Board of Commissioners

@CHIdocumenters And about the 100 year storms that happen every year, flooded basements that result in $billions of damage, our combined sewer system that flushes both sewage and rainwater into the MWRD’s water treatment plants, or, when the system overflows, into the river.

And the incredible story of the lockmasters who bailed out a flooding downtown Chicago by flapping the steel gates where the river meets the lake when both rose above record highs back in May 2020.

Last year was…a lot. If you don’t remember that storm, I’ll refresh your memory. Lower Wacker Drive flooded, as did the Sears Tower.

Here’s footage of the tower after the electricity went out for the 108 story building taken by a worker who was there at the time. DM for credit. They used a mobile generator to light the submerged floors. https://t.co/zqJxJkdAXl

The article leaves me with so many questions. Does the MWRD depend on a certain level of path dependency? Are the decisions made in the past no longer applicable to the current situation, and the trends that climate scientists see for the future?

Here’s a link to the article if you haven’t seen it yet. It’s required reading and I’m curious if the @MWRDGC commissioners will mention it! https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/07/07/climate/chicago-river-lake-michigan.html

The meeting starts at 10:30am CDT and you can watch the meetings proceedings and view the agenda here: https://mwrd.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx

The meeting’s started and after roll call there was a public comment on support for one of the projects. Was having technical difficulties so I didn’t catch the details. Commissioners are moving on to agenda items.

Commissioners chose which of the items they wanted to talk about. Agenda items not listed will not be discussed at today’s meeting. First is #3, a resolution sponsored by the Board of Commissioners celebrating the 100th anniversary of Misericordia.

Next, Commissioner Debra Shore wants to highlight agenda item #11, Authorization for payment to the U.S. Water Alliance for the 2021 annual membership dues in the amount of $35,000.00.

Commissioner Merida gives her approval for the measure and says that the US Water Alliance is a national org that highlights equity both in utilities and sanitation.

MWRD seems to be correcting past wrongs, ie their role in blocking the Clean Water Act in Chi. Chicago was the last major city to sign the 1972 Act when Mayor Daley left office in 2011.

Next, Commissioner Shore wants to discuss agenda item 13, Authority to advertise a “reverse auction” contract for a supply of electricity.

An RFP (request for proposals) is going out to all electrical suppliers to submit a price tag for the MWRD, who will then be selected to participate in a reverse auction, wherein suppliers bid to sell a service to one buyer, ie the MWRD.

Previously the MWRD would do a sealed bid process for contracts like this, but the problem is that electricity costs fluctuate. The appeal of the reverse auction is that more bidders can compete, see each other’s bids and bid competitively.

In a sealed bid: all you have is one bid that comes in.

Commissioner Shore is concerned that this will be a ten year contract, and says that “what lies ahead” might mean that they’ll need to reevaluate where they get their energy from, and whether or not the MWRD should remain flexible in being able to get green renewable energy.

Commissioner Davis responds that he will defer on this agenda item along with Com. Shore because there is not enough assurance that the reverse auction will align with the MWRD’s Climate Action Plan to address climate change.

“We’ve always had climate goals, we just adjust them as the climate changes,” President Kari K. Steele says.

Commissioner Corral Sepulveda asks for more clarification on the time line of the contract. She’s told that renewable energy can be a requirement and that reevaluation can exist on a three year basis.

Commissioner Davis motions to delete the item and bring it back at the next meeting without the contract extension clause.

We’re on to agenda item #20: Authority to advertise Contract 21-847-11 Truck Hauling of Liquid Sludge from the Lemont Water Reclamation Plant, estimated cost $355,700.00.

The amount of sludge is dependent on the amount of rainfall in any given year.

The item is moved back to the agenda and we’re on to #42: Authority to decrease Contract 98-RFP-10 Design, Build, Own, Finance, Operate and Maintain a 150 Dry Tons Per Day Biosolids Processing Facility at the Stickney Water Reclamation Plant…

…and Beneficially Use the Final Product for a Period of 20 years, to Metropolitan Biosolids Management, L.L.C., in an amount of $2,291,737.50 from an amount of $194,108,734.59 to an amount not to exceed $191,816,997.09.

