Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting 
​October 20, 2022

Agenda Items
The Board in a series of resolutions recognized October 18th as the 50th anniversary of the Clean Water Act. The District is also celebrating the centennial of the Cal-Sag Channel.  Commissioner Spyropoulos remarked on the return of wildlife to the Chicago area waterways since the Clean Water Act was implemented, and noted the law continues to protect our waterways and our drinking water.

The day’s agenda included authorizations to pay for MWRD memberships in three national trade associations in the water industry.  Commissioner Davis pulled these items for discussion, and then deferred their approval until the Board knows more about the lobbying strategies of these organizations and how they are planning to hold PFAS polluters accountable for PFAS clean-up. “Our taxpayers should not be paying the cost of removing PFAS,” Davis said. “Manufacturers should be responsible.”

• 22-0931. Item 8. Authorization for pay 2023 membership dues ($16,725.00) to the Water Reuse Association. Deferred
• 22-0932. Item 9.  Authorization to pay annual membership dues ($93,880.) to the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA). Deferred
• 22-0933. Item 10. Authorize payment of $24,426 in membership dues to the American Water Works Association. Deferred

Commissioner Davis asked to see proposed legislation by the trade associations regarding PFAS, and if it holds manufacturers responsible for removal costs. Other Commissioners agreed, adding questions for staff. Commissioner Corral-Sepulveda asked for an assessment of the issue from the MWRD’s federal lobbyist, and asked for a report on proposed PFAS legislation in Illinois. Commissioner Morita said life cycle accountability of products should require producers of PFAS to pay back taxpayer-funded clean ups. Commissioner Garcia asked for information on what entities are responsible for guiding PFAS clean up. Commissioner McGowan requested a staff note on the benefits the District receives from these Trade Associations.

22-0948. Item 15.  Funding for a technical assistance program. Commissioner Corral-Sepulveda deferred this item, saying funding proposed for the program did not seem adequate to achieve its goals. 

22-0947. Item 32. Report on change orders and time extensions approved by the Director of Engineering from June through September 2022. Commissioner Davis questioned why the district had so many change orders, and suggested implementing a process that can more precisely scope projects. Executive Director Perkovich agreed, saying he would go back to staff and take a look at their process.

Bio solids

• 22-0913. Item #27 The Board authorized an increase in its contract with Metropolitan Biosolids Management, L.L.C., to design, build, own, finance, operate and maintain a 150-dry-tons per day Biosolids processing facility at the Stickney Water Reclamation Plant.  The contract also allows the vendor to “beneficially use” the biosolids product for a period of 20 years. The $1.3 million contract increase brings the new contract amount to $192 million.
• 22-0917. Item #14 Staff authorized a call for bids to re-pave and rehabilitate the Lawndale Avenue solids management area.  The MWRD estimates the paving cost will be $8.1 million.

Both of these items were approved as part of the consent agenda without Board questions or comment.

Stormwater Management

• 22-0938. Item 11.  Board members approved an increase in the estimated cost of building the main drop shaft at the Chicago River on Armitage Avenue. The drop shaft is part of a flood control project on Chicago’s north side, and part of the Agency’s Tunnel and Reservoir Plan (TARP). The MWRD did not supply the original cost estimate. The revised estimated cost to construct the drop shaft is now $12 to $14.5 million. This item was approved without discussion as part of the consent agenda.

Deferred or Deleted Agenda Items

• The Exec. Director deleted item # 39 – Thank you to P. Blanchard, Retiring Inspector General
• Commissioner Davis deferred #22-0932, 0932, 0933, Items 8-10
• Commission Corral-Sepulveda #22-0948, Item 15

Observer - Laurie Morse                                      No Executive Session 

METROPOLITAN WATER RECLAMATION DISTRICT BOARD MEETING
January 20, 2022 - 10:30 a.m.

The Board meeting was routine, with little discussion. Items of interest involved stormwater and flood control, contract settlements and public comments centering on the ongoing claim of an injured MWRD employee. 

