Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Annual Meeting, Board Meeting, and Public Hearing on the Proposed 2020 Budget
December 5, 2019

Board Meeting

• Several Commissioners expressed frustration that several new contracts or requests for proposals (RFPs) for services under existing contracts set to expire by the end of the year were only coming to the Board now.  They asked that such items be brought at least two months ahead of time in the future to allow the Commissioners sufficient time to review the contracts or RFPs and get answers to questions to ensure that there would be no lapse of services.  The Executive Director at the end of the meeting said that he understood what was wanted and he and the staff would take steps so this will happen in the future.  Among those items,
  • RFP for state consultants/lobbyists for the MWRD for 2020.  However, don’t expect to award contract until Feb. 20, 2020, almost a month after the State Legislative Session begins.  Commissioner Garcia also asked whether further thought had been given to placing all lobbyists under oversight by a single department.  This item was passed. (Item 10, File 19-1192)
  • Extension of contract which would otherwise expire on Dec. 31 through 2020 for federal consultants/lobbyists.  Comm. Spyropoulos asked to defer, but expects will be on Dec. 19 agenda, so no interruption of service.  (Item 29, File 19-1186)
  • Authority to grant a 25-year easement to Enbridge Energy to continue to operate and maintain a petroleum pipeline.  Existing easement expires Dec. 18.  Concerns were expressed by Comm. Shore and Davis over the past fines the company has had for spillages and the age of the pipeline (50 years).  The MWRD General Counsel said the delay in coming before the Board was due to some extra safeguards that the staff had negotiated in conjunction with this extension, including a $4.5 million letter of credit to cover any problems, as well as inspections of the pipeline.  However, none of this information was included in the transmittal letter for this item.  Comm. Davis asked to defer this item.  (Item 36, File 19-1210)
• Other items discussed and approved:
  • Authority to issue RFP for rain barrels.  Originally MWRD gave away rain barrels pursuant to a consent decree that has expired.  Now sell the barrels.  Comm. Garcia asked whether MWRD has any info on whether these barrels are actually used (answer was “no”), and suggested that some follow-up be done going forward to ensure this is worthwhile.  (Item 16, File 19-1201)
• Other items discussed & deferred:
  • Payment for 1 employee to attend 10-day residential development program by the Water Wastewater Leadership Center.  Several Commissioners wanted to know who else has gone in the past and what is the criteria for selecting the employee.  Comm. Garcia requested deferral.  (Item 8, File 19-1195)
  • Proposed contract with Sun-Times to publish legal notices for 2020.  Comm. McGowan asked to defer. (Item 23, File 19-1219)
  • Settlement of property loss claim in connection with a sewer backup adjacent to a District manhole that was undergoing emergency repairs.  Comm. Shore asked what, if anything, has District learned from this.  Comm. Garcia asked to defer.  General Counsel advised that settlement must be completed by Dec. 31, or the settlement agreement expired.  (Item 35. File 19-1202)

Annual Meeting
Immediately prior to the Board meeting, the Annual Meeting was called to order at which the Board received and filed the Annual Report presented by President Steele.  This Report is available at https://mwrd.legistar.com under “Meeting Details” for the Dec. 3, 2019 Annual Meeting.  (This meeting had been suspended on Dec. 3 for lack of a quorum and resumed on Dec. 5.)

Public Hearing on the Proposed 2020 Budget
There were no public speakers.  Finance Chair Avila, who was presiding, explained that the Civic Federation had written a letter to the Board stating that it would not be reviewing or commenting on the budget as it has in the past.

Observer - Priscilla Mims

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Board Meeting - October 6, 2016

President Spyropoulos called the 10:30 meeting to order at 10:50 am, and ended proceedings at noon.  Public Speaker, Mr. George Blakemore, passionately questioned how a one-term MWRD Commissioner (no longer in office) could receive free lifetime health insurance from the district.  No one at the meeting responded to this comment.

​Significant Decisions Made:

