Board of Commissioners

You can find the meeting details and agenda here: https://mwrd.legistar.com/DepartmentDetail.aspx?ID=1622&GUID=5E16B4CD-0692-4016-959D-3F080D6CFFB4 It will be live-streamed

The meeting is being called to order. The meeting is in person, but the public can tune in here https://mwrd.granicus.com/player/event/a855f03d-e238-45e3-926d-79be15ce2ed8?&redirect=true

8 are present, constituting a quorum. Motion to accept the minutes from the 3/17 meeting is approved.

Jack O’Donohue, superintendent of public works and water in Forest View, is the first person to address the board. He is speaking in support of agenda items 9 and 10.

Next up is Mayor Jeff Walick, mayor of Stickney, speaking in support of items 40 and 41, related to leasing land in the village

That concludes the first public comment period. Committee now moves to meeting as a whole. Comm. Steele has deleted item 45.

Committee moves into business. Up first are the items pulled by Comm. Davis: agenda item 2 is a resolution sponsored by the Board of Commissioners recognizing the 30th anniversary of Chicago River Day

Chicago River Day is coming up on May 14. You can learn more and sign up to participate here https://www.chicagoriver.org/get-involved/volunteer/chicago-river-day

Comm. Davis says this is a really important clean-up day, and that volunteers are a vital force to the fucntioning of @MWRDGC

Next up is item 4, pulled by Comm. Spyropoulos, a resolution sponsored by the Board of Commissioners recognizing the Chicago Foundation for Women

Next up is item 5, pulled by Comm. Du Buclet, a resolution sponsored by the Board of Commissioners recognizing Hazel M. Johnson, who is called the mother of the environmental justice movement

Learn more about Johnson on the @chipublib website: https://www.chipublib.org/blogs/post/hazel-m-johnson-mother-of-the-environmental-justice-movement/

Next up is #9, related to leasing real estate in Forest View. Comm. Davis says his comments are related to items 10, 37, 40 & 41

He says that MWRD has been calling to update land use policies. He says item 9 and perhaps the others should maybe be deferred until the policy is updated

Comm. Garcia says the representatives of these villages want action soon, and the committee should take into account the wants of the communities. He adds MWRD shouldn’t be relying solely on property taxes, and that there aren’t many landholdings that can be leased

Comm. Morita adds that the board has had a year to talk about these policies and the time is right for a study session to discuss policy changes.

Comm. Corral Sepúlveda says she doesn’t have an issue with this lease, but agrees it is challenging to look at these leases on a case by case basis. She requests evaluating a deferral since there is no land use policy set yet.

Pres. Steele says they will look to set a meeting to talk about this policy.

Comm. Davis says he leans towards not deferring on the condition that the study session is scheduled by the end of May.

The board agrees to set a date to meet before mid-June. Item 9 is moved back to the agenda.

Item 10 is read aloud. Comm. Corral Sepúlveda is concerned that the property is on the waterway, and wants to visit the site. Again the agenda can be read here: https://mwrd.legistar.com/DepartmentDetail.aspx?ID=1622&GUID=5E16B4CD-0692-4016-959D-3F080D6CFFB4

Item 11 is read aloud: Authorization for forfeiture of Contract 20-709-11, Furnishing and Delivering Calcium Nitrate to the Kirie Water Reclamation Plant to Mays Chemical Company, Inc., in an amount not to exceed $270,000.00

Comm. Davis is referring to a discussion from last meeting, seeking recommendations to recoup some costs for a contract forfeiture, which is at issue here—whether MWRD is taken seriously

He wants to defer this item: “We cannot allow vendors to breach our contracts with impunity.”

Comm. Garcia asks if there is a comparison sheet between best practices with MWRD and city, county, etc. He asks what measures are enforceable when a company signs a contract and doesn’t follow through

Pres. Steele reminds the board that we’re in a pandemic, so she views this item the same way, saying we have to take into consideration that the pandemic could be the reason the company couldn’t procure the chemical needed, calcium nitrate

She adds that this company is a minority company, so wants board to remember that.

Comm. Corral Sepúlveda asks if one-year suspension for companies is extended, would that require an ordinance change, and would that apply to this contract?

If contract is forfeited today, MDRW could pursue legal remedies. Comm. Sepúlveda then says she would like a review of how to recover costs and of penalties and of legal remedies.

Comm. Morita asks for clarification as to when one-year suspension would begin. It is from the date of the forfeiture.

Dir. Murray says the proposal was flawed but there was also pandemic-related issues. The company miscalculated their own costs. If they don’t forfeit the contract, the company is able to re-bid.

Comm. Davis adds that calcium nitrate is being procured in other areas, that the chemical is important. He says MWRD is seeing contracts being breached and is not seeing a response to that, and that Cook County voters should not be penalized for this.

