Criteria for Awarding Infrastructure Project Contracts Discussed by MWRD Board

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting
November 4, 2021 

The majority of the one hour board meeting was devoted to the Commissioners asking Staff questions about what criteria is used to award inter-government agreements to assist local municipalities and other governmental organizations with green infrastructure projects.  Commissioners learned that the staff is now ranking requests based on the amount of water captured, the median income of the area covered, and the structures protected to determine the most productive contracts.    The board then gave staff the authority to negotiate these agreements. Stormwater Mgmt.  21-1034.

Board Action: 

• Several of the 48 agenda items were pulled for discussion, but none were deferred or deleted. 
  
• Final approval was given to amend the Rules of the Board of Commissioners to allow board members to attend executive sessions remotely after the Covid state of emergency has passed as long as an in-person quorum has been met.  (Agenda Item 21-0128).
• Six bond issuances were approved totaling just over $1 billion dollars.
• MWRD’s agreement with the CC Sheriff’s office to support its Prescription Drug Take-Back Program was extended another year.  MWRD will contribute $80,000. (Agenda Item 21.-1014).

Stormwater Management

• Approval was given to amend a 2020 intergovernmental agreement with the City of Des Plaines for the acquisition of flood-prone properties in an amount not to exceed $10 million. Previously, an acquisition amount was not specified. (Agenda Item 21-1035)

Special requests

• Comm. Mariyana Spyropoulos requested a discussion with the CC Sheriff’s Office to include Sundays in their Prescription Drug Take-Back Program schedule.
• Comm. Barbara McGowan followed up on her previous request for a list of partnership contracts that includes the dollar amount the District paid, the names of the contractors, and the dollar amount each received.

Observer - Diane Edmundson