MWRD Board Continues to Discuss Procurement Process Requirements

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting
August 8,  2024
                                               
Public Comments  

•   Tessa Murray from the Friends of the Chicago River listed their concerns with the elimination of some of the requirements and regulations concerning watersheds and flood control.

​Board Action - Agenda Items:         

• All items passed except Item #41 which was deferred
• Item #45  Landscape maintenance at various service areas.   This item was deferred at the July meeting. Commissioner Davis said that the procurement process in regard to diversity is flawed.    A vendor was not considered because they did not include the required letter of intent from a subcontractor that is needed to fulfill the diversity goals.  One of the vendors did not need a sub-contractor to meet the goals, the company itself met it.   But the rules require that they should still have included a letter of intent.  Commissioner Garcia recommended that a workgroup of departments be convened to address the issues.  President Steele directed Executive Director Perkovich to organize the workgroup and address  the process requirements and propose changes to make it more efficient. The contract was approved, Commissioner Davis abstained. (24-0604)
• Item #62 Report on change orders authorized and time extensions.  Commissioner Corral Sepulveda questioned why the project is 244 calendar days behind schedule. Catherine O’Connor from Engineering said that there are significant delays in getting electrical components. (24-0652)
• Item #69  Report on the 2023 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Retirement Fund.   The retirement fund for the MWRD is better funded than many other municipal funds in the state, but not nationally.    It faces challenges.  Like all mature plans there is a gap between the number of employees currently working and the number of retirees.  This year, 80 people retired from the MWRD but there were only 40 new hires.  The MWRD has been contributing supplemental money to the retirement fund.  Commissioner Corral Sepulveda stated they would need to keep monitoring this and how it affects the overall budget. (24-0669)

Deferred Items

• Item #41  Commissioner Davis asked that the license renewal of  EMS PRISM Compliance Management Software be deferred.  Other municipalities are using different software.   President Steele asked Executive Director Perkovich to send the Commissioners all the information on PRISM.   (24-0690)

 The meeting began at 10:30 am and ended at 12:30 pm.   There was no Executive Session.
All Commissioners present except Commissioner Brady-Davis and Commissioner Brown

Observer - Kathi Graffam