Harvey's Water Retention Basin and Home Relocation Project Not Yet Resolved

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD)
​Board of Commissioners Meeting​
October 17, 2024

Public Comment

• Eight public speakers including a community activist from Evanston and a non-profit representative spoke for 70 minutes before the agenda business began.  Residents expressed deep concern with the location of the proposed retention basin [close to a school], the loss of their home with not enough compensation to purchase equivalency, the requirement for several elderly individuals to move, and their distrust of the mayor.  
• It wasn't clear if the community activist had been invited by Harvey residents to speak, but he was very vocal and talked about the commissioners losing voter support if they do not address the resident's concern.  President Steele assured the residents that the MWRD wants to work with them and that she will speak with the relocation staff.  
• She also allowed the commissioners to offer comments which almost never happens during the public comment period.  Several Commissioners voiced their concern and support for finding a compromise. Commissioner Spyropoulos suggested holding another public meeting in Harvey so that residents' questions and concerns are fully heard.

Board Action

• At 11:45 a.m. the Board began to discuss agenda business. 
• Item #47 was deferred by Garcia with no questions allowed.  This is a contract procurement issue based on the selection of a bid that was not the lowest and has been contested several times.   Another bidder that was the lowest spoke and asked that the contract go out for rebid. Later in the morning, Garcia lifted his deferral and asked that Item #47 be placed on the afternoon agenda.  A roll-call vote affirmed the afternoon placement.  During the afternoon session, this item was voted on, again by roll call, and passed with 6 ayes, 1 no, 1 present, and 1 absent.  #24-0936.

All other agenda items were approved without discussion including:

• 1)   $37 million dollar in General Obligation Refunding Bonds.
• 2)  Resolutions recognizing "imagine a Day Without Water; October as LGBT History Month; and the 35th anniversary of the Federation of Women Contractors.
• 3)  Motion to approve dates and times for the 2025 regular board meetings of the MWRD.

An Executive Session was held from 12:05 to 12:40. When the board meeting resumed the agenda items were read in full and passed without comment. 
​In new business, President Steele noted that the MWRD Civil Engineering Team won an award from the Illinois Engineering Association for its work on the Addison Creek Project.

Observer:  Diane Edmundson