MWRD Approves Negotiating Intergovernmental Agreements to Assist with Local Stormwater Partnership Projects

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting
May 21, 2020                      

Nine Board members participated in the virtual meeting, and 3 public speakers, 2 representing Northwestern University, 1 from Friends of the Chicago River, and 1 from GTM Strategies participated by audio hookup .

Decisions

• Agenda Item #48 20-0427    Authorized report on feasibility of partnering with suburban school districts on green infrastructure. Commissioner McGowan requested that the project be broken into three geographic areas to ensure diversification.    Approved unanimously.      Report due May 31, 2021.

The following agenda items, deferred from the May 7, 2020 Board Meeting, were approved unanimously: 

• Agenda Item # 1 20-003  Authority to amend the sunset provision of the Affirmative Action Ordinance to extend the expiration date until the end of 2021.  
• Agenda Item # 6 20-0342 Authorization to extend the agreement with Ace Coffee Bar, Inc. (Re-Bid) to provide vending machine at various locations for an additional 6 month period. 
• Agenda Item #19  20-0287 Issue purchase order and enter into agreement with the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign to analyze root causes of flooding in Lower Salt Creek and Addison Creek River Basins in connection with ongoing litigation entitled Hampton v. MWRD, Case No. 2011 CH 25822, and Jacklin v. MWRD, Case No. 2011 CH 25985 in an amount not to exceed $230,000.00,   
• Agenda Item #20  20-0288 Issue purchase order and enter into agreement with Marcelo H. Garcia, PhD in connection with ongoing litigation entitled Hampton v. MWRD, Case No. 2011 CH 25822, and Jacklin v. MWRD, Case No. 2011  CH 25985 in an amount not to exceed $30,000.00,
• Agenda Item #27 20-0282 Authority to award contract for manhole and infrastructure repairs to Sumit Construction Co. Commissioner Garcia expressed his approval that the MWRD is awarding this contract to a minority company and that minority participation is higher than the goal.  
• Agenda Item #29 20-0261 Authority to increase purchase order to AT&T Corporation, to furnish and deliver two new PRI Telecommunication lines in an amount of $22,089.12, from an amount of $28,972.80 to an  amount not to exceed $51,061.92.

The following deferred agenda items, after discussion, were unanimously deleted:

• Agenda Item #21 20-0302 Issue purchase order for a Compensation and Benefits Study by MGT of America Consulting. Commissioner Garcia stated that it would be appropriate to defer the HR study until after the conclusion of the current pandemic.  
• Agenda Item #39 20-0264    Authority to issue a 5-year permit to Northwestern University to allow parking and tailgating activities during home football games on North Shore Channel  in Evanston.   In deference to the Evanston City Council, which has not yet considered the issue, the Commissioners were not willing to go ahead with the authorization.  

All other items deferred from the May 7, 2020 Board Meeting were unanimously approved.

The following Stormwater Management  proposals were approved unanimously:

• Agenda Item #45 20-0413 Authority to enter into an Intergovernmental Agreement with and make payment to the Village of Broadview for the construction, operation, and maintenance of the Green Alley Improvements project in  the Village of Broadview, Illinois in an amount not to exceed $448,000.00, 
• Agenda Item #46 20-0416 Authority to negotiate Intergovernmental Agreements to assist various local municipalities and   townships with Local Stormwater Partnership Projects
• Agenda Item #47 20-0417  Authority to enter into an Intergovernmental Agreement with and make payment to the Village of  Harwood Heights for the construction, operation, and maintenance of the Harwood Heights Green Alleys Project in the Village of Harwood Heights, Illinois in an amount not to exceed $353,203.00,

All other agenda items were approved.  Among the significant decisions: 

• Agenda Item #16 20-0399 Authority to advertise a contract for furnishing and delivering rock salt to various service areas. Commissioners  Garcia and Spyropoulos had questions regarding whether the salt used was as environmentally appropriate as possible and whether there was a stockpile remaining from last winter.  Executive Director Perkovich answered  affirmatively.
• Agenda Item #18 20-0424 Authority to advertise a contract for installation of mechanical mixers at the Stickney Water Reclamation Plant. Commissioner Avila commended the staff for its forward thinking in putting together this proposal.
• Agenda Item #4 20-0389 Authority to add project to furnish and deliver a lathe and accessories to the O’Brien Water Reclamation Plant, to the Construction Fund, estimated cost of the project is $170,000.00.
• Agenda Item #8 20-0421 Authorization to execute settlement agreement for Streambank Stabilization on Oak Lawn Creek, to Judlau Contracting Inc. in an amount of $773,500.00, from an amount of $3,079,848.82, to an amount not to exceed $3,853,348.82. 
• Agenda Item #30 20-0364 Authority to increase purchase order and amend the agreement with V3 Companies of Illinois, Ltd. for professional engineering services for contract for Melvina Ditch Reservoir Improvements in Burbank, Illinois in an amount of $41,250.00 from an amount of $1,321,477.00, to an amount not to exceed $1,362,727.00 
• Agenda Item #31 20-0402 Authority to increase the contract to furnish, deliver and install boiler controls at the Stickney Water Reclamation Plant, to M.G. Electric Service Company, in an amount of $153,932.00, from an amount of $1,345,208.00, to an amount not to exceed $1,499,140.00, 
• Agenda Item #32 20-0418 Authority to increase purchase order and amend the agreement with ARCADIS, U.S., Inc., for professional services in connection with the Stormwater Master Plan for the Little Calumet River/Cal-Sag Channel Drainage Area in an amount of $4,690.25, from an amount of $923,479.50, to an amount not to exceed $928,169.75.

Commissioner Requests:
            1.  Commissioner Spyropoulos requested a snapshot of the Cash Disbursements for April, 2020.
      2. Commissioner Davis requested a statistical report of the recent storm event showing quantity of                 water discharged.
            3. Barbara J. McGowan requested a report on how the masks the District received were distributed.        
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Observed by:  Ann Bolan                                      Meeting Length:  1 and 1/2 hours