Agenda Items:

• The MWRD Board of Commissioners acknowledged the 130th anniversary of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW). (Agenda Item 22-0050).
• The Board unanimously granted authority to approve the following agreements between the MWRD and 

1.     a. Local 399 (AFL-CIO)  - (Agenda Item 22-0074)
2.     b. SEIU Local 1 - (Agenda Item 22-0075) 
3.     c. Local 9 EITM-  (Agenda Item 22-0077)
4.     d. Local 9 Electrical Operators- (Agenda Item 22-0078)
5.     e. Local 9 Motor Vehicle Dispatchers- (Agenda Item 22-0079)

Stormwater Management:

• $50 million was transferred from the Stormwater Management Working Cash Fund to finance the   Stormwater Management Fund operations for 2022.
• A report was submitted on the Green Infrastructure Detention & Compensatory Storage Volumes required by the Watershed Management Ordinance.
• Board granted authority to negotiate an intergovernmental agreement with Northfield & Maine Townships for Flood Control Project on Central Road. (Agenda Item 22-0059)
• Board granted authority for an intergovernmental agreement with Calumet Park for South Throop Flood Project in the amount not to exceed $750,000 Agenda Item (22-0057) 
• Granted Flood Control Project with the Village of Lansing in the amount not to exceed $1,600.000. (Agenda Item 22-0057)

New Business:

• Commissioner McGowan was lauded for her work in organizing the annual African-American History Month for the MWRD. The Commissioner will retire from the Board after 31 years of service.
• Commissioner Davis thanked the staff for their work on the Covid vaccination policy and on reaching resolution of contract negotiations.
• Several commissioners strongly urged a timely and fair resolution to a worker’s injury claim stemming from an explosion in 2018. President Steele charged E.D. Perkovich to keep the Board advised. Commissioner Corral Sepulveda was disturbed that the union and the employee’s family had to resort to using the public comment period to push for resolution of the claim. Perkovich assured the Board he would keep them apprised.

Meeting was adjourned unanimously by a roll call vote at 12:08 p.m.

Note: Placement of Executive Session remained unchanged between the Committee of the Whole and the business meeting. There was no executive session at the Jan. 20 meeting.

​Observer:  Georgia Gebhardt

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting
December 16, 2021

Budget:  

• The Board amended the Adopted 2022 Budget that had been approved on December 9 by increasing the Corporate Fund by $834,900.  Much of this increase is due to an increase in the Maintenance & Operations budget to accommodate the carry forward of a building services contract and to cover higher planned costs for parts and chemicals.
• In addition, the Capital Improvements Bond Fund was increased by $65 M from the 2022 Adopted Budget, due to changes in the schedules for several capital projects.
• With these changes, the 2022 Budget is final at $1.294 B. (Agenda Item 1, File #21-1219)
• The Tax Rate for 2022 is $0.3747 per $100 of Equalized Assessed Valuation, unchanged from the 2022 Adopted Budget.  This is slightly less than the $0.3765 rate for 2021.  However, the total tax levy for 2022 is $678.9 M, a 2.5% increase over 2021. 
• Also unchanged from the 2022 Adopted Budget is the number of employees at 1,971, an increase of 31 as compared to the 2021 Adjusted Budget. 
• An amendment which created an Environmental Justice Section reporting to the Executive Director (but which added no costs) passed unanimously.  This new Section will be staffed by an Assistant Civil Engineer (a currently vacant position to be transferred from the Engineering Department) and the Human Relations Manager for diversity, equity, and inclusion. This new Section is to coordinate activities outlined in Strategic Goal 5 in conjunction with the Climate Action Plan. (Agenda Item 3, File # 21-1221)
• A proposed additional amendment to the budget, which would have had no impact on the totals, was pulled for discussion and later voted down.  Under this amendment, $50,000 would have been moved from one line item to provide funding for legal services for the Board of Directors.  Commissioners Davis, Garcia, Morita, and Corral Sepulveda voted for the amendment.  President Steele, Vice President McGowan, and Commissioners Du Buclet and Spyropoulos voted “no.”  Those voting against cited the fact that the MWRD has a Legal Department, and Comm. Du Buclet said she could find no other body that had its own lawyers on staff apart from that government’s legal department.  With the 4-4 tie, the motion to approve this amendment failed. (Agenda Item 2, File # 21-1220)
• Apart from the discussion of Agenda Item 2 above, there was no other discussion concerning the specifics of the budget.

Other Board Action:

• The Board approved, by separate vote but no discussion, an ordinance establishing the right-of-way for the construction, operation and maintenance of the Flood Control Project in the Worth Woods Subdivision in Worth, Illinois.  (Agenda Item 12, File # R21-004)
• All items on the rest of the agenda were approved, including the item under Stormwater Management, the authority to enter into an intergovernmental agreement with and make a payment to the Village of Willow Springs for the acquisition of a flood-prone property in an amount not to exceed $465,000.  (Agenda Item 51, File # 21-1171)

New Business:

• Comm. Garcia pointed to the upcoming review of new policies for 2022 concerning Land Use and Environmental Justice, as well as the review of the existing Affirmative Action policy.

