Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of  
Greater Chicago  
100 East Erie Street  
Chicago, IL 60611  
Regular Board Meeting Minutes  
Thursday, September 21, 2023  
10:30 AM  
Board Room  
Board of Commissioners  
Commissioner Precious Brady-Davis, Commissioner Yumeka Brown, Commissioner  
Cameron Davis, Vice-President Patricia Theresa Flynn, Chairman of Finance Marcelino  
Garcia, Commissioner Daniel Pogorzelski, Commissioner Eira L. Corral Sepúlveda,  
Commissioner Mariyana T. Spyropoulos, President Board of Commissioners Kari K.  
Steele  
THE FOLLOWING PROCEDURES WILL GOVERN THE MEETING PROCESS:  
1. Board Members who vote "Nay, Present, or Abstain" or have a question on any  
item may request the item be removed from the Consent Agenda.  
2. Citizens in the audience who address the Board on any item may request the item  
be removed from the Consent Agenda.  
3. Items removed from the Consent Agenda are considered separately.  
4. One roll call vote is taken to cover all Consent Agenda Items.  
Call Meeting to Order  
President Kari K. Steele presiding, called the meeting to order at 10:30 a.m.  
Roll Call  
9 -  
Present:  
Precious Brady-Davis; Yumeka Brown; Cameron Davis; Patricia Theresa Flynn;  
Marcelino Garcia; Daniel Pogorzelski; Eira L. Corral Sepúlveda; Mariyana T.  
Spyropoulos; and Kari K. Steele  
Approval of Previous Board Meeting Minutes  
A motion was made by Precious Brady-Davis, seconded by Marcelino Garcia, that  
the minutes from the last meeting of September 7, 2023 be approved without  
having to read them into the record. The motion carried by acclamation. Chorus  
of ayes - No nays  
Public Comments  
Benjamin Cox, Executive Director of Friends of the Forest Preserves, addressed the  
board regarding agenda item #36  
Caroline Williams, Founder and CEO of Chicago Muslims Green Team, addressed the  
board regarding support for agenda item #37  
Chuck Derringer, retired employee, addressed the board regarding various concerns  
Recess and Convene as Committee of the Whole  
A motion was made by Mariyana T. Spyropoulos, seconded by Patricia Theresa  
Flynn, to recess and convene as a committee of the whole. The motion carried  
by acclamation. Chorus of Ayes - No Nays  
Committee of the Whole  
Approval of the Committee of the Whole Consent Agenda with the exception of  
Items: 10 and 37  
Item # 10 was deferred by Mariyana T. Spyropoulos  
Item # 37 was deferred by Marcelino Garcia  
President Kari K. Steele called for a motion to accept the agendas for each  
Standing Committee that was convened. Moved by Marcelino Garcia, seconded  
by Cameron Davis. President Kari K. Steele called for any objections. No  
objections were voiced. Motion carried.  
The Committee of the Whole meeting of September 21, 2023 was adjourned at  
11:45 a.m.  
Executive Session  
None  
Recess and Reconvene as Board of Commissioners  
At 11:50 a.m. President Kari K. Steele reconvened the regular board meeting to  
order  
Motions, Ordinances and Resolutions  
Resolution  
RESOLUTION sponsored by the Board of Commissioners recognizing  
Reverend Leslie Sanders (Deferred from the September 7, 2023 Board  
Meeting)  
23-0876  
23-0919  
1
2
Adopted  
RESOLUTION sponsored by the Board of Commissioners recognizing Dr.  
Tekleab Gala  
Adopted  
Finance Committee  
Report  
Report on Cash Disbursements for the Month of August 2023, in the amount of  
$34,210,463.22  
23-0910  
3
Attachments: August 2023 Cash Disbursements Summary  
Published and Filed  
Authorization  
Authorization to ratify and approve payments made to the Illinois Association for  
Floodplain and Stormwater Management for the annual conference in an  
amount not to exceed $15,050.00, Accounts 101/501-50000-601100  
23-0896  
4
Approved  
23-0911  
5
Authority to approve Travel Expenses for Members of the Board of  
Commissioners and the Executive Director in the amount of $1,064.91,  
Accounts 101-11000-612010, 612030 and 101-15000-612010, 612030  
A motion was made by Marcelino Garcia, seconded by Cameron Davis, that this  
Agenda Item be Approved. The motion carried by the following roll call vote:  
9 -  
Aye:  
Precious Brady-Davis, Yumeka Brown, Cameron Davis, Patricia Theresa Flynn,  
Marcelino Garcia, Daniel Pogorzelski, Eira L. Corral Sepúlveda, Mariyana T.  
