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
December 15, 2022

Board Action

• The 2023 budget of $1,624 Billion with 1957 FTEs was approved with no discussion.  The number of FTEs was a reduction from 1972 FTEs in the 2022 Budget with most of those reductions at the Stickney plant.  
• Also approved without discussion were amendments to the Sewage and Waste Control Ordinance. The primary changes were to replace the term Standard Methods with US-EPA Approved Methods; and to increase and simplify the Noncompliance Enforcement Charges Table which has not been changed since 2012.    (Agenda Item #IW22-001A)
• Resolutions calling for the payment of 2023 dues to the U.S. Water Alliance and the Water Research Foundation were approved after twice being deferred by Commissioner Davis over his concern that these two organizations were not being sufficiently pro-active in lobbying for legislation and regulation holding PFAS chemical manufacturers responsible for cleanup and removal.  (Agenda Items #22-1190 & 1191).   Note:  The 3M Corporation recently announced that they will eliminate the production of PFAS chemicals by 2025.

Stormwater Management

• Blue Island Washington Street Flood Control purchase order previously approved was rescinded.  The staff expects to resubmit with Blue Island and MWRD sharing the costs.  #22-1129.
• Additionally, ten other inter-government projects were approved without discussion most for either green alley or permeable pavement contracts.
• Two end of year reports were accepted:  Prioritized Projects covering 2022 and into 2023; Future projects to be considered; and a map showing the locations.  #22-1148.

Commissioner Requests

• Commissioner Sepulveda asked for a list of projects that were not accepted for consideration under #22-1148.
• Commissioner Davis asked that the recent PSAS Board Directions be transmitted to both the U.S. Water Alliance and the Water Research Foundation and the “Polluter Pay Principle” applied to these two and any other Water organization membership that the MWRD has.  Commissioner Sepulveda asked for quarterly reports on these requests; a list of MWRD activities on this issue, and a list of the organizations’ activities.  She also requested a list of committees with whom our staff is in conversation.
• Commissioner Garcia asked if there is an increase in participation goals when change orders increase by significant dollars including those contracts where change orders take them from under to over the $100,000 floor.
• Commissioner Garcia asked for a Study Session on Procurement.  He listed several issues to explore.  The League will monitor this request.
• Commissioner Sepulveda attended an EPA meeting on the Robbins water problems and suggested that when projects are considered for water main replacements, the MWRD also look at whether the sewers should be replaced at the same time so as to perhaps qualify for some state and federal monies.

Board Attendees:  Davis, DuBuclet, Flynn, Garcia, Pogorzelski, Sepulveda, Steele, Spyropoulos
Absent:   Yumeka Brown                                                                 

​Observer:  Diane Edmundson                                Length of Bd meeting: 75 min.

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting
​November 3, 2022  

Three Water Associations’ membership renewals that were deferred from the October 22nd Board meeting were again deferred after extensive discussion prompted by Commissioner Davis’ statement that he would vote NO on all three.  His statement represents his strong viewpoint that State and National Water trade associations should better represent water utilities by adopting the “polluter pay principle” in their legislative agendas.  In particular, PFAS, which are considered a forever toxin, need to be identified and stopped at their manufacturing source.  
Executive Director Perkovich noted that he is in regular conversation with these trade organizations but that the issues are complicated.  The very robust discussion that ensued involved all nine commissioners and led to requests for more specific information about what the Trade Associations are doing to lobby for PFAS removal and what resources would be lost if membership was dropped.  They also asked the District to develop a strategy for how best to proceed.  Davis wants the District to push the Trade Associations to take more responsibility for helping utilities protect water effluents in addition to limiting member’s legal liability.  Several commissioners stated that they want to continue membership but work with staff and the District’s state and federal lobbyists.  Items #12-14, 22-0931,32,33
The resolution requesting board and public review of the Affirmative Action Ordinance Amendment prompted a request for another Study Session as several recommendations from the Disparity Study were not included.  Important missing items were the acceptance of other government procurement certification lists, moving previously exempted furnish and deliver contracts under AAP compliance, establishing a Diversity Advisory Council, and revisiting the surety bond requirement.  Item #44, 022-014

Budget & Employment

• Commissioner Spyropoulos asked if the delay in issuing the 2nd installment property tax bills has significantly affected the MWRD.  Answer:  No because of healthy reserves and the District has already received the 1st installment payment.      Item #37, 22-0991

Stormwater Management

• The Board approved entering into a $900,000 intergovernmental agreement with the Village of Winnetka for the acquisition of flood-prone property.       Item #43, 22-0981

Deleted Agenda Items

• #17, 22-0947  Commissioner Sepulveda asked that this item which was deferred at the October 22 meeting be deleted.  It is for a Technical Assistance Program to assist women and minority businesses.  She stated $100,000 is not enough investment to ensure a successful program and wants a new RFP with more specifics, expectations, and dollar investment.
• #41, 22-0994  The Executive Director deleted without discussion a request to grant the County of Cook a 75-year non-exclusive easement to construct, install, operate, maintain, repair, and remove a public road across several North Channel Parcels.   

Deferred:

• In addition to Items 12-14 above, a 3-year license renewal and software maintenance agreement was deferred by Commissioner Garcia without board discussion.  Item #22, 22-0053

                                    
Note:  The AAP Study Session will be held on November 9, 2022

Observer:  Diane Edmundson