Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting
​May 4, 2023

Board Action:

• After four years of interdepartmental task force research and collaboration, interaction between MWRD commissioners and staff, a public comment period, and multiple drafts, the Board adopted its climate action plan [CAP] to be updated on an annual basis. #23-0392.  Item #34. Commissioner Garcia requested that the Monitoring and Research Committee develop a virtual presentation for employees and the public and also a tracking plan.  The full plan can be found on the MWRD website’s home page at www.mwrd.org.  Click on Strategic plan and the link to the Climate Action Plan will pop up as well.  
• Item #19, 23-0400 A purchase order in the amount of $1.5+ million was deleted by the Executive Director without comment.  It was to retain a legal firm to represent the District in acquiring certain property rights for the construction of the Central Park Stormwater Detention Basis and sewer improvements in Harvey for an additional amount of $400,000.
• All other Items were approved including #22, 23-0327 to award a contraction for $22,976 million to replace the boilers at the Stickney Plant.  This item had twice been deferred in April partially due to its cost.  Two public speakers, Cliff Haefke, Director of Energy Resources Center at UIC and Mike Archey decarbonization strategist and long-time advocate for the District rethinking how it uses its Biogas effluent, spoke against purchasing the boilers and rethinking how it will capture and use its biogas.

Items of Additional Interest

• Item #27, 23-0396 approved increasing a previous purchase order to increase consulting support services from $2.1 to $2.5 million at the Calumet Plant to help the District determine where phosphorous is coming from and to help reduce it coming into the plant.
• Item #18 -23-0399 approved entering into an agreement with Questica LTD to purchase a Public Sector Budget System for an amount not to exceed $1.52+ million dollars.  Commissioner Garcia stated that the District’s procurement system needs to be included.  He said that the District can function with the current system until 2040.  ED Perkovich responded that he would provide a timeline and goals.
• Commissioner Sypropoulos sponsored a resolution recognizing Chicago River Day, and Chelsey Grassfield, Policy Manager of Friends of the Chicago River, accepted the award and thanked the board.

Observer:  Diane Edmundson                 No Executive Session                    No new Business  

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting
​April 20, 2023-10:30 A.M.

Agenda Item #21-23-0327-Commissioners voted to defer a $22,976,100 contract for three boilers at the Stickney Plant.

• Commissioner Davis spoke for the deferral of the contract for replacement of boilers 3, 4, & 5 and MCC Replacement. He emphasized that he did not oppose the contract, but rather felt it prudent to consider carefully, given the large sticker price.
• Comm. Davis asked how much gas emissions would be reduced. Executive Director Perkovich could not give a number but said they would be much more efficient. Commissioner Davis asked for a comparison between CHP system and boilers. The director replied that the CHP system would not produce enough heat and that it is complementary but not a replacement for boilers. Boiler life span was raised. Engineers put it at 30 years. The current boilers are now at 40 years. 
• Comm. Davis  said that he needed time to consider.
• President Steele asked Mr. Perkovich if this item was time sensitive. He replied that the department would like to begin ASAP, but a week or two would not be a problem.
• Roll call vote to defer for a second time was held. Aye: 8  Nay: 1. Commissioner Garcia requested a memo answering all the questions asked on this item.

Agenda Item #5-23-0376- Comptroller of MWRD presented the report on Governmental Finance Officers Association Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for 2022. MWRD was lauded for excellent achievement in financial reporting for the MWRD Retirement Fund and the Retiree Health Care Trust for 2021.

Stormwater Management:

• Agenda Item #32-23-0369- Board granted authority to enter into intergovernmental agreement with the Village of Worth for Flood Control Project in the Worth Woods Subdivision.
• Agenda Item #33-23-0370-Board granted authority to negotiate and enter into an Agreement with the Village of Schaumburg and the Village of Hanover Park for the design, construction, operation and maintenance of the Springinsguth West Branch DuPage River Stream  Corridor Improvements in an amount not to exceed $1,250,000.

Executive Session: Requested by Commissioner Corral Sepulveda to discuss the recent Inspector General report.  Adjourn to executive session at 11:30 a.m.; End of Executive session: 12:07 p.m.

New business: Commissioners recounted many events planned to celebrate Earth Day.

Meeting adjourned: 12:33 p.m. 

