Board of Commissioners

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.

Here’s the agenda and the link to watch the live stream: https://mwrd.legistar.com/MeetingDetail.aspx?ID=884767&GUID=F63EC4D9-FE4A-46D1-9078-0CED777D0963&Options=&Search=

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

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

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

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

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

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

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?

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.

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?”

The answer is yes.

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.

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.

Apparently there’s a nationwide shortage right now, and pools around the country have had to shut down because they can’t get chlorine. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/communities/south-county/coronado/story/2021-08-01/nationwide-chlorine-shortage-shuts-down-san-diego-county-pools

The MWRD is preparing for this shortage to continue.

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

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

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.

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

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.”

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.”

Here’s that survey if you’re interested in or have a rain barrel! https://mwrd.org/form/voluntary-survey-for-buyers-of-m

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:

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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.”

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

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

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.

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.

She also gives condolences to the family of AFL-CIO president Richard Trumpka, who just passed away. https://www.cnn.com/2021/08/05/politics/richard-trumka-dies/index.html

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