MWRD to Pay $3.3M for Stormwater Engineering Consultants to Accelerate Stormwater Projects in Cook County

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board of Directors Meeting
October 6, 2022

Storm Water Management

• The Board approved funds and a contract with Fresh Coast Capital LLC (also known as Greenprint Partners) in an amount not to exceed $1,640,600.00 for green stormwater infrastructure consulting services. Under Item 18. it approved a similar contract with Gewalt Hamilton Associates, Inc. for Stormwater Consulting, also in the amount of $1,640,600.00.    Item 17 #22-0882 and Item 18 #22-0884 
• The combined contracts engage a variety of engineering firms to work with staff to gear up the District’s stormwater infrastructure projects.  In response to queries by Commissioners Garcia and Corral-Sepulveda, Executive Director Brian Perkovich said the new contracts will supplement the work of the agency’s own staff.  “These contracts will allow us to do as many stormwater projects as possible,” he said.
• Both commissioners asked how priorities would be set for stormwater projects, and if areas disproportionately affected by flooding would receive higher priority status.  The Executive Director said the MWRD was still developing strategy, and the new consultants would be involved in identifying projects and priorities.  Commissioner Garcia asked staff to supply a list of projects and a map of areas where the projects will be completed. 

​Board Action

• The Board gave staff authority to advertise for two environmental engineering consulting firms to provide professional services to the Site Remediation Section of the Real Estate Division of the Law Department. The approved cost for the requested services is $1,300,000.00 ($650,000 per consultant over a three-year period ( 2023-2025).  Item 11 #22-0890
• A $93,800 project to fund an Intergovernmental Agreement with the Village of Oak Lawn for the design, construction, operation and maintenance of the Detention Basin Naturalization Project in Oak Lawn was approved.  Commissioners Garcia and Corral- Sepulveda pulled this agenda item for discussion to once again ask how the District might entice it’s municipal and agency partners to adopt the MWRD’s affirmative action goals and increase access for minority contractors. Commissioner Garcia noted this project could easily surpass the Agency’s $100,000 value threshold for compliance.  Commissioner Corral-Sepulveda asked staff for a process that might persuade intergovernmental partners to comply. Executive Director Perkovich agreed to provide the board with a time-line showing how and when such incentives could be included in the District’s intergovernmental agreements.  Item 42 #22-0906

Deferred or Deleted Agenda Items

• The Exec. Director deleted Item 40 from the agenda: Authority to grant the Village of Oak Lawn a 2-year, 124,972± sq. ft. temporary construction easement to continue to stage for the construction of a 60” diameter subterranean water main on and/or beneath Cal-Sag Channel.

Commissioner Requests

• In addition to the requests above, Commissioner Spyropoulos noted the Chicago Tribune recently reported the MWRD would be partnering with Cook County in more than $20 million in stormwater projects.  The Commissioner asked for a list of those projects.      
• In a discussion of Item 15, which dealt with a credit card company authorization, Commissioner Spyropoulos requested a breakdown on the vendor charges and Commissioner Corral Sepúlveda requested details on the fee per transaction charged by the vendor to the MWRD.    #22-0865

No Executive Session Held

Observer -  Laurie Morse