Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting
September 21, 2023 All 9 Members were present Board Actions: Commissioner Spyropoulos, without comment, deferred a vote to advertise a $1.5 million contract for professional engineering services to create a biosolids management strategy for the Stickney wastewater treatment plant. Commissioners Garcia and Sepulveda, while encouraging long-term planning for a new solids strategy, asked staff to restore a popular program that distributed biosolids to the public. MWRD’s distribution of biosolids garden material to individuals ceased when PFAS concerns surfaced. #10 23-0892 One other item was deferred: Commissioners Sepulveda and Brown sponsored a motion to recommend the inclusion of establishing a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice Department for consideration as part of the District’s forthcoming State of Illinois 2024 Legislative program. Commissioner Garcia deferred, saying more discussion was needed on how a new department would fit within the existing structure of the District. Commissioner Davis noted the initiative has been under discussion for 6 months, and deferral is a delay. Commissioner Sepulveda said adding the item to the 2024 Legislative program would allow the Board to openly discuss the plan without fear of violating strictures of the Illinois Open Meetings act. #37 23-0927 All other of the 37 resolutions were passed including a resolution to grant Hanover Park a 60-year non-exclusive easement for a 6-inch water main. That resolution had been deferred from the September 7th meeting. Item #27 23-0860 Item #23 23-0878 cut the contracted amount with Metropolitan Biosolids Management LLC to design, build, own and operate a biosolids processing plant at the Stickney water treatment plant (20-year agreement) from the initially agreed $191.4 million to an amount not to exceed $189.9 million, a $1.4 million contract reduction. Item #8 23-0886 The board agreed to advertise a contract for farming at the Hanover Park wastewater treatment plant at an estimated cost of $890,000. Item #11 23-0894 The Board granted authority to advertise a contract to upgrade the Wilmette lift station, with an estimated cost of between $1.5and $1.8 million. Item #22 23-0902 National Power Rodding Corporation was awarded a $7.5 million contract to use television equipment to inspect and record conditions of sewers and manholes around the District. Item # 31 23-0912 The Board agreed to lease 82 acres of District land on the south bank of the Cal-Sag channel for 50 years to the City of Palos Heights for public recreation. Stormwater Management: The Board gave authority to enter into negotiations for stormwater facilities and improvements with the City of DesPlaines at a cost of $1 million and agreed to enter an intergovernmental agreement with Lyons township to acquire flood-prone properties and construct stormwater storage at a cost not to exceed $2.5 million. Further, a Report on Green Infrastructure, Detention, and Compensatory Storage Volumes Required by the Watershed Management Ordinance was approved and filed. Observer: Laurie Morse Meeting length: 1 hour, 37 minutes
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Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Board Meeting
September 7, 2023 Board Action: A motion to appoint David Ormsby, Inc. as Public Relations Consultant for the MWRD for a one-year period to advise on crisis communications management was approved 7 to 2 after being deferred from the August 10, 2023 meeting and again from the morning to afternoon session of this meeting. The issue at hand was discussed at the August Procurement Study Session where board members made known that they want more contracts to go out to bid. Commissioners Davis and Spyropoulos were the two voting against the contract saying that it should go out to bid. Several of the remaining seven that voted to approve the contract said that they have met with Mr. Ormsby, that he is very qualified, and that there should be no delay in getting the help needed. Commissioner Davis said the contract language was not clear as to how this will lead to better systemic communications. (Agenda Item #1 23-0801). Two other agenda items were deferred:
All of the other 64 resolutions were passed including four Stormwater Management Intergovernmental agreements or authority to enter into same. The total expected expenditures reported at almost $6 million. One of the Stormwater agreements is being terminated and replaced in an amount not to exceed $3,483,000. The Legal Department shared that the District cannot legally require that local governments adopt the District’s AAP goals. Commissioners Garcia and Sepulveda requested giving priority to municipalities that comply with the District’s participation goals or a higher scoring value at project selection. This approach appears to be legal. Another item of interest is the staff’s request to advertise for Individual Coaching and Training services for a 3-year period. This is for managers identified as needing improvement in their managerial skills or for those managers requesting the help. (Agenda Item #26 23-0825) New Business
Observer: Diane Edmundson All 9 Members were present – Garcia on Video No Public Speakers – No Executive Session Meeting length: 70 minutes Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting
