Board of Commissioners

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago

Utilities

Thursday, Aug. 5, 2021
10:30 a.m. CDT

Remote

To watch the live meeting proceedings, visit/refresh https://mwrd.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx at the scheduled meeting time. A link labeled “In Progress” will appear under the Video column for the corresponding meeting (though it may not be until at or a little after the scheduled start time).

Check the source website for additional information

Reporting

Edited and summarized by the Chicago - IL Documenters Team

Note-taking by Leon Tai

A chlorine shortage and land fees were just two topics at the MWRD Commissioners meeting.

View notes

Live reporting by Jennifer Bamberg

A chlorine shortage and land fees were just two topics at the MWRD Commissioners meeting.

Jennifer Bamberg @gremlina333

Good morning yal. I’m going to be live tweeting today’s Water Rec @MWRDGC meeting at 10:30 for @CHIdocumenters, which is exciting, cus I woke up meditating on Mark Twain’s famous quote, “Whisky is for drinking and water is for fighting over.”

10:25 AM Aug 5, 2021 CDT

Jennifer Bamberg @gremlina333 2/40

The potable, the dirty, and the reclaimed, water is becoming a more contested element and commodity, even (especially) in the water rich Great Lakes regions.

Jennifer Bamberg @gremlina333 3/40

Here’s the agenda and the link to watch the live stream: mwrd.legistar.com/MeetingDetail.…

Just refresh the page after 10:30 to get the stream playing.

Jennifer Bamberg @gremlina333 4/40

This is their first in person meeting since last year. https://t.co/umnQufusuN

Jennifer Bamberg @gremlina333 5/40

Commissioners just selected the items they want to discuss at today's meeting. Comish Shore is discussing the details of item #6: Authorization to increase cost estimate, amend scope of work and re-advertise for Contract 19-542-3M Central Boiler Facility and Electrical Updates

Jennifer Bamberg @gremlina333 6/40

at Hanover Park Water Reclamation Plant, estimated cost between $14,245,000.00 and $17,244,000.00

Jennifer Bamberg @gremlina333 7/40

The new boilers have an expected lifespan of 30 yrs minimum and will be using natural gas.

Jennifer Bamberg @gremlina333 8/40

The item is moved back to the agenda. Up next for discussion are items 10, 11 and 12, which involve the purchasing of bonds.

Jennifer Bamberg @gremlina333 9/40

Comish Spiropolus asks about the timing of the agreement right now, is it something about interest rates? Will these be used to pay off debts? How much will it cost tax payers?

Jennifer Bamberg @gremlina333 10/40

A: Right now we're experiencing a historically low interest rate and the bonds will be used to pay off debts. They will also be issuing new money debt. Will get back about the taxpayer costs.

Jennifer Bamberg @gremlina333 11/40

Comish Garcia asks if the bond contracts would be limited in terms of how and where the money can be spent. "How do we define the MWRD's boundaries? can we use these monies in all corporate jurisdictional areas, like Fulton County, Dupage and surrounding counties?"

Jennifer Bamberg @gremlina333 12/40

The answer is yes.

Jennifer Bamberg @gremlina333 13/40

Next we're on to item #15 on the RFP for Conceptual Plans for Achieving Energy Neutrality at the MWRD "Projects and issues related to energy neutrality don’t need to be delayed. I can’t stress enough the urgency of this enterprise," says Commissioner Shore.

Jennifer Bamberg @gremlina333 14/40

The next item (19) for discussion is about a sodium hypochlorite contract, aka, chloride. Authority to advertise Contract 21-632-11, Furnishing and Delivering Sodium Hypochlorite, estimated cost $1,555,200.00.

Jennifer Bamberg @gremlina333 15/40

Apparently there's a nationwide shortage right now, and pools around the country have had to shut down because they can't get chlorine. sandiegouniontribune.com/communities/so…

Jennifer Bamberg @gremlina333 16/40

The MWRD is preparing for this shortage to continue.

Jennifer Bamberg @gremlina333 17/40

Next is item #22, authority to advertise a more than $9 million contract for a chemical addition backup system for Stickney.

Jennifer Bamberg @gremlina333 18/40

Comish Shore is asking for details about the phosphate treatment, aka the tricky effluent that comes from dishwashing and laundry detergents.

Jennifer Bamberg @gremlina333 19/40

The MWRD leans towards using biological methods to remove harmful wastes from Chicagoland waterways, so this is just a standard backup system for phosphorous removal.

Jennifer Bamberg @gremlina333 20/40

Some sewage treatment water departments around the country purely use this method.