There were 3 bidders on the contract. It is unknown what the costs were. VP McGowan says we don’t know what caused the vendor to ask for more money, as many prices have increased during the pandemic

Comm. Davis will lift deferral if at the next board meeting if there is more info on how costs can be recouped

Item moved back to agenda. Next is item 13: uthority to advertise Contract 22-611-11 Repairs and Alterations to various Water Reclamation Facilities, estimated cost $12,295,400.00

Comm. Morita asks for clarity on the contract, as it is quite large. It is a staff supplement, the director says.

She asks how this is different than JOC process. Director says this is a people contract versus a project contract.

Comm. Morita asks why we shouldn’t just increase staff. Director Perkovich says it’s to augment when staff go on vacation.

Dir. adds that the supplementary staff do get benefits through their union, and that this is an annual cost. Comm. Morita asks to defer item.

Comm. Corral Sepúlveda asks what vendors would be bidding to this agenda item, and asks if there have been trends in last 10 years, if there might make more sense to add FT employees in some areas

VP McGowan asks why contract isn’t broken up by field. Dir. Murray says he can report back to the board on this. He adds that this is for seasonal work.

Comm. Du Buclet asks if there is an advantage for bundling many positions together. Dir. Perkovich says it may be due to the administration of the contract, that this makes it easier.

Comm. Garcia asks if this can be deleted and brought back with a new proposal.

Item 13 has been deleted, with unanimous support. Next up is item 26, related to a contract to rehab Steel Spandrel Beams of Pump and Blower House, O’Brien Water Reclamation Plant. Item put back in.

Item 27 is pulled: Authority to increase Contract 20-987-11, Specialty Railroad Track Maintenance in the Stickney Service Area, to Track Service, Inc., in an amount of $150,000.00 from an amount of $852,931.00 to an amount not to exceed $1,002,931.00

Comm. Perry asks about what type of repairs are needed. Dir. Murray says these train tracks run under Harlem Ave. and interim repairs are needed, related to draining and other issues, but more expansive work will be needed in the future.

Item moved back to agenda. Next up is #31 and #32, related to knowledge exchange programs with Dubai, Singapore and other International municipalities

Comm. Spyropoulos asks for a vote to the delete the items. She’s in support of knowledge exchange but says there are serious human rights issues in Dubai and Singapore, and wants to see if there can be requirements added to agreements related to respect for human rights

Comm. Davis asks if they can add language into the exchange on workers rights and non-discrimination, before this comes back to the board

Comm. Morita shares concerns but says that MOU language will not change conditions of other countries, and MWRD should not form relationships w/ govts that have these conditions, suggests MWRD sets a policy on this

Comm. Corral Sepúlveda asks for clarification on what the information exchange entails, and asks board to see if there is way to balance the importance of knowledge exchange and human rights

Items 31 and 32 are deleted from the agenda. Item 37 is read, Comm. Sepúlveda asks about the 30-year length of the contract and asks if there has been a market study

She also asks about the plan for security, and if there is more info on the other potential applicants. She also asks about the quality of the family entertainment proposed in the item, since it is directly across from mounds of bio-solids.

She would like to defer the item. General counsel states that they are just seeking authority to start the leasing process, it may not necessarily be this applicant. And successful bidder will have to go through a business review

Comm. Corral Sepúlveda also asks about liability for a business that is selling alcohol. Counsel says the business would have their own risk and general liability insurance, and would have to indemnify MWRD

The item has been deferred. Next is item 40: Authority to commence statutory procedures to lease 8.3± acres of District real estate located on 41st Street south of the Main Channel and east of Central Avenue in Stickney Illinois

Comm. Perry comments that since these are long, 30-year leases, and MWRD is looking to re-assess land use policies and areas around reclamation plants, that should be taken into consideration

Item moved back to agenda, next is item 41: Authority to commence statutory procedures to lease 3.1± acres of District real estate located at 5100 West 41st Street in Stickney, Illinois

Item moved back to agenda. There are no items to discuss in executive session. There will be a 5 minute recess and then the regular board meeting with reconvene

Meeting is called to order. Items under consideration will now be read.

Item 37 is put back on the agenda. Consent agenda is approved. A period of new business opens.

Pres. Steele calls for a moment of silence for recently deceased Police Officer with the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago Stephen Cook https://www.cooneyfuneralhome.com/obituary/Stephen-Cook

There is no new business. The 2nd period of public comment commences. Up first is George Blakemore. Referring to the conversation around human rights, he said Black people here are treated inhumanely. He says that Black people should receive more contracts and opportunities.

George Blakemore is a frequent public commenter, as profiled in this @Chicago_Reader profile from 2016 https://people.chicagoreader.com/who/george-blakemore/profile/

There are no other commenters. The meeting is called to adjourn at 12:36pm. This concludes the @MWRDGC Board of Commissioners meeting. The next meeting takes place 4/21 at 10:30am. For more meeting coverage, check out http://documenters.org. #CHIdocumenters