Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting   
February 16, 2023

Board Action:

• During its one-hour board meeting, the Commissioner’s approved a new advocacy policy stating that it is the direction of the Board that organizations and lobbyists that represent the District’s interests and similar utilities’ interests in Congress and the Illinois State Legislature shall draft legislation and circulate it to the MWRD board and staff that will hold manufacturers responsible for all PFAS (Per- and Polyflorinated Substances) direct and indirect expenses born by utilities; that this be in addition to efforts to indemnify utilities against liabilities for PFAS; and requests quarterly reports.  #23-0193 
• Commissioner Sepulveda originally requested a deferment on the request for a 14-year lease on a piece of MWRD property.  She asked the staff to write a memo to the Board using the recently passed Land Use Criteria to show that all the criteria were applied in considering the Lease.  The Commissioner later rescinded the deferment but said she would expect that the criteria considerations would be summarized in the requested letter.  #23-0166.
• The Board offered three resolutions: 1. Celebrating the life of recently passed Laurence Msall, President of the Chicago Civic Federation; 2. Recognizing National Engineers Week and honoring the Society of Women Engineers; 3. Recognizing February as Black History Month and honoring Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton and Shermann Thomas, a well-known social media activist for the black community.
• All other items/resolutions were passed without discussion.  There were no Stormwater resolutions.

New Business:

• Commissioner Garcia asked ED Perovich if staff has contacted EPA Region V’s Director regarding PFAS and to lobby for the EPA to start including Waste Water in addition to Drinking Water in its research.  Commissioner Davis indicated that only the Federal EPA can pass policy and that recent information indicates that it has started to move on this issue.  The Board asked for a copy of the EPA information.
• Commission Spyropoulos asked that ED Perkovich summarize the discussions around PFAS at a recent national water association meeting he attended.  Commissioner Sepulveda asked that the letter also include an update on the new activities that the MWRD staff has undertaken around the PFAS issue.

Observer:  Diane Edmundson

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting  
February 2, 2023- 10:30 a.m.

Board Action:
Only two items were pulled from the consent agenda for discussion. 

• #2-023-001- An ordinance directing the County Clerk to reduce the levy on taxes on Capital Improvement Bonds for the levy year 2022. Passed unanimously by Roll Call vote.
• #17-23-0132-Commissioner Spyropoulos  raised the issue of the purchase of metal detector systems that are used to screen attendees at Board meetings. She asked if the executive director had thought about installing detectors at the outside entrance to  the MWRD building, given current security concerns. Director  Perkovich said that he would explore this option.

Consent agenda #1-30 (except for #2) passed on a roll call vote: aye: 9  nay: 0

There were no deferred or deleted agenda items.

New Business: Commissioner Davis asked for a progress report on software that would signal that information was missing from a bid. He also commended Attorney General Raoul’s lawsuit against the manufacturers of Pfafs. In addition the commissioner said there were $100 million in grants from the EPA. He asked that ED Perkovich look into this.

Commissioner Spyropoulos asked for the status of the Climate Action Update. ED Perkovich said it would be ready by the end of March or early April.  Commissioner Spyropoulos, along with Commissioners Corral Sepulveda, du Buclet and Flynn echoed their support for the Attorney General’s Pfafs lawsuit. 

There was no executive session. Meeting adjourned: 11:18 a.m.

Observer: Georgia Gebhardt

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting
January 19, 2023, 10:30 a.m.

