Metropolitan Water Reclamation Board (MWRD) Meeting - December 3, 2020

All 8 current Board members in attendance. Eira L. Corral Sepulveda will be sworn in as the 9th Commissioner at the MWRD’s Annual Meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 8 at 1 pm.

A common theme running through all the discussions of designated items was the importance of engaging the communities involved.  In some cases, the Commissioners verified that the communities had been involved prior to approving items.  In other cases, the Commissioners encouraged the staff to be sure the communities knew what was being done for them by the MWRD.

All items on the agenda were approved unanimously.  Following are some of the items discussed:

Stormwater Management:

• Item 33, 20-1079:  Authorization to negotiate intergovernmental agreements to assist with green infrastructure projects.  This is a revised version of Item 53, 20-1022, which was deleted from the Nov. 19 meeting agenda and was the focus of the Observer Report for that meeting.  In contrast to the Nov. 19 meeting, there was no discussion about what communities within the MWRD’s stormwater management area were contacted and asked to submit proposals.  In fact, the list of projects that were approved is identical to what was on the Nov. 19 agenda:  14 municipal projects plus 2 with the Cook County Forest Preserve District.  The only difference is in the description in the cover memo of what will be included in the agreement.  The agreements will require that the MWRD’s participation goals for Minority-owned Business Enterprises, Women-owned Business Enterprises, Small Business Enterprises, and Veteran-owned Business Enterprises be met for that portion of the project funded by the MWRD and will encourage that such goals be applied to the entire project.  Comm. Garcia said how pleased he was with the redrafted cover submission, but asked that these agreements also require the entities to purchase any needed bio-solids from the MWRD.  Once each agreement is negotiated, it will come before the Board for approval.
• Item 15, 20-1068:  Purchase order for professional engineering services for final design of a Flood Control Project in Robbins involving the Midlothian Creek.  This involves both grey infrastructure (that is adding pipes to carry stormwater runoff) and green infrastructure.  Staff assured Comm. Du Blucet that residents had been heavily involved at meetings and helped define the parameters of the project.
• Item 32, 20-1038:  Intergovernmental agreement with DesPlaines for acquisition of flood-prone properties.  Comm. Davis said he’d like to have staff develop a means to determine whether the MWRD’s acquisitions of land, such as this, are as effective as possible, especially taking into account disproportionately affected areas.

Prescription Drug Take-back Program:

• Item 26, 20-1073:  The existing agreement which provides for the Cook County Sheriff to collect excess prescription drugs which have been dropped off in MWRD-sponsored collection boxes, was extended through 2021.  Comm. Shore, who was acknowledged as the key Commissioner who got this program going with the County, said she hoped this would be the last year that the MWRD would be paying for this collection (about $6,000/month).  This is because the County ordinance setting up this program provides for the County to go back to the manufacturer of the drugs to obtain payment, rather than taxpayers who fund the MWRD.  The Sheriff is now able to determine who the manufacturer was.  Comm. Shore said the Sheriff has reported that about 20 to 25% of the drugs collected are opioids.  Collection of all these drugs means that they do not enter the waste water causing harm to living things.  Commissioners complained that when “googled” locations of these collection boxes, the MWRD’s do not come up.  Public Affairs has been trying to rectify for well over a year.  President Steele said she had a contact at Google, and Public Affairs will follow-up with her.

Installation of odor-control equipment at the Stickney Plant

• Item 11, 20-1049:  Purchase order for installation and maintenance.  Comm. Garcia wants to make sure Staff will be informing the communities with whom they previously met that the MWRD is being responsive to their complaints.  President Steele informed the Commissioners that the MWRD has just created a brochure on reporting odors, which is in both English and Spanish, which should be distributed in this area.  Comm. Shore asked that the information be summarized for use in a text message Commissioners and staff could send out, and Comm. Du Blucet mentioned there are a lot of neighborhood groups that could help get the word out.

New Business:

• Executive Director Perkovich gave an updated report on Covid’s impact on MWRD employees:  57 have tested positive, but 30 of these have recovered and returned to work.  Commissioners expressed concern for the workers and wanted to make sure there was ongoing review of the need for PPE, including face shields, and whether more can and should work from home given the current surge of cases in the area.  
• MWRD Annual Meeting:  Tuesday, Dec. 8 at 1 pm.  In addition to the President’s report, the 3 Commissioners who were elected on Nov. 3 for 6-year terms will be sworn in:  present Commissioners Davis and Du Blucet, and new Commissioner Selpuveda.

Length of meeting:  2 hours, 10 minutes (including a 25-minute pause for an Executive Session)
Observer:  Priscilla Mims              

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting
May 16, 2019


What did the Board Decide?
​
The commissioners passed the Authority to Amend the Watershed Management Ordinance (WMO) that was previously pulled from the May 2, 2019 MWRD Agenda. This Amendment to WMO contains a number of changes, the most significant of which provides for the study of current provisions and potential future amendments to the WMO.   This study is scheduled to begin at the end of 2019 with a target end date of May 2022. The study provides for the following:

1. Pilot study on regional storm water detention and a volume control training program.
2. Impact of watershed release rates on Communities
3. Impact on release rates under existing and future development in Collar Counties on Watershed and MWRD.
4. Impact on volume control and watershed release rates on streams erosions and related water quality.

