Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting
June 15, 2023

Authority was given to staff to negotiate and enter into an American Rescue Plan Act “subrecipient” Agreement with Cook County for joint funding of stormwater management projects located in the County.  The District and Cook County have identified 16 community projects as possible recipients of up to $18 million towards planning, engineering, or construction. If any of the projects on the list are found to be incompatible with the District’s stormwater program, the money allocated to it or them will be reallocated.   

Elected November 2022, Patricia Theresa Flynn was elected by the Board in a 6-2 vote to replace Kim DuBuclet as Vice President of the Board.

With the exception of the request for the advice and consent of the Board to the appointment of long-time MWRD Human Resources employee to the Director of Human Resources position, all other agenda items were approved.  Commissioner Davis ask for a deferral.  Mr. Ted Kosowski is currently the Asst Director of Human Resources and was hired in 1997 to the HR department. 
#39 23-0519.

The Board received a very favorable report covering its 2022 Annual Comprehensive Financial Reports for the MWRD and the MWRD’s Retiree Health Care Trust.  The Board asked for a copy of the full reports.

Executive Director, Brian Perkovich, has been in the job since December 2018 without a formal executive level performance evaluation process.  At this meeting, the board approved a request to advertise for consulting services to develop such a process at an estimated cost of $15,000.  Due date is November 2023.

Commissioner used one of the requests to award a Furnish and Deliver contract for miscellaneous steel and stainless steel as an example of the need for a Procurement Study Session.  As this observer has repeatedly reported, he has lobbied for this Study Session for at least a year.  It will likely be held yet this summer, but no date has been set as of this reporting.

Recently retired Commissioner Barbara McGowan came to the public speaker microphone to chastise the staff for its minimal preparation and presentation of a memorial resolution celebrating the life of Paulette Marshall.  Ms. McGowan felt that family members should be included in the resolution and that appropriate folders should be used to include a copy of the resolution for each member of the family.  Ms. McGowan had stopped by the District’s office to pick up the resolution copies. Staff redid the resolution to include family names.

There was an Executive Session just before the end of the meeting.  The meeting length including the executive session was three hours. All eight Commissioners were present.  Governor Pritzker has not yet appointed an individual to replace the slot vacated by Commissioner DuBuclet to take a State Representation appointment in Springfield.

Observer:  Diane Edmundson

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting
June 1, 2023

Authority to enter into thirteen [13] intergovernmental agreements with local communities for flood control was approved at this board meeting ranging in cost from $207,000 to $1 million dollars.  An additional two were approved including:  
(a)  Authority to negotiation agreements to assist various local municipalities with the condition assessment and the rehabilitation of sanitary sewers; and
(b) Authority to negotiate with the Forest Preserve District of Cook County for a multi-benefit Flood Control Project located between the village of Glenwood and the Village of Ford Heights.

In addition, eight (8) Furnish and Deliver contracts were approved two of which included Affirmation Action goals. Until the December 2022 update of the District's Affirmation Action Plan (AAP), Furnish and Deliver contracts were excluded from AAP goals.

With the exception of Item #24-0526 for landscape work which was deleted by the Executive Director without discussion, all agenda items were approved including the three items that were deferred at the May 18, 2023 meeting.  Several new items include:

• #9 23-0520.  Authorization to almost double the cost estimate for a project at the Stickney Plant prompted Commissioner Garcia to ask how many other government agencies include cost estimates in their bidding process.  Staff said only Chicago, and it is anticipating a discussion at the upcoming Procurement Study Session as Staff would like to start excluding a cost estimate in  RFPs. 
• #13 23-0459.  A purchase order and agreement with Deloitte prompted Garcia to repeat a request made in May that staff send a letter to contractors outlining the District’s new bidding policy.  This is one of the items that was deferred at the May 18 board meeting.  The goal is to allow for more bidders to qualify thru cross-certification with other government bodies such as the city and county.
• #15 23-0475. A purchase order and agreement with Princeton University for greenhouse gas monitoring and quantification at the MWRD facilities.  This item had also been deferred in May.
• #33 23-0555.  Authority to enter into a 50-year lease with the Chicago Board of Education for the nominal fee of $10, for the use of District real estate to include the development of a new soccer field for Northside College Preparatory High School.  Commissioner Davis requested that the staff extend its best effort to include a condition that the artificial turf used for the soccer field does not contact PFAS chemicals. 

