TRANSMITTAL LETTER FOR BOARD MEETING OF AUGUST 4, 2016
COMMITTEE ON STORMWATER MANAGEMENT
Mr. David St. Pierre, Executive Director
Title
Authority to amend Intergovernmental Agreement between the District and the Chicago Public Schools to increase the District’s commitment by $1,000,000, extend the District’s participation in the program with Chicago Public Schools through 2020, and provide for additional agreements as to the District’s flow metering at certain schools, Account 501-50000-612400
Body
Dear Sir:
On October 16, 2014, the Board of Commissioners granted authority to enter into an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) with the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) to install green infrastructure (GI) at various Chicago public schools, at a maximum of $500,000 per school, for a maximum of 30 schools, not to exceed $3,000,000 per year for five years, starting in 2015. Thereafter, it was determined that the number of schools funded in any given year may change and therefore, greater flexibility was needed to fund a total of 30 schools over the duration of the District’s participation. Consequently, on December 3, 2015, the Board of Commissioners amended its authority, thereby authorizing the District to enter into an IGA with CPS for an amount not to exceed $15,000,000, at a maximum of $500,000 per school for a maximum of 30 schools, with flexibility as to the number of schools funded in any given year. On July 21, 2016, the District and CPS fully executed the IGA.
During the course of the negotiations of the IGA, CPS asked the District to fund an additional amount not to exceed $1,000,000 for the design of green infrastructure at playgrounds and ancillary components thereto at 10 of the 30 schools that are or will be part of the IGA. Additionally, it was determined that in order to complete GI at 30 schools, an extra year (through 2020) would be needed. Finally, it was determined that additional documentation would be needed to provide for flow metering at certain CPS schools. Rather than delay the execution of the IGA, District and CPS staff agreed that it would be most efficient to amend the IGA to address the above-referenced issues.
Based on the foregoing, the Engineering Department recommends that the Board authorize staff to negotiate and enter into an amendment to the IGA wherein the District will increase its financial commitment by an amount not to exceed $1,000,000, extend the District’s participation with CPS through 2020, and further document the District’s flow metering at certain CPS sites. It is further requested that the Chairman of the Committee on Finance, the Executive Director, and the Clerk be authorized to execute said amendment to the IGA on behalf of the District upon approval by the Director of Engineering as to technical matters and by the General Counsel as to form and legality.
Funds in Account 501-50000-612400 for the estimated expenditures from 2017 through 2020 will be contingent on the Board of Commissioners’ approval of the District’s budget for those years.
Requested, Ronald M. Hill, General Counsel, and Catherine A. O’Connor, Director of Engineering; RMH:CAO:LLD:BO’C:TN:WSS:JY:nm
Recommended, David St. Pierre, Executive Director
Respectfully Submitted, Michael A. Alvarez, Chairman Committee on Stormwater Management
Disposition of this agenda item will be documented in the official Regular Board Meeting Minutes of the Board of Commissioners for August 4, 2016