August 10, 2023 Eight Harvey residents, including Harvey 2nd Ward Alder Colby Chapman, spoke during the public comment period at the beginning of the meeting urging that a proposed stormwater management project be moved. They had all just learned on July 15 about a proposed retention pond that the MWRD is proposing to build in partnership with the City of Harvey. Ald. Chapman explained that 31 parcels of land are to be purchased to build that retention pond and a surrounding green area in order to help relieve flooding for 209 homes in the area. However, at least some of these 31 parcels contain homes in which some of these speakers live, so if the project goes forward, these residents will have to move. The speakers complained about the failure of the City to engage with them early on. They also said there are many blocks in Harvey with either vacant land or abandoned homes, and the speakers hoped the project could be moved to one of these areas. This Observer checked, and the MWRD Board authorized the MWRD staff to negotiate and then execute an intergovernmental agreement with the City of Harvey for this project at this location at the February 2, 2023 Board meeting (Item 23-0133). President Steele promised the speakers that either her office of the Executive Director’s office would arrange a meeting with the speakers, Alder Chapman, the Mayor of Harvey and the MWRD to discuss the project. Item Deferred:
Other Items Discussed and then Approved:
New Business:
Observer: Priscilla Mims Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting
June 15, 2023 Authority was given to staff to negotiate and enter into an American Rescue Plan Act “subrecipient” Agreement with Cook County for joint funding of stormwater management projects located in the County. The District and Cook County have identified 16 community projects as possible recipients of up to $18 million towards planning, engineering, or construction. If any of the projects on the list are found to be incompatible with the District’s stormwater program, the money allocated to it or them will be reallocated. Elected November 2022, Patricia Theresa Flynn was elected by the Board in a 6-2 vote to replace Kim DuBuclet as Vice President of the Board. With the exception of the request for the advice and consent of the Board to the appointment of long-time MWRD Human Resources employee to the Director of Human Resources position, all other agenda items were approved. Commissioner Davis ask for a deferral. Mr. Ted Kosowski is currently the Asst Director of Human Resources and was hired in 1997 to the HR department. #39 23-0519. The Board received a very favorable report covering its 2022 Annual Comprehensive Financial Reports for the MWRD and the MWRD’s Retiree Health Care Trust. The Board asked for a copy of the full reports. Executive Director, Brian Perkovich, has been in the job since December 2018 without a formal executive level performance evaluation process. At this meeting, the board approved a request to advertise for consulting services to develop such a process at an estimated cost of $15,000. Due date is November 2023. Commissioner used one of the requests to award a Furnish and Deliver contract for miscellaneous steel and stainless steel as an example of the need for a Procurement Study Session. As this observer has repeatedly reported, he has lobbied for this Study Session for at least a year. It will likely be held yet this summer, but no date has been set as of this reporting. Recently retired Commissioner Barbara McGowan came to the public speaker microphone to chastise the staff for its minimal preparation and presentation of a memorial resolution celebrating the life of Paulette Marshall. Ms. McGowan felt that family members should be included in the resolution and that appropriate folders should be used to include a copy of the resolution for each member of the family. Ms. McGowan had stopped by the District’s office to pick up the resolution copies. Staff redid the resolution to include family names. There was an Executive Session just before the end of the meeting. The meeting length including the executive session was three hours. All eight Commissioners were present. Governor Pritzker has not yet appointed an individual to replace the slot vacated by Commissioner DuBuclet to take a State Representation appointment in Springfield. Observer: Diane Edmundson Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting
June 1, 2023 Authority to enter into thirteen [13] intergovernmental agreements with local communities for flood control was approved at this board meeting ranging in cost from $207,000 to $1 million dollars. An additional two were approved including: (a) Authority to negotiation agreements to assist various local municipalities with the condition assessment and the rehabilitation of sanitary sewers; and (b) Authority to negotiate with the Forest Preserve District of Cook County for a multi-benefit Flood Control Project located between the village of Glenwood and the Village of Ford Heights. In addition, eight (8) Furnish and Deliver contracts were approved two of which included Affirmation Action goals. Until the December 2022 update of the District's Affirmation Action Plan (AAP), Furnish and Deliver contracts were excluded from AAP goals. With the exception of Item #24-0526 for landscape work which was deleted by the Executive Director without discussion, all agenda items were approved including the three items that were deferred at the May 18, 2023 meeting. Several new items include:
No Exec. Session Absent: Commissioner Sepulveda Observer: Diane Edmundson 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.
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:
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 |
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