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Tax Levies Abated by the MWRD Board

2/5/2022

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Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting
February 3, 2022

Board Action:

The Board approved an $11.2 reduction of the levy of taxes in the Capitol Improvement Bonds for levy year 2021. With early redemption of outstanding General Obligation Improvement Bonds in advance of their maturity, there was also a tax abatement of $56 million.
Discussion of the procurement process centered on Agenda Item #8, which was the only bid for glassware and chemicals, that was rejected because of an error. The online process of submitting a bid was reviewed along with how vendors are guided through the bidding process. Could better software be used to make the online process easier?
Agenda Item #9 was questioned because the bids were over the estimates. The Executive Director will be coming back with goals that may have influenced these bids.
Agenda Item#28 was discussed because no goals for affirmative action were met because of insufficient transportation to transport sludge. If there are not enough vendors to bid on an item, vendors from Chicago, Cook County, and IDOT are approached to apply. It was suggested that a purge list of contractors/vendors be generated, since many companies may have closed because of the pandemic. This will be done by email and USPS.

Deferred or Deleted Agenda Items

Agenda Item #4, Amending the MWRD Ethics Ordinance, and #11, payment for JULIE underground project coordination, were deleted from the agenda by the Executive Director.

Commissioner Requests

Update on Disparity Study
Update on vendor purge process
Process to increase list of approved vendors/contractors

Observer - Peggy Kell

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Stormwater Management on Agenda at MWRD Meeting

1/25/2022

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METROPOLITAN WATER RECLAMATION DISTRICT BOARD MEETING
January 20, 2022 - 10:30 a.m.

The Board meeting was routine, with little discussion. Items of interest involved stormwater and flood control, contract settlements and public comments centering on the ongoing claim of an injured MWRD employee.

Agenda Items:

The MWRD Board of Commissioners acknowledged the 130th anniversary of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW). (Agenda Item 22-0050).
The Board unanimously granted authority to approve the following agreements between the MWRD and

a. Local 399 (AFL-CIO) - (Agenda Item 22-0074)
b. SEIU Local 1 - (Agenda Item 22-0075)
c. Local 9 EITM- (Agenda Item 22-0077)
d. Local 9 Electrical Operators- (Agenda Item 22-0078)
e. Local 9 Motor Vehicle Dispatchers- (Agenda Item 22-0079)

Stormwater Management:

$50 million was transferred from the Stormwater Management Working Cash Fund to finance the Stormwater Management Fund operations for 2022.
A report was submitted on the Green Infrastructure Detention & Compensatory Storage Volumes required by the Watershed Management Ordinance.
Board granted authority to negotiate an intergovernmental agreement with Northfield & Maine Townships for Flood Control Project on Central Road. (Agenda Item 22-0059)
Board granted authority for an intergovernmental agreement with Calumet Park for South Throop Flood Project in the amount not to exceed $750,000 Agenda Item (22-0057)
Granted Flood Control Project with the Village of Lansing in the amount not to exceed $1,600.000. (Agenda Item 22-0057)

New Business:

Commissioner McGowan was lauded for her work in organizing the annual African-American History Month for the MWRD. The Commissioner will retire from the Board after 31 years of service.
Commissioner Davis thanked the staff for their work on the Covid vaccination policy and on reaching resolution of contract negotiations.
Several commissioners strongly urged a timely and fair resolution to a worker’s injury claim stemming from an explosion in 2018. President Steele charged E.D. Perkovich to keep the Board advised. Commissioner Corral Sepulveda was disturbed that the union and the employee’s family had to resort to using the public comment period to push for resolution of the claim. Perkovich assured the Board he would keep them apprised.

Meeting was adjourned unanimously by a roll call vote at 12:08 p.m.

Note: Placement of Executive Session remained unchanged between the Committee of the Whole and the business meeting. There was no executive session at the Jan. 20 meeting.

