MWRD Board Receives Report On Green Infrastructure Partnership Program

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board of Directors Meeting
May 2, 2024-10:30 a.m.

Board Action:

​Agenda #40 (24-0338) The MWRD staff presented a report on the DIA (Disproportionately Impacted Areas) communities that will receive infrastructure assistance.

• Commissioner Davis asked about the current criteria for selection. The original criteria list was developed in 2019. Has this criteria been updated? And did commercialization penalize some of the communities?  
• Staff spokesperson, Dr. O’Connor, assured the commissioners that they are eager to work with them to update the criteria. There are many projects underway on the south side that will slow down the flow to the Thornton reservoir. If communities are not selected (e.g. Cicero), they can still benefit by the Green Schoolyard initiative.
• Commissioner Corral-Sepulveda asked E.D. Perkovich about the goals of the program. She urged development of clear measurable goals and noted that developing these requires great expertise. Commissioner Garcia asked for an update that includes what Chicago is doing in this area. He stressed the  importance of knowing how other governmental entities are solving these issues.
• Final consensus was that the commissioners were pleased with the staff work and were interested in being actively involved in updating the criteria for the infrastructure program.

Agenda #3 (024-005) The Ordinance to give authority to amend the Watershed Management Ordinance-Wetlands Jurisdictional  Determination was passed. Ayes: 8 Nays: 0 Ab. 1

PUBLIC COMMENTS:

• Friends of the Chicago River spoke in support of agenda #40, the Green Infrastructure Program.
• Resource Environmental Solutions spoke for a 3-year extension to the program that identifies stormwater projects. 

DELETED ITEMS: Executive Director Perkovich deleted #1, 2 and 27.

•   #1- Ordinance 024-003- providing the transfer of an amount from the 459 Capital Improvements Bond Revenue Sub-Fund to pay for certain non-Tunnel and Reservoir Plan related expenditures….
•     #2-024-004-Ordinance providing for the transfer of an amount from the 459 Capital Improvements Bond Revenue Sub-Fund to pay for certain Tunnel and Reservoir Plan related expenditures…
•     #27-24-0327-Authority to award Contract Landscape Maintenance at Various Service Areas to Lizzette Medina & Company.

Consent agenda (#1-41, except for #1,2,3, 27) was passed unanimously.

EXECUTIVE SESSION: Commissioners met to discuss personnel matters.


Meeting adjourned: 11:55 a.m. on an unanimous vote. 

Observer: Georgia Gebhardt