• Lobbying Contract: The extension of an existing contract with the lobbying firm of O’Connell & Dempsey LLC for Federal Legislative Consulting Services, was pulled from the Consent Agenda by Commissioner David Walsh to be voted on separately. (Agenda Item 32) This firm specializes in lobbying for municipal water resources agencies in Washington. Commissioner Walsh was joined by Commissioners Debra Shore and Kari Steele in voting against the extension of this contract, while the remaining commissioners, in a voice vote, voted in favor, and the contract was extended. No Commissioner made a comment about the firm or their vote on this issue. The extension increases the current contract amount by $360,000 to a total of $742,800, and extends the contract that is due to end in December through 2017.
• A great many audience members attended this meeting to witness the MWRD’s acceptance of “Great Rivers Chicago, Our Great Rivers” report, which details a vision for the Chicago, Calumet and Des Plaines Rivers.    Agenda Item number 45 commends the visioning report done under the leadership of Josh Eillis of the Metropolitan Planning Council, and commits the MWRD to be an active implementation partner in the visioning. It was approved  by the MWRD Board of Commissioners. 
• The MWRD’s free rain barrel program ends December 31, 2016, and has been more popular than expected.  This legislation increases payment to the rain barrel provider, Greenland Environmental & Recycling Services by $768,450, to an amount not to exceed $2,305,350.  The contract extension will allow the vendor to deliver the free rain barrels in 2017. This contract increase passed as part of the consent agenda vote.
• DuPage River Salt Creek Workshop project: The District’s Egan and Hanover Park water reclamation plants discharge into Salt Creek and the West Branch of the DuPage River, respectively.  As a special condition of its NPDES discharge permits, the MWRD has agreed to voluntarily support restoration projects on these targeted water bodies.  In this consent agenda item the Commissioners were asked for authority to negotiate a Memorandum of Understanding with the DRSW for collaboration on stream restoration projects consistent with previous conversations, including the target of $2 million in funding.  This measure was approved. (Agenda Item #33)
• Personnel:  In the Consent Agenda, the Board of Commissioners approved the permanent appointment of Beverly K. Sanders as Director of Human Resources for the MWRD.  Ms. Sanders had been acting as Director since July, had been Assistant Director since March of 2015, and began her administrative career at the agency in 1998.
• The Board also approved the appointment of John P. Murray as Director of Maintenance and Operations for the MWRD. Mr. Murray until last May had been the MWRD’s senior engineer in charge of stormwater management for the Agency, and in that position had interacted with many Cook County communities and community organizations on issues of flooding and storm water quality.  He has served in his new position as Acting Director for 5 months.  The Board approved this appointment in a roll call vote.

Observer: Laurie Morse

Metropolitan Water Reclamation Board Meeting -  June 16, 2016   

Significant Decisions Made:
Approval of funds for a 20 foot wide Inflow/Tunnel to the McCook Reservoir (Agenda Item 18-16-0629)

• Project over rides the Army Corps of Engineers proposed eight foot tunnel. 
• To relieve flooding along the Des Plaines River at LaGrange and Hillside
• Project will be  accomplished through blasting and digging and not by the more expensive tunnel boring machine  
• Construction will begin promptly with proposed completion by 2020 
• Projected cost not to exceed $113,158,880
• Will employ approximately 1,077 people.  .

Prescription Drug Take-Back Program Expansion (Agenda Item 37-16-0629)

• The MWRD Board approved a $100,000 Intergovernmental Agreement to partner with the Cook County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) for expansion of this program. 
  
• Up to 2/3 of the funds will be used for operational/administrative expenses. 
  
• Remaining 1/3 of funds will be used for purchase and installation of drug collection receptacles.
  
• The agreement is for one year and is renewable. 
  
• Currently more than one-half of Cook County districts are considered “collection deserts” with fewer than 5 takeback sites.  

Restriction of Herbicides (Agenda Item 31-16-0618) 
The Board passed a motion to adopt a policy restricting the use of toxic and persistent herbicides on landscaped areas and around facilities and infrastructure of the MWRD. 

Other Items of Note:

1. The Board gave formal recognition to the Midwest Pesticide Action Center and their Midwest Grows Green Initiative for their 22 years of providing safer alternatives to the “90 million pounds of herbicide product on lawns and gardens each year”. (Agenda Item 34-16-0642)
2. The Comprehensive Annual Financial Report of the MWRD Retirement Fund for 2015 was given an unqualified opinion by the Fund’s independent auditor, Legacy Professionals LLP.   (26-16-0615)
3. The MWRD will end rainbarrel distribution on December31, 2016.  
   
4.  All regular board meetings will begin at 10:30 a m until the end of 2016.  

Eleanor Prince - observer

Metropolitan Water Reclamation Board Meeting - June 2, 2016

Topics Discussed:

• The MWRD received the best possible results from the audit of the 2015 Comprehensive Annual Financial Reports of the MWRD and the MWRD Retiree Health Care Trust.  Both audit letters contained no recommendations for any changes to the controls in place or in the numbers on these financial reports.  In the words of the auditor, both letters reflect “unmodified opinions.”  
• One contact for up to $13 million was not awarded to the low bidder for failure to comply with the Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) requirement of 2%.  Instead, the contract was awarded to the second lowest bidder who did comply with the MBE, Women Business Enterprise, and Small Business Enterprise requirements, at an additional cost of about $700,000 (agenda item 17, 16-0587). 
• Commissioner Santos requested deferral on an item so she could discuss it with staff. The item concerned an intergovernmental agreement with the Cook County Sheriff’s office for up to $100,000 for drug collection receptacles and collection and safe disposal of the drugs collected.

