RESOLUTION FOR BOARD MEETING OF OCTOBER 19, 2017
Title
RESOLUTION sponsored by the Board of Commissioners opposing House Bill 4075 pertaining to creating single member districts for Board of Commissioner positions
Body
WHEREAS, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago has, throughout its history, exercised outstanding leadership in protecting the integrity of our waterways by promoting regional flood control programs, pollution enforcement and resource recovery activities; and
WHEREAS, the District has vigorously enforced water quality standards thus protecting Lake Michigan and the water supply in its service area and in Northeastern Illinois; and
WHEREAS, it has been the basic philosophy of the District’s Board of Commissioners that the health and welfare of all citizens should be protected and fostered; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Commissioners of the District, which, by statute, consists of nine members who are elected at large, has at all times performed its duties in a nonpartisan manner and has placed the common good of the citizenry above the factional interests of any group; and
WHEREAS, the District has met the needs of all of our communities by establishing wastewater treatment facilities throughout the service area of the District in Lemont, Stickney, Skokie, Chicago, Des Plaines, Schaumburg and Hanover Park; and
WHEREAS, as a result of the Board of Commissioners having a regional perspective, the District has designed and constructed over 34 flood control storage reservoirs in diverse locations such as Markham, Thornton, Palatine, Chicago, Ford Heights, Northbrook and Hazel Crest; and
WHEREAS, as a result of the Board of Commissioners having a regional perspective, the District currently has over 100 on-going stormwater management projects throughout its service area; and
WHEREAS, universal recognition has been given to the District as an independent unit of local government that effectively and economically performs its mandated responsibilities of sewage treatment, resource recovery, water quality control and flood management; and
WHEREAS, the District has received numerous awards for practicing efficient, fiscally responsible and transparent government; and
WHEREAS, there is presently pending in the Illinois General Assembly, a bill that would geographically divide the District into nine commissioner districts; and
WHEREAS, electing District commissioners from single member districts would dramatically narrow the perspective and accountability of each commissioner and would foster competition and rivalry among the various communities served by the District; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the District does hereby oppose any legislation, which, by requiring the election of commissioners from single member districts, would result in competition and rivalry among various communities; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the District does hereby advocate retaining the District-wide election of nine commissioners to the District’s Board because this method has proven highly effective in ensuring that the District serves the needs of all communities within its jurisdiction and that the District’s Board of Commissioners advocates a cooperative, regional approach to solving the complex environmental problems facing our citizens; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this Resolution be spread upon the permanent Record of Proceedings of the Board of Commissioners of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago.
Dated: October 19, 2017
Approved: MARIYANA SPYROPOULOS, President; BARBARA MCGOWAN, Vice President; FRANK AVILA, Chairman, Committee on Finance; TIMOTHY BRADFORD; MARTIN J. DURKAN; JOSINA MORITA; DEBRA SHORE; KARI K. STEELE; DAVID J. WALSH; Commissioners of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago
Approved as to Form and Legality: Susan T. Morakalis, General Counsel, STM:BO’C