Observer: Georgia Gebhardt

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MWRD Board Focuses on 2022 Legislative Program

1/10/2022

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Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting
January 6, 2022

Board Action:
The MWRD Board singled out four items for discussion:

the 2022 Legislative Program
translation expenses
IGA with the Village of Glenview.
the expenses under $9900

All roll call votes passed unanimously.

2022 Legislative Program: (Agenda Item #21-22-0013)

Commissioner Davis expressed concern with the program on two fronts. 1) Commissioners submitted sixteen items and only one was included; 2) Timing was a problem. Commissioners did not see the memo until hours before the December adjournment. He said he needed assurance that this would change to at least two months to discuss. Executive Director Perkovich stated that the timeline could be adjusted.
Commissioner Spyropoulos expressed a need for more research on pension bonds. President Steele said the Board might need a study session on this topic.
Commissioner Corral Sepulveda questioned legal aspects of communicating notifications such as late filing fees, expressing confidence in the traditional method of communicating via certified mail rather than email. The Executive Director said that users preferred the electronic opt-in because of its convenience.
Office of Independent Inspector General (IIG): Several Commissioners questioned why the MWRD would need to have their own IG when the current partnership with the Cook County IIG was working so smoothly. Mr. Perkovich said using the Cook County IIG is going well, however, the proposed legislation would allow another option for the MWRD to have their own IIG. The current agreement with Cook County expires this year. President Steele stated that the MWRD initially did not have the authority to establish an IIG, but that they should have the option to do this.
Several commissioners supported Commissioner Davis’s call for more in depth discussions on the legislative program. They called for regular updates from the MWRD staff in Springfield. Mr. Perkovich committed to these updates. He also stated that the legislative information had been sent out in September.
Commissioner Sepulveda asked how the Board could be sure that their messaging was consistent when they lobbied representatives in the General Assembly. Mr. O’Connor, the team legislative leader, said he would issue a weekly email to be sure the commissioners were well informed.

Translation Expenses (Agenda Item #18-22-0015)

Commissioners requested more detailed information on translation increases.
The Executive Director explained they are expanding dissemination of information to more groups. Currently, information is sent in Spanish, Polish, Chinese, and English.
Commissioner Garcia commended the outreach and asked staff to expand to Arabic as well

Storm Water Management:
IGA with the Village of Glenview for flood abatement: (Agenda Item #22-22-0007)

Commissioner McGowan expressed concern about the MWRD’s reimbursement process, considering that the Village of Glenview does not have its own diversity program.
The staff reassured her that funds would only be transferred after Glenview had demonstrated compliance. The affirmative action department pays in increments and no funds are disbursed unless the goals are met. Dr. Barry of the diversity department monitors this.

Deferred or deleted items: None

New business:

The MWRD Board of Commissioners welcomed Chakena D. Perry, the commissioner appointed by Governor Pritzer to fill the vacancy left by Debra Shore. Commissioner Perry was formerly a staff member for Commissioner Morita, a former Deputy Press Secretary for Chicago Public Schools, and one of Chicago Scholars “35 under 35.” She earned a BA in history at Connecticut College and is currently a candidate for an MA in public policy from the Harris School of Policy at the University of Chicago.

Observer - Georgia Gebhardt

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MWRD Finalizes 2022 Budget at $1.294 B, a 7.4% Increase Over Adjusted 2021 Budget

12/20/2021

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Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting
December 16, 2021

Budget:

