MWRD Board Plans $500M Bond Issue

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting
November 21, 2024

Public Comment

• Speakers for and against a new Stormwater facility in the Town of Harvey again addressed the Board.
• Item 36  #24-1018  This item, to grant the Wilmette Park District an 8-year easement to construct a new road configuration on a small piece of District land near the entry to Gillson Park, drew opposition from two speakers representing preservation groups in Wilmette.  They spoke in opposition to the Wilmette Park District’s plan to reconfigure a treasured landscape by altering road patterns in the park, and they asked the MWRD not to participate in these alterations. Steve Wilson, Executive Director of the Wilmette Park District, stood to defend the plan.   

Board Action
Item 36  #24-1018

• The MWRD Board approved item 36 as part of the consent agenda without comment.  
• Later, in the New Business portion of the meeting, Commissioner Davis stated that he did not want his vote in favor of the easement to be interpreted as support for the road alternations.

Items 1-5   #024-015, O24-016, 024-017, 024-018, 024-019

• The Board approved ordinances to issue $500 million in bonds.  At least $325 million of the dollars raised through the bond sale are reserved for capital projects.  Other money raised will pay general obligations of the District, including pension funding. Some of the bonds in the package are designed to reduce interest costs on existing debt.
• Commissioner Garcia pulled these five items from the agenda to thank Steve Lux, the District’s Treasurer and recognize a long list of financial advisory firms and bankers for their part crafting the bond package.   The bonding was later approved as part of the consent agenda.

Items 31-33 #24-1041, 24-1042, 24-1043

• The District ratified new labor agreements with three divisions of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local Union No. 9.
• Commissioner Spyropoulos pulled these items to thank the unions and their members for their work at the MWRD.  

Items 10  #24-1027 and 14 #24-1013 were deleted from the agenda by Executive Director Brian Perkovich

Stormwater Management

• Item 41 #24-1049.  The District approved an intergovernmental agreement to fund about $2,500,000 for the acquisition of flood-prone properties and construct stormwater storage in Lyons Township.   This item was approved without discussion.
• In related business, (Item 37 #24-1019 and Item #24-1034) the Board approved settlements of eminent domain lawsuits for the acquisition of property for stormwater management in Robbins.   

Exiting Commissioners
Items 44 and 45.  

• Board members thanked Commissioners Pogorzelski and Spyropoulos for their service on the Board.
  
• Commissioner Spyropoulos leaves the board after 15 years of service, including serving as Board President from 2015-2019.

Observer - Laurie Morse                       Executive Session: No              Meeting length: 1 hour 45 minutes