Observer: Georgia Gebhardt 

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting
April 6, 2023; 10:30 a.m.

MWRD Commissioners authorized an agreement for an additional year in which the MWRD would share the services of the Cook County Independent Inspector General (IIG). Commissioner Spyropoulos asked if the MWRD was not getting its own Inspector General. Executive Director Perkovich said that they are in an interim phase with the resignation of Mr. Blanchard, the previous Cook County IIG. The one-year extension will give staff time to clarify issues. As of now, while the MWRD is legally permitted to have its own IIG, it will continue to use Cook County’s. Commissioner Garcia requested a timeline on this process. Director Perkovich said this could be done. The authorization was approved unanimously on a roll call vote. (Agenda Item #13 - 23-0304)  

Stormwater Management: 

• 23-0337-#36- Report on Stormwater Submittals. Commissioner Garcia urged that the Board do more of these projects. 
• 23-0303-#21- Executive Perkovich asked that the item increasing the landscaping maintenance contract be deleted. Board approved.
• 23-0324-#10- This item was to grant the authority to advertise a contract fo the Small Business Program. Commissioner Garcia said that considering staffing levels, might it not be prudent to not move ahead right now. ED agreed. Mr. Garcia wanted to be sure there was enough staff in place to do the job right. Board voted unanimously on a roll call vote to delete the item.

Deferred Items:

• Commissioner Coral Sepulveda requested that 2 agenda items to issue purchase orders and enter into agreements for Professional Environmental Engineering Service for Real Estate be deferred.  (Agenda Items #15 and #16)
• President Steele requested deferral of Agenda Item #18 - authority to award a contract for boilers & MCCC replacement at the Stickney Water Reclamation Plant, amount not to exceed $22,976,100.

New Business: Commissioner Spyropoulos raised the issue of cyber-security attacks. The Commissioner felt that the Board should be more proactive on this issue and requested they hold an Executive Session for discussion. 

There was no executive session. Meeting Adjourned: 11:28 a.m.

Observer: Georgia Gebhardt                                                           Commissioner Davis absent.

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (Mwrd) Board Meeting   
March 16, 2023

Board Action:
Clean energy:

• Item 15 #23-1215 The Board authorized an increase in the cost estimate for a Biogas Combined Heat and Power System, EWRP, to $10,344,000. This item had been deferred from the March 2, 2023 meeting.  Commissioner Garcia asked staff to give the Board “a clear memo” on where the MWRD is going with clean energy.  In related discussion, Commissioner Corral-Sepulveda asked if a current study on bio-gas would provide insight the agency could apply to other facilities. Executive Director Perkovich said the bio gas study applied mostly to the Hanover Park plant, and that it should be available to the board in draft form by summer. He noted the study might apply to all the MWRD facilities that had digestor gas.  ​Commissioner Corral-Sepulveda asked staff to consider using clean hydrogen as fuel in future projects. 
• Item 16 #23-0246 Authorization to exercise an option to extend agreement or administer a reverse auction to procure electricity and renewable energy credits (RECs) under Contract 20-RFP-24 for years 2025 and 2026.  The Board approved authorization but Commissioner Spyropoulos noted the board was being asked to approve something with two options, and requested reports to the Board on the impact of each option on the business of the MWRD.  

Nutrient Removal and Recovery:

• Item 23 #23-0267 The Board granted authority to advertise Contract 21-091-3P Phosphorus Removal Modifications to Battery D, O’Brien Water Reclamation Plant, estimated cost between $16,638,205 and $20,140,985.  Contractor is AECOM, and the project cost estimate is $17.5 million.
• The MWRD must install biological phosphorus removal in all wastewater treatment facilities by July 31, 2025 to meet new federal total phosphorus effluent limits beginning August 1, 2027. Enhanced phosphorus removal through return activated sludge fermentation will be used. The fermentation of return activated sludge in this process encourages the growth of phosphorus accumulating organisms, stabilizes phosphorus removal, and allows for greater phosphorus removal under less favorable influent conditions, according to the project report.

Stormwater Management

• Item 35 #23-0260 The Board approved a $203,864 increase to the cost of decommissioning the Thornton Transitional Reservoir in the Calumet service area. IHC Construction Companies holds the contract. The increase brings the new contract amount to $26,100,447. 
• Item 36 #23-0289 Commissioner Spyropoulos questioned why the non-tax revenue for the stormwater fund in the revenue and spending report for 2022 exceeded the budget.  Executive Director Perkovich said he would get back to her via e-mail. 

