Category: MWRD

Skokie Sports Park Allowed to Sell and Consume Alcohol on Premises

9/13/2020

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Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting
September 3, 2020

Agenda Items

All agenda items approved except for three items that are listed below. Resolution honored Robert Johnson for his work with STEM and Future Cities engineering programs. You can see him on YouTube.
Resolution honored the 19th Amendment Passage, 100 years ago.
Resolution honoring Sister Jean on her 101st birthday. Older than the amendment!
Item #23 -It was emphasized that the seal coating for roads and patching, contains no coal tar.
Item #49 - 87% of the levy has been collected. The Assessor will put in a Covid equalizer for the 2021 budget process.
Item #53 - The Skokie Sports Park will be able to sell and consume alcohol on the premises. MWRD gets 25% of sales.

Stormwater Management

Items #56 and #57 extended the Green Alley Program in River Grove and Skokie. It was emphasized that the Villages maintain the local projects but if maintenance is found to be lacking, MWRD will step in to fix it. The Village would then have to reimburse MWRD for the cost of this maintenance.

Deferred or Deleted Agenda Items

Item #15 (rescinding of contract for native landscape areas maintenance) was deleted before the meeting.
Items #18 (affirmative action questions on contract advertising for marketing of biosolids) was deferred. It has been difficult to find subs that are qualified to sell the biosolids.
Item #32 (more discussion needed on purchase order with firm that was to do the Affirmative Action Ordinance Disparity Study) was deferred.

Observer - Peggy Kell Meeting Length: 2 hours 15 minutes

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MWRD Board Requests More Background Information on Several Agenda Items

3/18/2020

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Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting
March 5, 2020

Approved Items with Discussion:

#9, 20-0181: Discussion took place about the transfer of the $20,000,000.00 of Accumulated Investment Interest Income to the MWRD Retirement Fund. Questions were asked about the use of minority owned investment firms and in what way these funds will be allocated for investments. The outside investment manager is Marquette Investment; Commissioners asked what they charge for their services.
#23, 20-0207: Authority to lease 14.02 acres of improved District real estate at 6400 South Archer Avenue in Bedford Park, Illinois; Main Channel parcel 33.01. Currently, there is a tenant on the property. The Board requested more information.
#33, 20-0209 Discussion about the authority to amend the easement agreement dated March 24, 1949 between the District and Cornerstone Properties (successor in interest to ComEd) to use and maintain District owned portions in Stickney and Forest View. Commissioners questioned Com Ed’s obligation to alert the District about any problems occurring and would like this to be included in the new agreement.

Deferred or Deleted Items:

#13, 20-0177 Deferred by Commissioner Davis - more information was requested regarding why this money is sent to a law firm instead of directly to the Coalition and who the Coalition members are.
#14, 20-0205 Deferred by Commissioner Garcia - Much discussion took place about the relationship of this engineering project to the future Lincoln Yards Project. The Commissioners were assured that the project would have taken place because of TARP’s inadequate connections and are looking for others that need correction. The Commissioners requested more information.
#15, 20-0184 Ex. Director deleted a request to advertise for Scavenger Services estimated cost of $3,883,400.
#31, 20-0217 Deferred by Commissioner Garcia - More information was requested before the reappointment of Jose Lopez as Commissioner on MWRD’s Ethics

Commissioner Requests

Mr. Garcia requested a list of minority investment participation
Ms. Shore requested new leases include additional notices to the District
Mr. Davis requested the Diversity Department provide the Board message ready notices for district events.

All Commissioners were present

Observed by: Pat Lind Meeting Length: 1 hr. 45 min.

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Boundary Issues for Voting and Services Discussed at MWRD Board Meeting

2/28/2020

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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.

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Non-Profit Groups Urge MWRD Board to Modify Proposed Ethics Ordinance

1/16/2020

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Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting
January 9, 2020

The League of Women Voters of Cook County and Friends of the River both spoke in favor of modifying the proposed ethics rules the MWRD is in the process of trying to strengthen. The Ethics Ordinance had been pulled from the agenda due to letters sent by the League and other groups to commissioners, according to Commissioner Cam Davis, so that better language could be used to distinguish commercial interests from public advocacy interests.

The board recognized the plight of Puerto Ricans without drinking water and electricity after earthquakes. Commissioner Garcia had been in touch with his mother in Puerto Rico.