Observer:  Priscilla Mims

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting
June 17, 2021

The MWRD Board agenda began at 10:30.  All commissioners were eventually present. 
There were no public speakers.   Auditors presented their findings for the MWRD and the MWRD Retiree Health Care Trust financial statements for 2020.  There are no material weaknesses, and the MWRD is in stable financial condition.
Commissioners asked for a number of items to be discussed, but in the end, there were two significant discussions:

• Item 21-0494 was singled out by several commissioners, having to do with annual dues membership to Current Innovation, NFP.  Com. Garcia wondered if the MWRD was getting much from the membership.  Com. Shore explained the background of MWRD’s relationship to Current Innovation:  There is no economic development department at the MWRD to attract businesses and organizations that highly value clean water, and that this group was recommended by World Business Chicago, as a combination of academia, business contacts, and venture capital to be able to provide the MWRD the ability to attract the attention of water-oriented businesses.  Coms. Garcia and Pres. Steele appreciated the history but asked Exec. Dir. Perkovich to report results from the membership in the next year.
• Item 21-0508 is a fifth attempt at issuing a contract to decommission the Thornton Provisional Reservoir, in critical use from 2003 to 2015 until the Composite Reservoir came on line.  No contractors bid on the project when it was put out to bid four times before.  This contract should cost between $21 Million and $25.4 Million.    The scope has been limited now to decommission after a “plug” will be put in the tunnel connecting the transitional reservoir with the Composite.  The Transitional holds 3.6 billion gallons of water while the new Composite holds 7.9 billion gallons.  The worst rain event occurred in 2008 when 9.5 inches fell in one day, and the Transitional was filled to capacity.  Since then neither has been filled.  Dr. Katherine O’Connor in Engineering reported the MWRD is using updated rainfall estimates and has calculated they do not need the temporary reservoir.  It rained 3 inches in 15 minutes in South Holland July 29, 2016, and the reservoir did not fill but residents had extensive flooding.  This point to the need for remediation more locally like bioswales and disconnected downspouts from the combined sewer.  The combined sewer pipes are not wide enough to carry all the water to the reservoir.  This item is deferred.   
  

Other discussed items follow:

• Item 21-0515 was deferred by request of Com. McGowan to research more about minority contracting within the nearly $5 Million mechanical contract over three years.
• Item 21-0549 refers to pre-employment psychological testing for police candidates.  Com. Spyropoulos suggested the MWRD research economies of scale with other city and county agencies performing the same testing.
• Item 21-0545 refers to Green Alley Reconstruction in Westchester for $675 K.  Coms. McGowan, Garcia and Corral-Sepulveda were interested in minority contracting with the Village of Westchester.  

All items were passed with the exception of the two deferred contracts.
Amy Little - Observer            

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting
September 17, 2020 
​
Approved General Agenda Items

• 20-0708 A purchase order with Colette Holt & Associations to conduct the District’s Affirmative Action Ordinance Disparity Study that had previously been deferred was approved for an amount not to exceed $341,765.  Comm. Garcia said that he was pleased the study will have an expanded scope.
• 20-0742 Request to decrease the 20-year contract amount with Metropolitan Biosolids Management to design, build, own, finance, operate and maintain a 150 dry tons per day biosolids processing facility at the Stickney plant and to beneficially use the final product for a period of twenty years.  The District isn’t producing the volume expected.  The contract calls for $10 million per year for 20 years starting from 2010 to Metropolitan  Biosolids to produce the final product.

Approved Stormwater Management Items

• 20-0762 The board approved an Intergovernmental Agreement with the Village of Lyons in the amount not to exceed $500,000 for a Green Alleys permeable paver project.  Comm. Garcia asked if the Districts biosolids were used in this type of project.  Answer:  No for alleys and Yes for landscape.  It was noted that Chicago has refused to use biosolids but with a new city person, the District is trying to educate him/her on its value. 
• 20-0763 The District is entering into agreements with municipalities for the use of the District’s GPS units to complete sewer system mapping to help find blockages.
• 20-0749 The District is entering into an agreement for a Stormwater Master Plan for Avalon Park, Englewood, Greater Grand Crossing, and South Shore communities.