New Business:

• Commissioner Davis introduced a statement, including a tight timeline, asking the Board to approve a motion at the April 6th Board meeting to establish a Department of Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion within the Agency, with its own Director.  The statement requested staff to provide a budget estimate and staffing requirements by May 21st, in time for funding to be included in the Agency’s 2024 budget.  Commissioner Davis envisions a 5-year implementation process, and noted the MWRD’s need to seek  legislative authority from the State to create such a department.  
• President Steele responded to Commissioner Davis’s statement, noting his was a statement – not a motion. She reminded the board that she, Executive Director Perkovich, and MWRD Department Heads were already crafting inclusionary policies. A memo about a reorganization was given to Board members that morning, she said, and she asked for coordination between Board and Staff efforts.
• Subsequent discussion revealed other commissioners had become impatient with the Agency’s progress on inclusion. It was not clear if the majority of the Board was willing to break with Steele and staff and embrace Commissioner Davis’s urgent appeal.

Public comment: Emmanuel Koubarakis, Consulate General of Greece, addressed the board regarding recognition of Greek Independence Day.

Observer -  Laurie Morse                                                       No Executive Session   No Study Session

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting 
March 2, 2023

Board Action:

• There was no public comment. 
• Item 21 - 23-0217 Authorization was approved to enter into a memorandum of understanding to engage in a knowledge exchange program with international wastewater utilities that own and operate large diameter deep tunnel systems. These international meetings will be done virtually. 

Stormwater Management

• Much discussion on item #15, 23-0209 for purchasing of rain barrels and instructions for citizens on how to install and maintain them. There are videos that consumers can watch for accurate information. 

Deferred or Deleted Agenda Items

• Item 7-23-0215 was deferred. The item was for authorization to increase cost estimate for Contract 20-RFP-28R, Biogas Combined Heat and Power System, EWRP, estimated cost $10,344,000.00. Discussion on whether this would delay or spread out the project.

New Business

• With March being Women’s History Month, information on Commissioner’s networking events of a Women’s Roundtable and Women in Government virtual program were shared. 

Commissioner Requests - None

Observer - Peggy Kell                                                                 No Executive Session

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting   
February 16, 2023

Board Action:

• During its one-hour board meeting, the Commissioner’s approved a new advocacy policy stating that it is the direction of the Board that organizations and lobbyists that represent the District’s interests and similar utilities’ interests in Congress and the Illinois State Legislature shall draft legislation and circulate it to the MWRD board and staff that will hold manufacturers responsible for all PFAS (Per- and Polyflorinated Substances) direct and indirect expenses born by utilities; that this be in addition to efforts to indemnify utilities against liabilities for PFAS; and requests quarterly reports.  #23-0193 
• Commissioner Sepulveda originally requested a deferment on the request for a 14-year lease on a piece of MWRD property.  She asked the staff to write a memo to the Board using the recently passed Land Use Criteria to show that all the criteria were applied in considering the Lease.  The Commissioner later rescinded the deferment but said she would expect that the criteria considerations would be summarized in the requested letter.  #23-0166.
• The Board offered three resolutions: 1. Celebrating the life of recently passed Laurence Msall, President of the Chicago Civic Federation; 2. Recognizing National Engineers Week and honoring the Society of Women Engineers; 3. Recognizing February as Black History Month and honoring Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton and Shermann Thomas, a well-known social media activist for the black community.
• All other items/resolutions were passed without discussion.  There were no Stormwater resolutions.

New Business:

• Commissioner Garcia asked ED Perovich if staff has contacted EPA Region V’s Director regarding PFAS and to lobby for the EPA to start including Waste Water in addition to Drinking Water in its research.  Commissioner Davis indicated that only the Federal EPA can pass policy and that recent information indicates that it has started to move on this issue.  The Board asked for a copy of the EPA information.
• Commission Spyropoulos asked that ED Perkovich summarize the discussions around PFAS at a recent national water association meeting he attended.  Commissioner Sepulveda asked that the letter also include an update on the new activities that the MWRD staff has undertaken around the PFAS issue.

Observer:  Diane Edmundson