session was held from 12:05 to 12:40. When the board meeting resumed the agenda items were read in full and passed without comment. 
​In new business, President Steele noted that the MWRD Civil Engineering Team won an award from the Illinois Engineering Association for its work on the Addison Creek Project.

Observer:  Diane Edmundson

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD)
Board of Commissioners Meeting
October 3, 2024

In a meeting that lasted over two hours (excluding the time spent in Executive Session to discuss labor negotiations), the MWRD Commissioners addressed several issues raised in public comment and discussed several agenda items, ultimately approving all except two items which were deferred.

Issue of Harvey Stormwater Project

• There were 7 public speakers who expressed opposition to the MWRD’s and Harvey’s project to build a stormwater retention basin which was previously authorized by the Board and which includes the acquisition of 31 land parcels, some of which are vacant and some of which include occupied residences.  The MWRD expects the project will provide flood reduction benefits to approximately 209 structures.
• Some of the speakers alleged that Harvey does not maintain its property and so they are worried about the upkeep of the retention basin, and others expressed concern about displacing those whose homes were being taken to do the project.
• President Steele addressed the speakers’ concerns by stating that the MWRD had negotiated the purchase price with all the owners of occupied homes, with just 2 agreements left to finalize.  The President said that as of the day before the meeting, all the homeowners, including the 2 who have not yet finalized a deal, have said that they are satisfied with the process.  In fact, Item 37 on the meeting’s agenda was to authorize the purchase of one of those homes, with the contract to include an amount for relocation, as agreed to by the homeowner.  (24-0870)  President Steele said that eminent domain has not been used to acquire any of these occupied parcels, but has been used only for vacant parcels where the owner has not been able to be contacted.
• President Steele also said that part of the intergovernmental agreement with Harvey addresses maintenance of the retention pond.  The MWRD held town hall meetings in Harvey to allow citizens to ask questions and raise concerns.  Several other Commissioners , including Brady-Davis, Davis, Corral Sepulveda, Brown, and Flynn, commended the MWRD staff and the project which Commissioner Brady-Davis referred to as an example of environmental justice addressing an area that needed stormwater to be addressed.

Other Public Comments

• Two members of the SEIU Local 1 union asked the Board to make a reasonable offer to the union during the ongoing negotiations.  President Steele said that the health and safety of employees is the Board’s number one concern and said that she wants the union members to know the Board appreciates their hard work.  She also said that some recent emails which had been sent to the Executive Director and some of the Commissioners contained false information:  specifically, the allegation that the MWRD had offered only a 1% raise was not true.  
• Cook County Commissioner Scott Britton spoke expressing gratitude for the Board including Item 2 on the agenda, recognizing Cook County United Against Hate, which he had started. (24-0872)

Agenda Items Deferred

• Comm. Garcia deferred the authorization to make payment to Current Innovation, NFP, for the 2024 annual membership dues of $100,000.  (Item 14, 24-0863)  Comm. Garcia said that he wonders if there are other similar groups in the area and wants more information as to where Current is working and what partnerships Current has.  President Steel and Commissioners Corral Sepulveda, Flynn and Spyropoulos all expressed support for Current, which the MWRD helped found, and praised the activities of the organization, particularly under the current Executive Director.
• President Steele deferred the proposal to enter into an intergovernmental agreement with the School District in Burnham for the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of the NatureNook Pilot Project 1.  (Item 40, 24-0866)  This would be the first of 4 pilot projects in the Suburbs along the lines of what the MWRD has been doing with Chicago schools.  It would include green infrastructure in the school playground to reduce stormwater runoff, as well as to educate the students and public about the benefits of green infrastructure.  President Steele said she was deferring to allow time for her questions to be answered by the MWRD staff.

Other Agenda Items Discussed (and approved)

• Commissioner Davis called for a roll call vote on authorizing the payment of $103,005 as membership dues for the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) so he could vote no.  He said that NACWA was supposed to provide quarterly reports to the members, which it hasn’t.  Executive Director Perkovich, who is also on the Board of NACWA, was able to tell Comm. Davis that it will support a resolution/bill on PFAs, once the legislation is introduced.  Comm. Corral Sepulveda said she had talked with MWRD staff and was satisfied as to the value of NACWA, but said she would like to see the organization be more pro-active, rather than reactive.  The item did pass with 7 yeas, 1 nea (Davis), and 1 present (Spyropoulos). (Item 10, 24-0842)
• Commissioner Garcia praised the 3 items authorizing contracts with entities to provide services for the upcoming bond sale under the District’s Financing Program.  Comm. Garcia noted that these reflect the District’s goals of awarding a minimum of 30% of the work and services to one or more MBE/WBE firms and a minimum of 3% to one or more VBE firms.  (Items 11, 12, and 13, 24-0847, 24-0948, and 24-0849)
• Commissioner Davis asked about the item which authorizes the increase by $1 M of the existing $10 M contract to haul the increase in biosolids from MWRD facilities due to the unusually dry late summer.  Comm. Davis expressed surprise that a dry summer had not been anticipated in the original contract and bid.  Exec. Director Perkovich explained that the excessively dry conditions in downstate Illinois has resulted in farmers wanting more biosolids, which provide moisture.  The Executive Director said that in the future, the MWRD’s estimates for this type of contract would anticipate more demand due to dryer summers.