Spyropoulos, Kari K. Steele  
Procurement Committee  
Report  
Report of bid opening of Tuesday, August 29, 2023  
23-0905  
6
Published and Filed  
Report of bid opening of Tuesday, September 12, 2023  
23-0918  
7
Published and Filed  
Authority to Advertise  
Authority to advertise Contract 24-753-11, Farming at the Hanover Park Water  
Reclamation Plant, estimated cost $890,000.00, Accounts  
101-67000-612520/612530, Requisition 1605281  
23-0880  
8
Attachments: Contract 24-753-11 Affirmative Action Goals Report  
Approved  
Authority to advertise Contract 24-101-11 Boat Maintenance, Repairs, and Parts  
for the PC100 Boat, estimated cost $69,600.00, Accounts 101-16000-612790,  
623990, Requisition 1605329  
23-0889  
23-0892  
9
Approved  
10  
Authority to advertise Contract 23-RFP-19, Professional Engineering Services  
for the Stickney Water Reclamation Plant Biosolids Management Strategy,  
estimated cost $1,500,000.00, Account 201-50000-612430, Requisition  
1604172  
Attachments: Contract 23-RFP-19 Affirmative Action Goals Report  
Deferred by Mariyana T. Spyropoulos  
Authority to advertise Contract 19-083-3P Upgrade Wilmette Lift Station, NSA,  
estimated cost between $1,529,285.00 and $1,851,240.00, Account  
401-50000-645700, Requisition 1605843  
23-0894  
11  
Attachments: Contract 19-083-3P Fact Sheet  
Contract 19-083-3P Affirmative Action Goals Report - 98% Review  
Approved  
Issue Purchase Order  
Issue purchase order to Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company, to provide  
Hewlett Packard Maintenance for HPE SAN, in an amount not to exceed  
$23,152.90, Account 101-27000-612810, Requisition 1605469  
23-0881  
12  
Approved  
Issue purchase order to CDW Government LLC, to Furnish and Deliver VMware  
Software, Support and Subscription, in an amount not to exceed $84,300.00,  
Account 101-27000-612820, Requisition 1605289  
23-0882  
13  
Approved  
Issue purchase order to DLT Solutions, LLC, for Eagle Point Software  
Corporation’s Pinnacle Series Software Annual Renewal, in an amount not to  
exceed $16,065.00, Account 101-27000-612820, Requisition 1605327  
23-0885  
23-0886  
23-0888  
14  
15  
16  
Approved  
Issue purchase order to CDW Government LLC, to Furnish and Deliver Cisco  
SmartNet Hardware Support for Routers and Switches, in an amount not to  
exceed $193,403.63, Account 101-27000-612840, Requisition 1605798  
Approved  
Issue purchase order to Mesirow Insurance Services, Inc. for Furnishing  
Fiduciary Liability Insurance for the Deferred Compensation Plan and Trust, in  
an amount not to exceed $10,061.00, and authorization for payment by direct  
voucher to Mesirow Insurance Services, Inc. for Furnishing Fiduciary Liability  
Insurance for the Retiree Health Care Trust (OPEB), in an amount not to  
exceed $7,939.00, Accounts 101-25000-612290 and P802-11000-798200  
respectively, Requisition 1605822  
Attachments:  
Contract 22-RFP-12 Appendix A Report - Mesirow Insurance Services,  
Inc.  