Board Action:

• ​#39-23-0085    The environmental justice policy was strongly supported by the commissioners. Commissioner Davis voiced support for the policy which advances equity and diversity. Commissioner Spyropoulos echoed that support,  highlighting it as a “living document” that can adapt to changing times. Commissioners Garcia, DuBuclet and Brown also spoke in favor.
• #40-23-0086  The commissioners adopted criteria for leasing district lands. Commissioners complimented Director Perkovich and the staff for their work.  Commissioner Garcia stated that the district is more than a waste water treatment facility. It is the second largest property owner in the county. He complimented the Friends of the Chicago River for their work. The district receives $25 million per year in income from its leasing. Commissioner Spyropoulos expressed appreciation for the fact that the policy was broad in scope, allowing for flexibility, while Commissioner Brown approved the policy’s openness to input from municipalities.
• #42-23-0091 MWRD Legislative Program for 2023. Commissioner Davis complimented Director Perkovich and his staff on building in adequate time for the board to consider the program. He highlighted the plan to facilitate solar and wind initiative and strongly urged the agency to push for a Department of Diversity (JEDI-Justice, Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion).  He asked Director Perkovich if the staff was ready to act on the will of the board.  Commissioner Steele spoke for the director and assured Commissioner Davis that the staff was prepared to address this issue. Commissioner Spyropoulos  expressed support for an equity department and urged that it go beyond the creation of the department to being specific in its goals, authority and method of reporting. 
• #45-23-0109  The  Board accepted the appointments of the chairs and vice chairs for the standing committees as revised. Commissioner Steele stated that these assignments were for a period of two years. 

No New Business - No Executive Session

Observer: Georgia Gebhardt

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting
January 5, 2023

MWRD Commissioners elected

• Kari K. Steele for another term as President of the Board
• Kimberly Neely Du Buclet as Vice President, and
• Marcelino Garcia for another term as Finance Chair

They also postponed until the next meeting on January 19 the appointment of Chairs and Vice Chairs of the standing Committees.

Other Board Action:

• Passed a resolution to acknowledge and review studies regarding disparities affecting Middle Eastern or North African (MENA) people.  Currently MENA people are not a protected class under affirmative action or otherwise recognized as a category by the U.S. Census Board.  During discussion it came out that the City of Chicago is doing such a study and, once it was finished, the MWRD would review it and consider whether it should take any action to deal with any identified disparities of this group.  (Agenda #5, File # 23-0043).  One of the public speakers of the Arab American Association on behalf of the MENA Community thanked the MWRD for this resolution.
• Passed all other items on the agenda except for one item deferred and the other item deleted as described below.
• With regard to one Stormwater Management item (Agenda #35, File # 23-0015), the authority to enter into an intergovernmental agreement with the Chicago Board of Education to install green infrastructure at 24 schools, Comm. Spyropoulos asked where the staff was with creating a similar program for the suburban schools.  Executive Director Perkovich stated that the memo was being finished and should be brought to the Board soon.

Item Deferred:

• A purchase order for EMS PRISM Compliance Softward License Renewal.  Comm. Garcia said he had questions about whether PRISM was the right program to use.  He asked for deferral to allow the Executive Director time to provide a memo answering the Commissioner’s questions.  (Agenda #17, File # 23-0017)

Item Deleted by the Executive Director:

• Purchase orders to enter into agreements with 4 different entities for State Legislative Consulting Services.  (Agenda #22, File #23-0038)

Observer:  Priscilla Mims

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting
December 15, 2022

Board Action

• The 2023 budget of $1,624 Billion with 1957 FTEs was approved with no discussion.  The number of FTEs was a reduction from 1972 FTEs in the 2022 Budget with most of those reductions at the Stickney plant.  
• Also approved without discussion were amendments to the Sewage and Waste Control Ordinance. The primary changes were to replace the term Standard Methods with US-EPA Approved Methods; and to increase and simplify the Noncompliance Enforcement Charges Table which has not been changed since 2012.    (Agenda Item #IW22-001A)
• Resolutions calling for the payment of 2023 dues to the U.S. Water Alliance and the Water Research Foundation were approved after twice being deferred by Commissioner Davis over his concern that these two organizations were not being sufficiently pro-active in lobbying for legislation and regulation holding PFAS chemical manufacturers responsible for cleanup and removal.  (Agenda Items #22-1190 & 1191).   Note:  The 3M Corporation recently announced that they will eliminate the production of PFAS chemicals by 2025.