The Board amended the Adopted 2022 Budget that had been approved on December 9 by increasing the Corporate Fund by $834,900. Much of this increase is due to an increase in the Maintenance & Operations budget to accommodate the carry forward of a building services contract and to cover higher planned costs for parts and chemicals.
In addition, the Capital Improvements Bond Fund was increased by $65 M from the 2022 Adopted Budget, due to changes in the schedules for several capital projects.
With these changes, the 2022 Budget is final at $1.294 B. (Agenda Item 1, File #21-1219)
The Tax Rate for 2022 is $0.3747 per $100 of Equalized Assessed Valuation, unchanged from the 2022 Adopted Budget. This is slightly less than the $0.3765 rate for 2021. However, the total tax levy for 2022 is $678.9 M, a 2.5% increase over 2021.
Also unchanged from the 2022 Adopted Budget is the number of employees at 1,971, an increase of 31 as compared to the 2021 Adjusted Budget.
An amendment which created an Environmental Justice Section reporting to the Executive Director (but which added no costs) passed unanimously. This new Section will be staffed by an Assistant Civil Engineer (a currently vacant position to be transferred from the Engineering Department) and the Human Relations Manager for diversity, equity, and inclusion. This new Section is to coordinate activities outlined in Strategic Goal 5 in conjunction with the Climate Action Plan. (Agenda Item 3, File # 21-1221)
A proposed additional amendment to the budget, which would have had no impact on the totals, was pulled for discussion and later voted down. Under this amendment, $50,000 would have been moved from one line item to provide funding for legal services for the Board of Directors. Commissioners Davis, Garcia, Morita, and Corral Sepulveda voted for the amendment. President Steele, Vice President McGowan, and Commissioners Du Buclet and Spyropoulos voted “no.” Those voting against cited the fact that the MWRD has a Legal Department, and Comm. Du Buclet said she could find no other body that had its own lawyers on staff apart from that government’s legal department. With the 4-4 tie, the motion to approve this amendment failed. (Agenda Item 2, File # 21-1220)
Apart from the discussion of Agenda Item 2 above, there was no other discussion concerning the specifics of the budget.

Other Board Action:

The Board approved, by separate vote but no discussion, an ordinance establishing the right-of-way for the construction, operation and maintenance of the Flood Control Project in the Worth Woods Subdivision in Worth, Illinois. (Agenda Item 12, File # R21-004)
All items on the rest of the agenda were approved, including the item under Stormwater Management, the authority to enter into an intergovernmental agreement with and make a payment to the Village of Willow Springs for the acquisition of a flood-prone property in an amount not to exceed $465,000. (Agenda Item 51, File # 21-1171)

New Business:

Comm. Garcia pointed to the upcoming review of new policies for 2022 concerning Land Use and Environmental Justice, as well as the review of the existing Affirmative Action policy.

Observer: Priscilla Mims

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Land Use Options Topped the Discussion at MWRD Board Meeting

12/17/2021

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Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting
December 2, 2021

Board Action:

Of the 40 agenda items, six were pulled for discussion: Among them was a request to advertise for contract farming at the Hanover Park plant. The purpose of the farming is to allow for continued disposal of MWRD created biosolids on the land. By planting corn, the nutrients from the biosolids are absorbed, thereby allowing for continued disposal. Cost of contract to the MWRD is estimated at $628.4 thousand. Commissioner Spyropoulos requested a deferral and asked for a report to include the history of the property, how the growing process came about, and what other options including planting tree samplings can be grown. Commissioners’ Garcia and Morita respectively asked for a status report of the biosolid project and a list of other options for this land including cost. (Agenda Item #11 21-1114)
Another land use issue was the request to advertise for bids on a 5-year lease on 3.78+ acres of vacant district property in Forest View. Initial rental bid set at $155,000. This is the 2nd time this request has been on the agenda; and after initially deferring at this meeting, Commissioner McGowan lifted the deferral. The property would be paved over for truck parking because, according to staff, it is not suitable for recreation due to its location. Commissioner Davis said that the Land Use Policies need to be looked at and applied to this type of property. Commissioner Garcia, Chair of the Land Use Committee, noted that 80% of MWRD land is already in conservancy and that the adjacent canal was created for business. He said that the committee and staff are working on a draft of two polities on Land Use and expects there will be a Study Session in January 2022. (Agenda Item #14 21-1135)
After receiving a report of the significant violations of pretreatment standards or other requirements by industrial users, Commissioner Spyropoulos asked if there is a public list of non-compliant businesses and was told that the staff would provide a list. She noted that in 2019 there were 61 on the list and in 2020, 66. The 2021 data should be available by mid-year 2022. The EPA has said that the MWRD needs to be tougher on industrial users who are non-compliant. (Agenda Item #36 21-1106)