Approved  
Issue purchase order and enter into an agreement with Calco,Ltd. for  
Preventative Maintenance, Emergency Repair Service and Parts for Water  
Purification Systems at Various Locations for Three Years, in an amount not to  
exceed $111,272.00, Account 101-16000-612490, Requisition 1604184  
23-0890  
23-0893  
17  
18  
Approved  
Issue purchase order and enter into agreements with West Publishing  
Corporation for online legal research and subscriptions to various legal  
publications for a three (3) year period, in an amount not to exceed $242,740.56,  
Account 101-30000-612490,623720, Requisition 1605014  
Approved  
Issue purchase order and enter into an agreement with TierPoint, LLC, for  
Co-Location Services for District Infrastructure, in an amount not to exceed  
$26,634.00, Account 101-27000-612330, Requisition 1605819  
23-0898  
23-0903  
19  
20  
Approved  
Issue purchase order for Contract 23-116-11, Analysis of Sediment Toxicity, to  
EA Engineering, Science, and Technology, Inc., PBC (EA Engineering), in an  
amount not to exceed $11,700.00, Account 101-16000-612490, Requisition  
1599758  
Approved  
Issue purchase orders for Contract 23-603-11, Furnishing and Delivering  
Roadway Rock Salt to Various Service Areas to Morton Salt, Inc., in an amount  
not to exceed $128,100.00, Accounts 101-67000, 68000, 69000-623130,  
Requisitions 1598080, 1598252, and 1598172  
23-0904  
21  
Attachments: Contract 23-603-11 Affirmative Action Goals Report.pdf  
Approved  
Award Contract  
Authority to award Contract 22-875-1S, Television Inspection and Recording of  
Sewers and Manholes at Various Locations, to National Power Rodding  
Corporation, in an amount not to exceed $7,525,000.00, Account  
101-50000-612240, Requisition 1598921  
23-0902  
22  
Attachments:  
Contract 22-875-1S Affirmative Action Goals and Revised Appendix D  
and Appendix V Report - National Power Rodding Corp..pdf  
Approved  
Increase Purchase Order/Change Order  
Authority to decrease Contract 98-RFP-10, Design, Build, Own, Finance,  
23-0878  
23  
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, LLC, in an amount  
of $1,405,100.00 from an amount of $191,336,862.54 to an amount not to  
exceed $189,931,762.54, Account 101-69000-612590, Purchase Order  
5000950  
Attachments: Change Order Log - Purchase Order 5000950  
Approved  
Budget & Employment Committee  
Authorization  
Authority to transfer 2023 departmental appropriations in the amount of  
$100,000.00 in the Corporate Fund  
23-0917  
24  
Attachments: 09.21.23 Board Transfer BF5  
Approved  
Engineering Committee  
Report  
Report on change orders authorized and time extensions approved by the  
Director of Engineering during the month of August 2023  
23-0895  
25  
Attachments: Attachment 1 CO Report August 2023 5% Contingency.pdf  
Attachment 2 CO Status Report August 2023 Revised.pdf  
Published and Filed  
Maintenance & Operations Committee  
Reports  
Report on change orders authorized and approved by the Director of  
Maintenance and Operations during the month of August 2023  
23-0883  
26  
Attachments: R-98 Report August 2023.pdf  
Published and Filed  
Real Estate Development Committee  
Authorization  
Authority to grant the Village of Hanover Park a 60-year, approximately 20’ x 728’  
23-0806  
27  
28  
29  
non-exclusive easement to continue to operate a 6-inch water main on District  
real estate located south of the Hanover Park Water Reclamation Plant in  
Hanover Park, Illinois. Consideration shall be a nominal fee of $10.00 (Deferred  
from the September 7, 2023 Board Meeting)  
Attachments: RE - Hanover Park 60-year Easement Aerial.pdf  
Approved  
Authority to issue a two-month permit extension to Michels Pipeline, Inc. to  
continue to use 3± acres of Main Channel Parcel 35.02 located west of Harlem  
Avenue and north of the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal in Forest View, Illinois  
for its project to upgrade an existing pipeline for Kinder Morgan. Consideration  
shall be a one-time permit fee of $14,090.00  
23-0901  
Attachments: RE - Michels Pipeline Permit MCP 35.05 Extension Aerial.pdf  
Approved  
Authority to grant a 25-year, 28.37-acre non-exclusive easement to Prairie  
Power, Inc. to construct, operate, maintain, reconstruct, repair, replace and  
23-0907  
remove electrical power lines to connect its existing substations south of the  
City of Canton and the Village of St. David in Fulton County, Illinois.  
Consideration shall be an initial annual fee of $20,528.00  
Attachments: RE - Prairie Power 25-year Easement Aerial.pdf  
Approved  
Authority to grant a 25-year, 569,904 sq. ft. non-exclusive easement to  
Commonwealth Edison Company to continue to operate, maintain, and remove  
an electrical transmission line upon, over, and across District land located along  
the southerly bank of the Main Channel between Pulaski Road and Cicero  
Avenue in the City of Chicago, Illinois; Main Channel Parcels 39.13, 40.01,  
40.04, 40.05 and 40.06. Consideration shall be an initial annual fee of  
$143,000.00  
23-0908  
30  
31  
32  
Attachments: RE - ComEd 25-year Easement Aerial.pdf  
Approved  
Authority to enter into a 50-year lease with the City of Palos Heights for the  
continued use of 82± acres of District real estate located along the south bank  
of the Cal-Sag Channel in Palos Heights, Illinois, for public recreational  
purposes, including the operation and maintenance of the Lake Katherine  
Nature Center and Botanic Gardens, and the sale and consumption of alcohol.  