Stormwater Management

• Blue Island Washington Street Flood Control purchase order previously approved was rescinded.  The staff expects to resubmit with Blue Island and MWRD sharing the costs.  #22-1129.
• Additionally, ten other inter-government projects were approved without discussion most for either green alley or permeable pavement contracts.
• Two end of year reports were accepted:  Prioritized Projects covering 2022 and into 2023; Future projects to be considered; and a map showing the locations.  #22-1148.

Commissioner Requests

• Commissioner Sepulveda asked for a list of projects that were not accepted for consideration under #22-1148.
• Commissioner Davis asked that the recent PSAS Board Directions be transmitted to both the U.S. Water Alliance and the Water Research Foundation and the “Polluter Pay Principle” applied to these two and any other Water organization membership that the MWRD has.  Commissioner Sepulveda asked for quarterly reports on these requests; a list of MWRD activities on this issue, and a list of the organizations’ activities.  She also requested a list of committees with whom our staff is in conversation.
• Commissioner Garcia asked if there is an increase in participation goals when change orders increase by significant dollars including those contracts where change orders take them from under to over the $100,000 floor.
• Commissioner Garcia asked for a Study Session on Procurement.  He listed several issues to explore.  The League will monitor this request.
• Commissioner Sepulveda attended an EPA meeting on the Robbins water problems and suggested that when projects are considered for water main replacements, the MWRD also look at whether the sewers should be replaced at the same time so as to perhaps qualify for some state and federal monies.

Board Attendees:  Davis, DuBuclet, Flynn, Garcia, Pogorzelski, Sepulveda, Steele, Spyropoulos
Absent:   Yumeka Brown                                                                 

​Observer:  Diane Edmundson                                Length of Bd meeting: 75 min.

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting
December 1, 2022; 10:30 a.m.

Board Action:
Agenda Item #41-022-014B- Commissioners adopted the Affirmative Action Ordinance Revised Appendix D of the MWRD of Greater Chicago on an unanimous roll call vote.
Main provisions of the ordinance:

1. Certification from the City of Chicago, Cook County and other approved governmental agencies will be accepted.
2. Diversity Department will accept certification requests year-round instead of once a contractor is part of a winning bid.
3. The District will formulate a process for a Diversity Advisory Council during the next 6 months.
4. Furnish and Deliver contracts will be routed to Diversity. All Furnish and Deliver board letters will contain statements on whether goals can be added or not.
5. Diversity will develop a stand alone Small Business Program in 2023.
6. There will be reporting on a bi-annual basis.

President Steele reminded the commissioners that this is a living document and can be changed as circumstances evolve.

Agenda Item #2-22-1047:  The MWRD Board of Commissioners honored outgoing Chakena Perry, highlighting her impressive credentials. Ms. Perry is a graduate of Connecticut College and the University of Chicago. She has been the youngest commissioner on the Board. Commissioner Perry has been an activist in Planned Parenthood, chair of the Cook County Young Democrats and worked for environmental justice. 

Agenda Item #5-22-1080: The MWRD Board honored Nellie L. Jones (1976-1982) who was the first black woman commissioner at the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District. Ms. Jones was an architect of the first affirmative action program. Commissioner Perry introduced the extended family of Nellie Jones, whom she had invited to her last meeting. Several commissioners expressed interest in developing a program to further highlight and honor Ms. Jones.

Stormwater Management:

• Agenda Item 37-22-1071- The Board granted the authority to amend the Intergovernmental Agreement with the Board of Education of Chicago to extend the Space to Grow program through 2023.

New Business:

• As of December 8, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Building will be named the Barbara G. McGowan Building in recognition of the commissioner’s thirty-two years of service. 

Commissioner Comment:

• After the second public comments, Commissioner Davis expressed interest in an equity department. This would require legislative authority. It would cover more than just affirmative action.

Observer: Georgia Gebhardt                    Executive Session:  Yes