Board Items Discussed and Approved:

A software expenditure was discussed by Commissioner Shore as being very important for the security of a public infrastructure entity like MWRD especially with regard to current events with Iran. Mimecast is a security software that is used to protect public computer systems. She noted it was a small amount of money to pay for computer security. (Agenda Item 19)
Commissioner Garcia asked why MWRD would charge a small farm for use of MWRD land and bio-solids in Blue Island. Due to an ordinance, when a farm wants to sell its produce the MWRD is required to charge the entity rent. (Agenda Item 32)

Agenda Items Deferred or Deleted

Commissioner Davis asked that Bio-Solids Farming contract bids be made smaller so that smaller and minority companies would be able to bid on the contracts. He noted that many small non-profit farms are unable to bid on large contracts due to lack of scale. His argument was noted and future contracts will be smaller. (Agenda Item 13)
An item regarding the furnishing and delivery of liquid carbon dioxide to the Stickney Plant was deleted by the Executive Director. There was no discussion of this item. (Agenda Item 28)

Observed by Amy Little [by video] Meeting length - approximately 50 minutes

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MWRD Board Approves Watershed-specific Storm Water Studies Meant to Facilitate Pilot Storm Water Credit Trading Program

11/21/2019

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Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Board - November 7, 2019

Board decisions:
(Agenda Items #19-1082 and #19-1083 - {57 and 58})

The MWRD’s Watershed Management Ordinance (WMO), Article 208 instructs the Agency to conduct studies pertaining to storm water release rates in specific watersheds, and to recommend potential amendments to the WMO once studies are complete.
Similarly, the WMO authorizes the MWRD to do a pilot study for a regional storm water detention and volume control trading program.
Commissioners approved the methodology for both studies, which are to be initiated in 2019 and completed by May, 2022.
Both are expected to be landmark studies that could change storm water drainage practices and regulations within the MWRD’s service area (Cook County).
Commissioners Debra Shore and Cameron Davis pulled these items for discussion, Commissioner Shore noted that the watershed model used to determine release rates in Item #19-1802 was not based on wet years, and asked if it were too late to modify the model to reflect “worst case scenario” of the wettest years already experienced. Dr. O’Connor, the MWRD’s engineering director, responded by saying the model could still be modified after the vote.
Commissioner Davis asked Executive Director Perkovich to communicate directly with the Storm water Management Committee about modifications to the model. Commissioner Davis was concerned the watershed storm water release study methodology didn’t include “disproportionately affected communities”. While this subgroup of multiply-flooded areas was studied in 2010, the proposed new model excludes them.
Moving on to #19-1083, Commissioner Davis, Vice Chairman of the MWRD’s Storm Water Management Committee. said “We (the storm water committee) and staff aren’t on the same page,” on the goals and objectives of the pilot study for a storm water detention and control trading program (flood credit trading). He asked that communication between the Board committee and the Staff be “squared up” before the study goes forward. “We have misunderstandings with staff on the May directive,” Commissioner Davis said.
Both of these items were returned to the consent agenda and passed unanimously.

Board discussions:
Agenda Item #19-1080

Commissioner Mariyana T. Spyropoulos pulled agenda item 47 for discussion. The MWRD has a long-standing agreement (from 2003) with Vulcan Materials to excavate the McCook Reservoir. The agreement has been amended repeatedly, and the cost of the contract has risen with new work added.
Commissioners were asked to increase the amount due to Vulcan Materials by $3,504,813.00, to a total not to exceed $101,200,234.25. Commissioner Spyropoulos asked staff to compile a history of the Vulcan contract agreements for the benefit of the newer board members. Executive Director Perkovich agreed.
This larger payment to Vulcan was approved as part of the consent agenda.

Deleted Item:
Agenda Item #19-1050

Executive Director Brian Perkovich withdrew item 54 from the agenda at the start of the meeting without discussion or explanation. A vote on this item would have authorized the MWRD to join the US Army Corps of Engineers, the City of Chicago, the Chicago Park District and the Forest Preserve District of Cook County in preparing a Comprehensive Water Resources Plan.
The Corps has agreed to inventory existing conditions in Chicago area river systems; assess restoration potential; identify opportunities for connecting existing and planned riverfront developments and recreational amenities; identify flood risk management strategies, assess public health impacts, and make evaluations.
Federal dollars will pay half the projected $300,000 cost, and the MWRD was to pay its share of the remaining $150,000 along with the other local partners.

Other Comments or Observations:
The MWRD Board of Commissioners had a full day of meetings, so the morning session was briefer than usual. The afternoon budget session is reported separately.

Observed by: Laurie Morse Meeting Length: 1 hour.