No Exec. Session                     Absent:  Commissioner Sepulveda

Observer: Diane Edmundson

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting
May 18, 2023

Commissioner Kimberly Du Buclet resigned from the MWRD Board.   She was selected to serve as  the State Representative of the 5th District after the resignation of Lamont Robinson who was recently elected as alderman of Chicago's 4th Ward.

​Deferred Agenda Items: (All 3 Items deferred at request of Commissioner Garcia)

• Agenda Item 19 23-0459 - This item was a purchase order for a contract for benefits consulting services with Deloitte Consulting for an amount not to exceed $150,000.  Commissioner Garcia questioned the proposed minority vendor participation of only 5%.  Diversity  Administrator  Martinez explained that they were the only ones qualified on the approved vendor list. Commissioner Garcia asked what the MWRD was doing to get more minority vendors on the approved list.  The MWRD has held virtual and in-person vendor fairs to encourage minority vendor participation. Commissioner Spryopoulos recommended that the District send letters about the modified vendor approval process to the registered vendors on the Cook County  and City of Chicago Lists.   Commissioner Garcia requested a report on everything the District is doing to contact  potential vendors and improve the registration process.     
• Item 21  23-0467 - This item was a  purchase order for a contract with WM Reply for intranet development for an amount not to exceed $380,000.00.   Commissioner Garcia questioned why he did not receive a report about this contract.  Since this was not a sealed bid contract, Commissioners currently do not get a separate report on it.  The contracts are listed on the website.  Executive  Director Perkovich said they would provide the Commissioners with reports of both open and closed bidding  going forward.
• Item 24  23-0475 - This item was a purchase order for a contract with Princeton University for greenhouse gas monitoring for an amount not to exceed $100,414.00 Commissioner Garcia asked if local universities were asked to participate and why there were no minority participation goals in the contract since it was for more than $100,000.  Executive Director Perkovich explained that Princeton is the only university developing these specialized sensors.   The outcome report will be provided to local universities.

State Legislation

• Item 45  23-0510  Formation of the 2023-2024 MWRD Committee on Local Government Efficiency. A new state statute requires all metropolitan governments to form a committee to look at efficiency of their operations and produce a report in 2024.   

Executive Session - ​There was an executive session but there were no announcements from the session. 

Observer:  Kathleen Graffam

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting
​May 4, 2023

Board Action:

• After four years of interdepartmental task force research and collaboration, interaction between MWRD commissioners and staff, a public comment period, and multiple drafts, the Board adopted its climate action plan [CAP] to be updated on an annual basis. #23-0392.  Item #34. Commissioner Garcia requested that the Monitoring and Research Committee develop a virtual presentation for employees and the public and also a tracking plan.  The full plan can be found on the MWRD website’s home page at www.mwrd.org.  Click on Strategic plan and the link to the Climate Action Plan will pop up as well.  
• Item #19, 23-0400 A purchase order in the amount of $1.5+ million was deleted by the Executive Director without comment.  It was to retain a legal firm to represent the District in acquiring certain property rights for the construction of the Central Park Stormwater Detention Basis and sewer improvements in Harvey for an additional amount of $400,000.
• All other Items were approved including #22, 23-0327 to award a contraction for $22,976 million to replace the boilers at the Stickney Plant.  This item had twice been deferred in April partially due to its cost.  Two public speakers, Cliff Haefke, Director of Energy Resources Center at UIC and Mike Archey decarbonization strategist and long-time advocate for the District rethinking how it uses its Biogas effluent, spoke against purchasing the boilers and rethinking how it will capture and use its biogas.

Items of Additional Interest

• Item #27, 23-0396 approved increasing a previous purchase order to increase consulting support services from $2.1 to $2.5 million at the Calumet Plant to help the District determine where phosphorous is coming from and to help reduce it coming into the plant.
• Item #18 -23-0399 approved entering into an agreement with Questica LTD to purchase a Public Sector Budget System for an amount not to exceed $1.52+ million dollars.  Commissioner Garcia stated that the District’s procurement system needs to be included.  He said that the District can function with the current system until 2040.  ED Perkovich responded that he would provide a timeline and goals.
• Commissioner Sypropoulos sponsored a resolution recognizing Chicago River Day, and Chelsey Grassfield, Policy Manager of Friends of the Chicago River, accepted the award and thanked the board.