There’s going to be a study session on this item. The contract will expire in 9 years during which time the MWRD will be looking into how biosolids can be processed. The Biosolids Master Plan will look into the carbon capture benefit that can be harvested from biosolids.

We’re on to a really interesting discussion on the MWRD’s responsibility for engaging the public on decisions that affect their every day lives, initiated by Comis. Shore, and the leasing of 9.3+ acres of District real estate in Forest View, IL to Lakeshore Recycling Systems.

Shore says that this could potentially be an environmental justice issue, and that while village leaders are supportive, that she doesn’t think the community is even aware of what is looming. “What do we feel our own obligations are as land owners who are leasing to companies?”

She says that the MWRD has always outsourced the contact with the public, but does it make sense for the MWRD to ask for community engagement? Or make that a requirements for contracts?

Commissioner Barbara Mcgowen asks, “if the leaders are in support and they represent their constituents, then what’s the problem?”

Shore answers that in her municipality elected officials often don’t listen to the public or even communicate with them on decisions that effect their everyday lives. “I’m advocating for more engagement on the part of our agency.”

Forest View, IL, north of midway airport, has a population of 778 people and 302 households. https://t.co/WoODJCx2Ep

Commissioner Josina Merida asks, “What if we took a zoning approach to our land?” so it’s a more proactive way to provide framework for the land that is river adjacent and the communities that surround them.

I’m personally looking forward to more transparency and conversations with the MWRD.

We’re on to agenda item 52: Authority to assist various municipalities with Local Stormwater Partnership Projects. There are currently project in Harvey & Robins, IL & the MWRD is reaching out to other municipalities in South Suburban Coo County to integrate an equity framework.

Commissioner Shore is raising the issue of how the MWRD decides to partner with or reject municipalities requesting help from the agency. She says, “Residents are entitled to storm water management through this agency, but some aren’t getting it.” For example: Stager, IL.

Located just south of Chicago Heights, Stager made a proposal to the MWRD that would protect 728 structures from increasingly sever yearly flood damage, but was rejected because the township lies outside of MWRD corporate boundaries.

Vice President Mcgowen says she’s more concerned about basements flooding in the City of Chicago and thinks they should be focusing on that.

Commissioner Sepulveda asks if MWRD can create a flood vulnerability map that includes socioeconomic information to help the agency determine where areas are that need more focus. “There are areas in Chicago that need some support, as well as the south suburbs of Chicago.”

She celebrates the fact that the MWRD is partnering with UIC’s School of Public Policy in a land use and stormwater study.

The board just took a 5 minute break, and they’re back for the regular meeting.

They just passed all of the resolutions that were discussed and Jacqueline Torres, Director of Finance/Clerk is reading out loud all 57 agenda items. Not quite as quickly as an auctioneer, but close.

All agenda items were passed, including an $25 million decommissioning project at the Thornton Transitional Reservoir, Calumet Service Area. I was hoping it would get discussed, but the commissioners apparently didn’t have any concerns or questions.

The Thornton Transitional Reservoir was completed in ‘03 and holds 3.1 billion gallons. Once decommissioned, the Thorn Creek Overflow & Thornton Composite Reservoir, with a dual capacity of 51 billion & 38 billion gallons respectively, will make up for the loss of the project.

Anyone interested in looking into it can take a look at this facinating presentation on the reservoir and the odor challenges it posed to the community around it. https://legacy.mwrd.org/irj/go/km/docs/documents/MWRD/internet/Departments/MR/Seminar_Series/2020/11-12-2020.pdf

If you ever experience distressing odors for the sewers or waterways around Chicago, you can submit a complaint here:

https://gispub.mwrd.org/incidentreporting/

Of particular interest from that presentation is this slide on waste reclamation odors and their sources/chemical makeup: https://t.co/5TdkRvSOgI

Commissioners are saying their final thoughts, and each is thanking the staff for their devotion and labor that enables the agency to protect the public. This is likely the last virtual meeting that the agency will hold.

And with that, the meeting has adjourned. Thanks for tuning in and plz follow @CHIdocumenters and @city_bureau for more local meeting coverage.