Time of meeting:  2 hours and 9 minutes (excluding the Executive Session)

Observer:  Priscilla Mims

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting
September 19, 2024

Board Action:
​There was a long Commissioner discussion about the award of the 39th Street conduit rehabilitation to Michels Trenchless for a higher bid than Instituform, who bid $3 million less (the total bid was over $40 million), but for which Instituform did not make a good faith effort to comply with the MWBE requirements of the MWRD.  The issue is that MWRD be fiscally responsible to taxpayers while at the same time requiring 12% MWBE participation.  Coms. Davis and Garcia needed more questions answered before committing to the higher bid, and seven commissioners voted to delete the item from the agenda.  (Item 24 #24-0786)

Coms. Corral-Sepulveda and Spyropoulos voted against the deletion.  The Procurement department keeps a list of MWBE approved subcontractors that could do work for the award winner.  Michels Trenchless apparently did not meet the 12% MWBE hurdle either, but Instituform had asked for a complete waiver.  During Public Comment the VP of Sales for Instituform spoke in opposition to the bid award to Michels Trenchless, in a repeat of the September 5 MWRD meeting.  

Com. Brady-Davis promised that they would have the report covering the MWBE process by the December meeting.  The consultant’s full procurement report with recommendations is also due in December.

The state lobbying contracts with four law firms for another year was deferred by Pres. Steele, with no discussion.  (Item 28 #24-0803)

With the exception of Items 24 and 28, all other board items were approved including the twice deferred EMS PRISM Compliance Mgmt. Software License Contract. (Item 15 #24-0690)

Public Comment - Environmental groups spoke in support of Urban Agriculture to reduce flooding and decrease urban food insecurity

• Speakers from the Cook County Farm Bureau and Friends of the Chicago River spoke in support of the MWRD’s resolution to use available land for urban agriculture projects. (Item 4 #24-0817) 
• Friends of the Chicago River supports the MWRD plan to lease sixteen acres OF WATER at the Schaumburg Egan Plant to install a floating solar array.  Com. Davis thanked the MWRD staff for innovation in helping to make the floating solar panels a reality. (Item 42 #24-0813).

Observer:  Amy Little                              The meeting lasted 90 minutes with no Executive Session.

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting
September 5, 2024

Items Discussed:
During the public comment period, the vice president for sales of Insituform Technologies USA LLC spoke against the proposed awarding of a bid for the 39th Street conduit rehabilitation –phase II to Michels Trenchless Inc, (Agenda Item #53, File # 24-0786).

• Michels bid was for $42.3 M, while Insituform’s was for $40.4 M.  According to the material with the agenda, Insituform’s bid was rejected for failure to meet the MBE, WBE, and VBE goals.  Insituform had requested a waiver of those goals, but, according to the agenda materials, the MWRD staff determined that the company did not substantiate a good faith effort to comply with the goals.
• Insituform’s vice president said the company felt it had made a good faith effort and has a subcontractor that does not have a WBE certification from Chicago or the MWRD, but does have other national certification.  The vice president also asked whether the MWRD had ever granted a waiver.
• This item was pulled from the Consent Agenda and deferred by Vice-President Flynn.

The only other item discussed was the proposed purchase order for EMS PRISM Compliance Management Software renewal (Agenda Item 27, File #24-0690).

• This item was deferred at the last meeting by Commissioner Davis (see the observer report for the August 8 meeting).
• Commissioner Garcia asked for a second deferral because he had not had all his questions answered.  
• Because this was a second deferral, a vote had to be held, and the motion to defer was passed 8 to 0.

New Business:  Commissioner Davis asked for a status report by the next Board meeting concerning the Environmental Justice Grant received by the MWRD from the Environmental Protection Agency.

Total meeting time:  50 minutes, plus an Executive Session which Vice-President Flynn said was to discuss labor negotiations.
All Commissioners present except Commissioner Spyropolous.

Observer:  Priscilla Mims

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting
August 8,  2024
                                               
Public Comments  

•   Tessa Murray from the Friends of the Chicago River listed their concerns with the elimination of some of the requirements and regulations concerning watersheds and flood control.

​Board Action - Agenda Items:         

• All items passed except Item #41 which was deferred
• Item #45  Landscape maintenance at various service areas.   This item was deferred at the July meeting. Commissioner Davis said that the procurement process in regard to diversity is flawed.    A vendor was not considered because they did not include the required letter of intent from a subcontractor that is needed to fulfill the diversity goals.  One of the vendors did not need a sub-contractor to meet the goals, the company itself met it.   But the rules require that they should still have included a letter of intent.  Commissioner Garcia recommended that a workgroup of departments be convened to address the issues.  President Steele directed Executive Director Perkovich to organize the workgroup and address  the process requirements and propose changes to make it more efficient. The contract was approved, Commissioner Davis abstained. (24-0604)
• Item #62 Report on change orders authorized and time extensions.  Commissioner Corral Sepulveda questioned why the project is 244 calendar days behind schedule. Catherine O’Connor from Engineering said that there are significant delays in getting electrical components. (24-0652)
• Item #69  Report on the 2023 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Retirement Fund.   The retirement fund for the MWRD is better funded than many other municipal funds in the state, but not nationally.    It faces challenges.  Like all mature plans there is a gap between the number of employees currently working and the number of retirees.  This year, 80 people retired from the MWRD but there were only 40 new hires.  The MWRD has been contributing supplemental money to the retirement fund.  Commissioner Corral Sepulveda stated they would need to keep monitoring this and how it affects the overall budget. (24-0669)

Deferred Items

• Item #41  Commissioner Davis asked that the license renewal of  EMS PRISM Compliance Management Software be deferred.  Other municipalities are using different software.   President Steele asked Executive Director Perkovich to send the Commissioners all the information on PRISM.   (24-0690)

 The meeting began at 10:30 am and ended at 12:30 pm.   There was no Executive Session.
All Commissioners present except Commissioner Brady-Davis and Commissioner Brown

Observer - Kathi Graffam