TRANSMITTAL LETTER FOR BOARD MEETING OF OCTOBER 17, 2019
COMMITTEE ON STORMWATER MANAGEMENT
Mr. Brian A. Perkovich, Executive Director
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Authority to negotiate and enter into a Feasibility Cost Sharing Agreement with and make payment to the United States Army Corps of Engineers for the Limited Reevaluation of the Upper Des Plaines River and Tributaries Study, in an amount of $99,998.00, Account 501-50000-645630
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Dear Sir:
Authorization is requested to negotiate and enter into a Feasibility Cost Sharing Agreement (FCSA) with and make payment to the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) for the Limited Reevaluation of the Upper Des Plaines River and Tributaries Study (Study), in an amount of $99,998.00.
On March 20, 2014, the Board of Commissioners granted authority to enter into an amended Feasibility Cost Sharing Agreement with the United States Army Corps of Engineers and other sponsors for the captioned study, and to pay the USACE $290,854.47 for the local Cook County share of the Upper Des Plaines River and Tributaries Study.
The USACE initiated this Study in 2002, when Cook County, represented by the Cook County Department of Transportation and Highways (CCDTH), entered into the original FCSA for the Study with the USACE, Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), Lake County Stormwater Management Commission (LCSMC), and Kenosha County, Wisconsin. The FCSA indicates the federal USACE and local cost sharing arrangement for the cost of the study. While serving as an active participant in the planning and development of the Study since 2004, when the District received authorization from the State legislature for Stormwater Management in Cook County, in 2013 the USACE requested that the District agree to assume the role of local sponsor for Cook County for the Study.
The USACE released their final report for the study in 2015 which included recommendations for flood mitigation projects in the Cook County portion of the Upper Des Plaines River and Tributaries watershed. While the collective projects were found to be cost effective, the benefit to cost ratio was not sufficient to attract Federal funding. At this time, the USACE is planning to perform a limited reevaluation of the benefits and costs associated with the flood mitigation recommendations, to reflect new rainfall data and perform updates to the modeling to develop an overall economic update. The overall costs associated with the development of the limited reevaluation are estimated at $199,996.00, with the local cost share amount being 50% as per the new FCSA, or $99,998.00. The USACE has requested that the District provide necessary matching funds to carry out this additional analysis.
Based on the foregoing, it is respectfully requested that the Board of Commissioners grant authority to negotiate and enter into a FCSA with and make payment to the USACE for the Study, in an amount of $99,998.00 for the District’s local cost share amount. It is further requested that the Chairman of the Committee on Finance, Executive Director and Clerk be authorized to execute said agreement on behalf of the District, as well as any documents necessary to effectuate the transaction and conveyance, upon approval by the Director of Engineering as to technical matters and by the General Counsel as to form and legality.
Funds are available in Account 501-50000-645630.
Upon completion of the limited reevaluation report, it is anticipated that there will be potential projects that could be pursued on a cost share basis between the USACE and the local sponsors. While the District is not obligated under the FCSA to provide funding for any of the projects recommended in the study, the District would likely be approached for local sponsor funding commitments for any projects moving forward in Cook County.
Requested, Catherine A. O’Connor, Director of Engineering, WSS:JK
Recommended, Brian A. Perkovich, Executive Director
Disposition of this agenda item will be documented in the official Regular Board Meeting Minutes of the Board of Commissioners for October 17, 2019