MWRD Board Approves 2024 Budget

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meetings
December 14 and December 21, 2023 

MWRD APPROVES FINAL 2024 BUDGET
2024 Appropriation vs  (2023)                             2024  FTEs  vs  (2023)
   $1,428 Billion                 $1,432 B    (- .2%)                                    1,967                  1,957     (+10)
    $131.5 Million                      $  129 M            Stormwater          100                     99      (-1)
2024 Tax Levy:  $693.7 M (2.1%)

Board Action      

• The December 14, 2023 meeting lasted 20 minutes.  All commissioners were present to approve the recommended 2024 budget.  A motion to revise the 2024 budget to approve a 3% salary increase for non-union employees was approved without discussion - #4 23-1192.  The Board also approved the motion to increase the Reserve Claim Fund by .005%.  23-1194.  All members were present and there was no Executive Session.
• The December 21, 2023 meeting lasted 50 minutes and all Commissioners were present.  There was no Executive Session.  The board was asked to adopt the amended budget which it did unanimously without discussion along with all other budget ordinances.    Also approved was a $7.1 million dollar contract for a Westchester pumping relief sewer with no discussion and an amendment to an Intergovernmental Agreement with the CC Sheriff’s office to continue supporting the prescription Drug Take-Back Program for another year for an amount not to exceed $80,000.   #35 23-1218 and #50 23-1242 respectively.

Items Deferred  

• Commissioner Garcia deferred the request to participate in the Suburban Purchasing Cooperative-Joint Purchasing Program as he noted that the MWRD and the program are not for profit, and he wants to see if participation goals can be applied to big purchase items.  The staff responded that goals are not used for services under this program.  He wants more details on the program.   #19 23-1220
• Commissioner Sepulveda deferred the $14.5 million purchase order request to enter into an agreement for change orders dealing with its huge Biogas Combined Heat and Power System that it is developing for the MWRD.   There was no discussion by any of the Commissioners including Sepulveda.  #28   23-1203
• Commissioner Sepulveda also deferred a request to increase a Janitorial Services contract by almost $100,000 to $776,191.  She wants information on whether the contractor pays “prevailing wage and provides health benefits.  #41 23-1209

Observer:  Diane Edmundson