Other Business:

• The commissioners authorized an increase to the cost estimate for an Order Control System at Two TARP shafts and the decommissioning of the Thorton Transitional Reservoir, Calumet Service Area. This is due to complaints of odor. MWRD will continue to monitor the air quality.

New Business:

• Commissioner Davis requested a status update on the website from the Technology Department. Davis stated that during the recent heavy rain events the website did not adequately communicate to the public about river and other flooding.  It was reported that the public had difficulty finding flooding information on the website.  Davis asked the Technology department to give a status report on the Website improvements as soon as possible.
• Commissioner Shore requested MWRD look into the possibility of setting up cameras at reservoirs which can be monitored during heavy rain events. She requested information concerning the costs and feasibility of completing this project. 

 After adjournment the Commissioners celebrated the 130th anniversary of the MWRD.

Observer - Nancy Marcus                                                          Meeting Length: 2 hours

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting - September 6, 2018

Board Votes/Decisions: 

• Four Resolutions [#18-0844,47,49,50] with reports on rejection of proposals dealing with bio-fuels recovery and delivery were removed from the agenda by the Executive Director pending further discussion.  At the post meeting study session on capital expenditures in 2019, the Executive Director (ED) said the District is not abandoning resource recovery or biofuels, but it is at a “reset to look at it all holistically”.
• An Executive Session was called during the meeting with one of the items being a discussion of the District’s information security procedures.  After which, approval was given to increase a current contract for an Emergency Forensic Cyber Audit of the District’s information Technology System.  
• Under Stormwater Management, the board approved payment to the Chicago Park District for the construction, operation, and maintenance of green infrastructure at three parks in Chicago.  The Board also awarded payment to several other communities and entities for “green infrastructure” improvements.

Items to Watch for in the Future:

• #18-0832  - Authority to advertise an $8 to $10 million dollar contract for replacement of stop logs, gates, and other equipment at the Lockport Powerhouse was deleted by the Executive Director.  No reason given.
• #18-0923 – Request to recognize the authority of the Governor to fill the vacancy of Commissioner Bradford by the appointment made on March 23, 2018 was removed from agenda. (Note: The Governor moved David Walsh from his appointed board seat to fill Mr. Bradford’s and then appointed Kenneth Dunkin to Walsh’s board seat.)
• #18-0922 – Requesting that board members receive parental leave was deferred

Other Comments or Observations:
1. The Board took several minutes to talk about the recent Calumet explosion where one employee was trapped when part of the roof collapsed.  Employees and the fire and police departments were lauded for their prompt and efficient response.  An independent Review is underway.

2. Following the Board Meeting, a Study Session was held to present progress to date and 2019 projections for major capital expenditures dealing with infrastructure and equipment upgrades and stormwater management measures. 

• This includes odor control upgrades at the Calumet and Stickney plants.
• No actual expense projections were included in the public presentation. 
• Commissioner Dunkin asked about minority contracts followed by response: 1.) Ex. Dir. Murray said that going forward the District will try to reduce the size of contracts to make it more feasible for minority organizations to bid.  2.) Staff will prepare a summary of minority contracts that have been awarded over the last 3-4 years.

To see video or read the minutes of this meeting click here: mwrd.legistar.com 

Observer - Diane Edmundson                                                        Meeting Length:  2 1/2 hours

MWRD Board Meeting -  February 4, 2016

There are odor issues at Thornton Quarry that the MWRD is taking steps to remedy before the Spring rains come.  They will purchase 13 additional solar mixers to better aerate the combined sewer overflow water in the reservoir that fills the Thornton Quarry during and after a heavy rain event.

MWRD will also purchase “odalogs” or odor detectors, for the Thornton Reservoir to better monitor low levels of Hydrogen Sulfide in the air immediately surrounding the reservoir.  The odalogs (and shelters to house them) will be placed around the perimeter of the old quarry.

There have been a dozen calls from households in Harvey over a month’s period for December through January, complaining about odors.It was suggested that odor results be posted on local towns’ websites which are adjacent to the Thornton Quarry, including Harvey, Homewood, Thornton, and South Holland.  There are currently MWRD “hotline” contacts on these towns’ websites to be able to report any odor issues.

The odalogs may be repurposed for any other MWRD site with odor sensitivity due to combined sewer overflows when the need arises.

The 13 mixers will join seven already existing mixers that are anchored to the quarry floor and float on the surface of the liquid to mix the water in order to eliminate rotting odors.  This total of twenty mixers is thought to be sufficient to aerate the water in the reservoir.  

Since smells were already detected in the winter, the MWRD finds it urgent to install both the detection machines and the mixers before the Spring rains begin.

Observer - Amy Little