MWRD to Buy 100,000 Tree Saplings

  Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Board Meeting - April 7, 2016    

Major Items Discussed:

• The Metropolitan Water Reclamation Board (MWRD) approved the purchase of 100,000 tree saplings for $40,000 from the Illinois Department of Natural Resouces. The saplings will not be bought all at once. Commissioner Shore praised the board for thinking  green and cited the many benefits of trees for our environment. Ideas about who should plant the saplings and where they should be planted were discussed. These included setting up competitions among high schools and/or park districts with awards being given to the group with the greatest number of plantings. Asking lease holders of MWRD land to participate by  planting saplings along bike paths was also mentioned. Commissioner Shore stressed the fact that these plantings should be monitored regularly. (Agenda Item #16-0321)
• Various bond issues were discussed, each with a monetary ceiling. Some of these included general obligations, others had more specific purposes such as conservation or capital improvement.
• The leasing of an historic building near Wilmette Harbor was discussed. The building is not currently permanently occupied and is in danger of being razed. Tenants such as the Harbor Association and the Yacht Club may be interested.
• Environmental clean-ups of 2 sections of the district”s channels was discussed. Clean-up is an ongoing process by People’s Gas and ComEd.  The Main Channel on the city's NW side near Pulaski and an area near the Cal-Sag Channel in Blue Island are the areas of concern. Contaminants such as pet coke have been found in the water (more in the Blue Island site) and disagreements over the standards of the Illinois EPA and the US EPA have ensued.  Legal representation has been retained over the issue. (Agenda Item #16-0323)
• Leasing of MWRD land near the intersection of Devon and McCormick in Lincolnwood was  discussed. The town of Lincolnwood may want to lease it. Keeping this high profile area as open space with parkland, bike paths and sound infrastructure is a top priority.

Update on rules for Public Speakers at MWRD Meetings:
Commissioner Bradford’s change to the placement of public speakers at board meetings was deferred for a later date. Right now,  public speakers can speak after each agenda item. The change would put all public speakers at the beginning of each board meeting. Late arriving speakers would have a second chance to speak at the end. Commissioner Bradford said that this would make meetings more orderly. Commissioner Avila disagreed and said that the meetings were orderly already. He also stated that he liked hearing from the public after each agenda item.

The Board went into Executive Session at 11:40am and was expected to pass all agenda items on their return. 

Observer -  Jan Goldberg                  Meeting Length - 1 hour 40 minutes