Observer:  Diane Edmundson                 No Executive Session                    No new Business  

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting
​April 20, 2023-10:30 A.M.

Agenda Item #21-23-0327-Commissioners voted to defer a $22,976,100 contract for three boilers at the Stickney Plant.

• Commissioner Davis spoke for the deferral of the contract for replacement of boilers 3, 4, & 5 and MCC Replacement. He emphasized that he did not oppose the contract, but rather felt it prudent to consider carefully, given the large sticker price.
• Comm. Davis asked how much gas emissions would be reduced. Executive Director Perkovich could not give a number but said they would be much more efficient. Commissioner Davis asked for a comparison between CHP system and boilers. The director replied that the CHP system would not produce enough heat and that it is complementary but not a replacement for boilers. Boiler life span was raised. Engineers put it at 30 years. The current boilers are now at 40 years. 
• Comm. Davis  said that he needed time to consider.
• President Steele asked Mr. Perkovich if this item was time sensitive. He replied that the department would like to begin ASAP, but a week or two would not be a problem.
• Roll call vote to defer for a second time was held. Aye: 8  Nay: 1. Commissioner Garcia requested a memo answering all the questions asked on this item.

Agenda Item #5-23-0376- Comptroller of MWRD presented the report on Governmental Finance Officers Association Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for 2022. MWRD was lauded for excellent achievement in financial reporting for the MWRD Retirement Fund and the Retiree Health Care Trust for 2021.

Stormwater Management:

• Agenda Item #32-23-0369- Board granted authority to enter into intergovernmental agreement with the Village of Worth for Flood Control Project in the Worth Woods Subdivision.
• Agenda Item #33-23-0370-Board granted authority to negotiate and enter into an Agreement with the Village of Schaumburg and the Village of Hanover Park for the design, construction, operation and maintenance of the Springinsguth West Branch DuPage River Stream  Corridor Improvements in an amount not to exceed $1,250,000.

Executive Session: Requested by Commissioner Corral Sepulveda to discuss the recent Inspector General report.  Adjourn to executive session at 11:30 a.m.; End of Executive session: 12:07 p.m.

New business: Commissioners recounted many events planned to celebrate Earth Day.

Meeting adjourned: 12:33 p.m. 

Observer: Georgia Gebhardt 

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting
April 6, 2023; 10:30 a.m.

MWRD Commissioners authorized an agreement for an additional year in which the MWRD would share the services of the Cook County Independent Inspector General (IIG). Commissioner Spyropoulos asked if the MWRD was not getting its own Inspector General. Executive Director Perkovich said that they are in an interim phase with the resignation of Mr. Blanchard, the previous Cook County IIG. The one-year extension will give staff time to clarify issues. As of now, while the MWRD is legally permitted to have its own IIG, it will continue to use Cook County’s. Commissioner Garcia requested a timeline on this process. Director Perkovich said this could be done. The authorization was approved unanimously on a roll call vote. (Agenda Item #13 - 23-0304)  

Stormwater Management: 

• 23-0337-#36- Report on Stormwater Submittals. Commissioner Garcia urged that the Board do more of these projects. 
• 23-0303-#21- Executive Perkovich asked that the item increasing the landscaping maintenance contract be deleted. Board approved.
• 23-0324-#10- This item was to grant the authority to advertise a contract fo the Small Business Program. Commissioner Garcia said that considering staffing levels, might it not be prudent to not move ahead right now. ED agreed. Mr. Garcia wanted to be sure there was enough staff in place to do the job right. Board voted unanimously on a roll call vote to delete the item.

Deferred Items:

• Commissioner Coral Sepulveda requested that 2 agenda items to issue purchase orders and enter into agreements for Professional Environmental Engineering Service for Real Estate be deferred.  (Agenda Items #15 and #16)
• President Steele requested deferral of Agenda Item #18 - authority to award a contract for boilers & MCCC replacement at the Stickney Water Reclamation Plant, amount not to exceed $22,976,100.

New Business: Commissioner Spyropoulos raised the issue of cyber-security attacks. The Commissioner felt that the Board should be more proactive on this issue and requested they hold an Executive Session for discussion. 

There was no executive session. Meeting Adjourned: 11:28 a.m.

Observer: Georgia Gebhardt                                                           Commissioner Davis absent.