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MWRD Board Forwards Land Deal for Crestwood Casino Project

10/4/2019

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Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting
October 3, 2019

What did the Board decide?

Approved 99-year lease for 44.4 acre property for Crestwood development project (AgendaI Item #16, 19-0992)

The board unanimously accepted an initial annual rental bid of $820,626 from the City of Crestwood. It is not clear if the lease is contingent on Crestwood receiving a casino license from the State of Illinois. The lease is for 99 years, a departure from the MWRD’s typical lease length of 39 years. There was no discussion of the 35% reduction in annual rent from the minimum $1,262,500 Commissioners authorized for this property at their August 8, 2019 meeting.
During public comment Chelsey Grassfield, policy specialist for Friends of the Chicago River, addressed the board, seeking vigilance in maintaining 60-100 foot required setbacks from the river and advocated use of sustainable landscape design when the MWRD reviews site plans for the 44.4 acre parcel bordering the Cal-Sag canal that the City of Crestwood will lease from the MWRD. The community is seeking a casino license to anchor development on this property. Ms. Grassfield said leaseholder’s focus should be on the health of the river and maintaining established waterway standards.
Later in the meeting Commissioner Cameron Davis inquired when the public would again be able to comment on sustainability and design of the development of the property. Staff said the MWRD would review site plans when they are available, and Commissioners could participate in the process.

2020 Regular Board Meeting Calendar approved (Agenda Item #1 - 19-0998)

Study of Affirmative Action hiring record deferred (Agenda Item #23 - 19-0993)

The MWRD is required to conduct a study of disparity in its Affirmative Action hiring practices. This item would have authorized request for proposals seeking an outside contractor to perform the analysis at an estimated cost of $200,000.
Commissioner Marcelino Garcia asked for this item to be deferred until he had time to discuss his concerns with staff. He said that he wanted this to be a meaningful accounting of the District’s minority hiring practices, and not just the minimum required by law. After supporting comments from Commissioners Frank Avila, Barbara McGowan, and Board President Kari Steele, the Board directed staff to schedule a study session for them on progress in minority hiring practices
Commissioner Garcia then asked to remove this RFP authorization item the Board’s agenda until after the study session.

Allocation for expert witness testimony deleted from agenda (Agenda Item #29 - 19-0952)

This item would have budgeted $200,000 for expert witness testimony in an ongoing lawsuit.
It was removed from the agenda without comment by Executive Director Brian Perkovich

Bio solids bagging contract deferred (Agenda Item #18- 19-0937)

The MWRD gives away biosolids (compost) to the public at its Stickney plant. People can take it away in their own containers, but the District pays to bag some of the material for distribution. This item proposed to seek and pay a contractor $45,000 over a 3-year period to pick up composted biosolids from the Harlem Ave. composting facility, transport them to an off-site location, bag it, and return the filled bags to the Stickney Plant.
In response to Commissioners’ questions, staff said the plan would produce 5,000 bags of compost per year at a cost of $15,000 per year. Commissioner Debra Shore asked for cost-comparisons between buying the bagging equipment and having MWRD employees do the bagging and outsourcing. Commissioner Barbara McGowan questioned the process of transporting the compost back and forth.
Commissioner Marcelino Garcia questioned the value of the project, saying that while it is very nice that the District gives away composted biosolids, the MWRD lacks a plan to monetize and distribute it products at scale. “We need to industrialize and sell the products we create,” he said. “We need a staff person who is dedicated to this idea, and who can move us forward.” The Commissioners agreed to defer this item until it could be more fully explored.

Other discussions of interest:

Commissioner Mariyana T. Spyropoulos questioned why certain contracts were rejected and why the District received so few responses to some requests for proposals. She asked if specifications for services were being too narrowly written. She suggested a look at procedures for contracting.
Commissioner Marcelino Garcia questioned if minority guidelines were being observed when the District added scope or funding to existing contracts. There were several items on the agenda that did add funds to existing contracts, and he highlighted them. Staff said that they would be attentive to this issue.

Observer - Laurie Morse Meeting Length - 2.5 hours

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Skokie Sports Park Allowed to Sell and Consume Alcohol on Premises

MWRD Board Requests More Background Information on Several Agenda Items

Boundary Issues for Voting and Services Discussed at MWRD Board Meeting

Non-Profit Groups Urge MWRD Board to Modify Proposed Ethics Ordinance

MWRD Board Approves Watershed-specific Storm Water Studies Meant to Facilitate Pilot Storm Water Credit Trading Program

MWRD Board Forwards Land Deal for Crestwood Casino Project

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