Study Session on Pension Funding

• As of December 31, 2015, the Pension Plan is deemed funded at 55%, and is expected to be fully funded by the end of 2049. 
• The Retiree Health Care Benefits program is deemed funded at 52%, and is expected to be fully funded by the end of 2026. 
• Finance Chair Avila expressed concern about the current funding percentages.  However, the MWRD is capped by statute as to how much it can contribute to fund the plans each year.
• While employees are vested in the Pension Plan at 10 years (which is fairly standard), vesting in the Retiree Health Care Plan occurs after only 6 years.  Commissioner McGowan said she remembered the time for vesting was reduced to 6 years in 2008 when Commissioner Horton was leaving the Board, the inference being that it was done to cover her.  Executive Director St. Pierre said that the staff should be able to find out more about the circumstances of the change in vesting.

Study Session on Rain Barrel Program
Executive Director St. Pierre presented an overview of the MWRD free rain barrel program.  

• Under a consent decree entered into in January 2014, the MWRD was required to distribute 10,000 rain barrels by January 6, 2017 and 15,000 rain barrels by January 6, 2019. 
• To date, the MWRD has already exceeded those requirements by distributing 52,000 rain barrels.  In addition, 17,000 have been ordered. 
• From January 2014 thru May 2016, the cost has been $2.7 million, with the cost thru 2016 to jump by an additional $3.4 million to $6.1 million. 
• Should the program continue through 2017, the additional cost is estimated to be $4.8 million.  

Given these costs and the fact that the consent decree has been complied with, Mr. St. Pierre is recommending that the program be discontinued at the end of 2016, but that the MWRD continue to offer rain barrels at cost to municipalities and non-governmental organizations.  The Committee members all agreed, with the emphasis on the need to have a good plan in place for publicizing this change.  During the public comments at the end, George Blakemore noted that the MWRD had failed to require municipalities to report on how many rain barrels had actually been connected to downspouts, and he urged that accountability be included in any “at cost” distribution so the success of the program could be properly evaluated after 2016.

Items to watch for in the future:: 

• More Information on why vesting for the Health Care Plan is only 6 years.
• Will the full board discontinue the free rain barrel program?

Observer:  Priscilla Mims

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Board Meeting - May 5, 2016

Major Items Discussed:
Restore the Canopy; Plant a Tree Program.  Executive Director David St. Pierre asked the Board to help publicize that the MWRD is giving away 100,000 18 inch oak saplings to municipalities, community groups, and schools to distribute and plant throughout Cook County.  Individuals can also pick up the free trees every Wednesday from 9 am to 12 noon at the Calumet, Egan, Hanover Park, Kirie, O’Brien, and Stickney Water Reclamation Plants, and during the public tours and open houses at these plants on Saturday, May 21.  To find out more, contact the MWRD Office of Public Affairs at public.affairs@mwrd.org or at 312-751-6633.  Trees provide rain absorption (helping to reduce flooding) and a canopy that reduces city heat island effects.  They can also absorb carbon gasses and produce oxygen.

​Free Rain Barrel Program.  The Board approved an increase in the contract for the furnishing and administration of the rain barrel program by $1.3 million from $2.5 million to $3.8 million.  Agenda item 31, #16-0453.  This will only carry the program to September, and Executive Director St. Pierre said that he will be coming back to the Board for additional money to continue the program to the end of 2016.  Based on the discussion, this observer understands that there had been a consent decree under which the Board had agreed to distribute 15,000 rain barrels at no charge, but had also separately authorized the program through 2017.  To date, approximately 45,000 rain barrels have been distributed.  Several Commissioners asked for a study session to discuss whether to continue the program beyond 2016 and whether there would be a better use for the money currently being spent on the program.  It was noted by Commissioners that if the decision is to end the program, then there needs to be lots of communication with the public about this.  Executive Director St. Pierre said that the MWRD would probably continue to make rain barrels available at a charge in that case.

Other items of note:
New Rules on Public Comments in Effect.  As discussed in prior Eyewitness Reports, this was the first meeting that the new rules limiting public comments to the beginning of the meeting went into effect.  The presiding officer does have the discretion to allow comments at other times.  At this meeting, citizen George Blakemore spoke at the beginning, prior to the convening of the Committee of the Whole (and he complained about the reduction this new rule has on public participation as compared to the old rules), and then again after the Board reconvened prior to the meeting ending (when he stated the Board members should be doing more to get the public to attend the meetings).  This observer is seeking clarification on the rules from MWRD Staff.  

Partnership Agreement with DuPage County Stormwater Management, the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County, and the DuPage River Salt Creek Work Group  to facilitate the sharing of resources and responsibilities to better protect the West Branch of the DuPage River and the Salt Creek watershed in a responsible manner.  There was no discussion of this agreement, but it was approved, and appears to this observer as a positive step to utilize the collective expertise to promote cost efficient resource allocations among the parties, which is the mission of the partnership.

Priscilla Mims - Observer