MWRD Board Approves Joint Stormwater Management Plan Using ARPA Funds

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. 
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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