Jennifer Bamberg @gremlina333 21/40

Next we're on to item #29, to advertise a contract for “Market research and analysis” aka, public image, for $125,000. Com. Shore says, "It's much more than busting the myth of' the man with the secret valve' that controls storm water traffic."

Jennifer Bamberg @gremlina333 22/40

Someone asks, "Has the MWRD ever done a survey of the public for we're doing?"
A: "There's a survey for the rain barrel program, but seems like a low bar that we can make for the public to give feedback."

Jennifer Bamberg @gremlina333 23/40

Here's that survey if you're interested in or have a rain barrel! mwrd.org/form/voluntary…

Jennifer Bamberg @gremlina333 24/40

Next are items 37 & 29. MWRD Vice President Barbara McGowan is asking why there were only single bidders for these two gigantic contracts, which are supposed to be competitive. The contracts are as such:

Jennifer Bamberg @gremlina333 25/40

A $2.5 million contract for heavy equipment w/ operators to K.L.F. Enterprises, Inc.
&
A $340,772 one year contact to furnish and deliver plumbing pipe, fittings, and valves to Columbia Pipe & Supply.

Jennifer Bamberg @gremlina333 26/40

Next is a rather lengthy discussion about the MWRD's practice of collecting fees from certain entities that lease land from the district. Specifically, the commissioners are talking about Evanston's land agreement that dates back to 1966.

Jennifer Bamberg @gremlina333 27/40

Evanston leases approx 92 acres of District real estate along the North Shore Channel, and allows public parking and tailgating during Northwestern University home football games. The MWRD will collect 25% annual gross revenue w/ a minimum fee of $80,000.00 per season.

Jennifer Bamberg @gremlina333 28/40

Deborah Shore is concerned that this is a significant policy decision that the agency has made without consulting the board. She says that the lease holders have been doing a good job as stewards of the land, and worries that this is unfair to them.

Jennifer Bamberg @gremlina333 29/40

The MWRD's lawyer Susan Morakaliss speaks on the subject: Evanston already agreed and signed this contract. This is a private university allowing parking, which goes beyond a public recreational use. This type of contract is not unique to this lease.

Jennifer Bamberg @gremlina333 30/40

Shore worries that the MWRD isn't being transparent in its deals. Vice President McGowen is upset by this claim and says that she doesn't want any more groups of people to come to this building protesting and suing the district, and wants to take her concerns seriously.

Jennifer Bamberg @gremlina333 31/40

Since the contract was already signed by the City of Evanston representatives last week, other commissioners don't seem so concerned about the process.

Jennifer Bamberg @gremlina333 32/40

The commissioners have just gone into the closed executive session of the meeting but should return at some point for public comment.

Jennifer Bamberg @gremlina333 33/40

They’ve got 3 executive sessions in a row, the guard at the front desk says, “might go for 5 minutes might go for 3 hours, no telling.” https://t.co/ReBDTOi0QZ

Jennifer Bamberg @gremlina333 34/40

Just a note about the MWRD's live streamed meetings: They're one of the only public bodies in Chicago that's been live streaming their meetings since before the pandemic. I chatted with one of the tech guys about it who said, "It's part of their efforts to be more transparent."

Jennifer Bamberg @gremlina333 35/40

And we're back in session for the regular board meeting.

Jennifer Bamberg @gremlina333 36/40

The clerk just read out all items on the consent agenda items number 1-56 for approval from the commissioners.

Jennifer Bamberg @gremlina333 37/40

They just went through a roll call and all 5 present commissioners voted to approve the items. Public comment period (at the end of the meeting??) was just opened, but no one is here to give any.

Jennifer Bamberg @gremlina333 38/40

Commissioner Mariyana T. Spyropoulos just asked those present to give thoughts and prayers to those in Greece and Turkey fleeing from wild fires, similar to the ones in CA.

Jennifer Bamberg @gremlina333 39/40

She also gives condolences to the family of AFL-CIO president Richard Trumpka, who just passed away. cnn.com/2021/08/05/pol…

Jennifer Bamberg @gremlina333 40/40

And with that the meeting is adjourned. Take care everyone and keep following @CHIdocumenters for local news.

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Agency Information

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago

mwrd.org

(312) 751-6633

public.affairs@mwrd.org

@MWRDGC

See Documenters reporting

Created in 1889 as the Sanitary District of Chicago, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) today is a special-purpose district responsible for treating wastewater and providing stormwater management for residents and businesses in its service area, which encompasses 882.1 square miles and includes Chicago and 128 suburban communities throughout Cook County.

The MWRD serves approximately 10.35 million people each day, including 5.25 million residents of Chicago and 128 suburban communities. To learn more about the agency’s management structure and departments, click here.