Stormwater Management

The Board approved an intergovernmental agreement with and to make payment to the city of Prospect Heights to acquire flood-prone property in an amount not to exceed $376,000. (Agenda Item #40 21-1142)

New Business

Commissioner Davis noted that the last Inspector General’s report noted significant cost overruns. Davis said that the board regularly receives change orders with more than 5% cost overruns and 20% delays. He said he will be monitoring future requests.
The Board approved a motion to authorize Juneteenth as a District Holiday.
The Board also authorized the extension of the sunset provision of the Affirmative Action Ordinance to be moved from December 31, 2021 to June 30, 2022 to accommodate the yet to be received new Disparity Study.

Board Requests

Commissioner DuBuclet requested a list of Media vendors used by the District to advertise.
Commissioner Spyropoulos requested staff provide a memo on the District’s process and violators for the last five years and also include what other agencies are doing in this regard.

After Meeting Public Hearing on the 2022 Budget

Commissioner Davis said that the Budget is a statement of values and asked that a dashboard on budget progress towards climate change goals be created and an Environmental Justice Office be created within the agency. He also asked that the Space to Grow Project be expanded to include the suburbs of which there are 120+ in Cook County. His third request for future budgets is the hiring of an attorney reporting directly to the board.
There was only one public Speaker, Mr. Michael Archie. He said that the board, based on its current trajectory, cannot reach its goal of energy neutrality by 2023. He said the technology is out there to meet it by 2030-35, but the District has to embrace the technology.

Observer: Diane Edmundson

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Brief Board Meeting Capped By Thanksgiving Wishes From The MWRD Commissioners

11/19/2021

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Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting
November 18, 2021

Board Action:

Consent agenda items (except #1,2, & 3) were passed unanimously by a roll call vote.
#8-(21-1073) There was a question on the disparity between the bid and the estimate for the item. Executive Director Perkovich explained that it was a more complicated bid because of its location at the executive airport. This resulted in fewer bids being submitted.
#24-(21-1065) There was a brief discussion related to the increase in funding for tree saplings. Commissioner Davis emphasized that this project was important to the work on climate change and the environment. Several commissioners asked for cost per tree. ED Perkovich reported cost was 50 cents per sapling which will fund 8,000 more trees.
#31-(21-1057) asked to extend the collective bargaining agreement to December 31, 2021. Commissioner Davis stated that he supported the unions but asked how much more time would be needed for negotiating the contracts. Director Perkovich assured the board that the negotiations would be wrapped up by the end of the year and there would be no further need for extensions.
Ordinances 2 & 3 were passed unanimously by roll call vote. R21-003 vacates the Right of Way for the Flood Control Project in Ford Heights. UC21-001 authorizes an amendment of the User Charge Ordinance of the MWRD.

Deferred item:

#1 (021-015) -Authority to amend the sunset provision of Ordinance 020-003 to extend expiration date from Dec. 31, 2021 to June 30, 2022 for Affirmative Action Ordinance. Commissioner Garcia requested this be deferred.

Executive session was requested by Commissioner Spyropoulos to discuss minutes of the meeting that are closed to the public. Time of session: 14 minutes.

Commissioner Corral Sepulveda requested a list of MWRD janitorial positions. Commissioner Davis asked for same information. President Steele reminded Board that any information requested is always shared with the entire board.

Observer: Georgia Gebhardt

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Tax Levies Abated by the MWRD Board

Stormwater Management on Agenda at MWRD Meeting

MWRD Board Focuses on 2022 Legislative Program

MWRD Finalizes 2022 Budget at $1.294 B, a 7.4% Increase Over Adjusted 2021 Budget

Land Use Options Topped the Discussion at MWRD Board Meeting

Brief Board Meeting Capped By Thanksgiving Wishes From The MWRD Commissioners

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