Deleted Agenda Items

• 20-0622 The Executive Director requested that this item be deleted without discussion.  It had already been deferred at the September 3rd and August 6th board meetings.  The item asked for authorization to advertise a professional services contract to market EQ Biosolids from the District’s Harlem and Calumet plants.  The September 3rd observer reported that it has been difficult to find sub-contractors that are qualified to sell the biosolids.  
• 20-0659 Authority to rescind a contract for native landscape areas maintenance was deleted at the September 3rd meeting and was not on the September 17 agenda

Deferred Agenda Items

• 020-007 Request to Amend the Resources Recover Ordinance to reduce the tipping fee and increase Breweries’ willingness to sell and haul their waste to the Calumet Plant. Previously the waste was taken to Stickney, but Calumet is in need of the Carbon and Stickney isn’t.  Comm. Morita deferred.  Comm. Davis said he is in favor but would vote “no” because he had previously asked for a 30 day notice for ordinance changes.
• 20-0731 Comm. McGowan asked for deferral to advertise for bids for contracts, legal notices for original entrance and promotional civil service examinations, and other legal notices for a one-year period.  No reason was given.
• 20-0738 Request to advertise for a Management Services Contract to perform real time energy reverse auctions and advisory services.  Comm. Shore deferred as she wants to know how this fits in with the Districts “climate action plan”.
• 20-0744 Request to enter into agreement with AECOM Technical Services for civil consulting support services in an amount not to exceed $1.5 million.  Deferred by Comm. McGowan without discussion.
• 20-0773 Purchase order with Next Generation Technology, Inc. for enhancements to the District’s new website in the amount of $300,000 was deferred by Comm. Garcia.  Comm. Shore said that she found their initial presentation to be “underwhelming”.  This contract with a different vendor was previously deleted by the Executive Director.

Future Items:

• There will be a Study Session scheduled for October 1 at 1:00 to discuss concerns expressed by non-profits regarding how implementation of the District’s new Ethics Ordinance is impacting the non-profit community.  Three speakers using audio technology addressed the virtual board meeting.  Friends of the Chicago River represented two of the three speakers and asked for a moratorium on implementation of the Ordinance until concerns are heard and hopefully resolved.  The Inspector General will attend the study session.  
• Comm. McGowan asked for a report covering Intergovernmental Agreements over the last three years. Report would contain the following information:  1) Total amount paid by MWRD and total amount of the Project; 2) Names of the partners in the agreements; and 3) List participation goals both for the MWRD and the IG partners.  No time frame was given.

Diane Edmundson, Observer                          Meeting Length - 2 hours

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting  
June 4, 2020 

The nine Metropolitan Water Reclamation District’s Board members participated in an audio/visual board meeting that included input from public speakers via phone hookup.

Agenda Items -  The Board approved all consent agenda items.  The four below are included here either because of the size of the contract, interest of the Board, or interest of the Observer. 

• Agenda Item 20-0444 Authorization to amend the agreement with The Gordian Group, Inc., for professional services for the development and implementation of the Job Order Contracting System, for a one-year period, in an amount not to exceed $78,000.00.  Commissioner McGowan inquired about the fees concerning this company, and staff answered that the $78,000 is the maximum contracted payout and included the per assignment fee. 
• Agenda Item 20-0445 Authorization to increase Contract 17-942-11, Job Order Contracting Services, with McDonagh Demolition, Inc., for an additional twelve month period (first term), in an amount not to exceed $4,000,000.00, from $8,000,000.00 to $12,000,000.  A Presumptive Ethnicity Summary Report was attached. 
• Agenda Item 20-0437 Authorization to increase Contract 13-806-2S Television Inspection and Recording of Sewers and Manholes at Various Locations to National Power Rodding in an amount of $180,000.00, from an amount of $1,944,450.00, to an amount not to exceed $2,124,450.00. 
• Agenda Item 20-0440 Authorization to extend until July 31, 2020, the terms of the collective bargaining agreements between the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago and the unions representing MWRD workers. 

Stormwater Management

• Agenda Item 20-0446   Authorization to enter into an Intergovernmental Agreement with and make payment to the Village of Forest Park for the design, construction, operation and maintenance of the Storm Sewers Connection to Existing Des Plaines River Outfall in Forest Park, SSA (18-IGA-21), in an amount not to exceed $1,955,206.00

Deferred or Deleted Items - None

New Business

• Commissioner Avila commented on Covid-19's impact on declining revenues, the need to reduce future expenditures while ensuring the health and safety of employees. 
• Commissioner Shore commented on MWRD's Covid-19 response in providing essential services without interruption while protecting the health and safety of its employees.  Since MWRD's Covid-19 Response Plan will guide the district through the remainder of the crisis, Commissioner Shore requested the Board hold a study session to review this plan and the District’s Return to Work Plan.
• President Steele said her office will check with the staff as to their readiness and with the board for their availability.

Commissioner Requests

• Commissioner Davis asked for a report on the District’s plans for Bond Issuance, which he said, typically occurs every 3 years.  Staff answered that it is currently evaluating two RFP’s for a bond underwriter and a financial advisor.
  
• Commissioner McGowan asked for the total amount paid to the Gordian Group for its services over the last two years. [20-0444].

Observer:  Michele Niccolai                                             Meeting length: one hour