Consideration shall be a one-time fee of $10.00, plus 25% of annual net  
revenues derived from the premises  
23-0912  
Attachments: RE - Palos Heights 50-Year Lease Aerial.pdf  
Approved  
Authority to commence statutory procedures to lease 7.42± acres of District  
real estate located along the North Shore Channel between Oakton Street and  
the CTA Yellow Line tracks in Skokie, Illinois, known as North Shore Channel  
Parcels 6.06, 6.11, and 6.14 (portion)  
23-0916  
Attachments:  
RE - Builders Asphalt Request to Lease NSC 6.06, 6.11 and 6.14  
Aerial.pdf  
RE - Builders Asphalt Request to Lease NSC 6.06, 6.11 and 6.14  
Skokie Letter of Support.pdf  
Approved  
Stormwater Management Committee  
Report  
Report on Green Infrastructure, Detention, and Compensatory Storage Volumes  
Required by the Watershed Management Ordinance  
23-0897  
33  
Attachments: 2023 T1 Stormwater Management Report (1st Half).pdf  
2023 T2 Offsite Facility Report (1st Half).pdf  
Published and Filed  
Authorization  
Authority to negotiate and enter into an Intergovernmental Agreement with and  
make payment to the City of Des Plaines for the design, construction, operation,  
and maintenance of the Craig Manor Drainage System Improvements in Des  
Plaines (23-IGA-33), in an amount not to exceed $1,000,000.00  
23-0899  
23-0900  
34  
35  
36  
Attachments: Conceptual Design Exhibit 23-IGA-33.pdf  
Approved  
Authority to negotiate and enter into an Intergovernmental Agreement with and  
make payment to Lyons Township for the Acquisition of Flood-Prone Properties  
and Construction of Stormwater Storage in Lyons Township (23-IGA-43), in an  
amount not to exceed $2,500,000.00  
Attachments: 23-IGA-43_ARPA Stormwater Projects List.pdf  
Approved  
RESOLUTION sponsored by the Board of Commissioners recognizing the 25th  
anniversary of Friends of the Forest Preserves  
23-0920  
Adopted  
Approval of the Consent Agenda with the exception of Items: 5, 10 and 37  
A motion was made by Marcelino Garcia, seconded by Patricia Theresa Flynn, to  
Approve the Consent Agenda. The motion carried by the following roll call vote:  
9 -  
Aye:  
Precious Brady-Davis, Yumeka Brown, Cameron Davis, Patricia Theresa Flynn,  
Marcelino Garcia, Daniel Pogorzelski, Eira L. Corral Sepúlveda, Mariyana T.  
Spyropoulos, Kari K. Steele  
MOTION to recommend the establishment of a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and  
Justice Department for consideration as part of the District’s forthcoming State  
of Illinois 2024 Legislative Program.  
23-0921  
37  
Deferred by Marcelino Garcia  
Miscellaneous and New Business  
Meeting Summary  
Speakers  
None  
Summary of Requests  
Procurement Committee Item #10  
1. Marcelino Garcia requested a memo on current trends and things to consider in the  
future  
Procurement Committee Item #21  
1. Mariyana T. Spyropoulos requested an update be provided to the board regarding any  
new findings from the conference  
2. Kari K. Steele requested including last year's memo on this topic and the price  
analysis  
3. Eira L. Corral-Sepúlveda requested the snow removal plan  
4. Precious Brady-Davis requested the PFAS Policy  
Study Session  
None  
Announcements  
None  
Board Letter Submission Dates  
The next regular board meeting is scheduled for October 5, 2023, please prepare  
and submit Board items before the following absolute cutoff dates.  
Date agenda items are due to the Director of Procurement and Materials  
Management for signature and preparation: September 22, 2023  
Date all agenda items are due to the Executive Director: 1:00 p.m., September  
27, 2023  
Adjournment  
A motion was made by Mariyana T. Spyropoulos, seconded by Patricia Theresa  
Flynn, that when the Board Adjourns, it adjourns to meet again on Thursday,  
October 5, 2023 at 10:30 a.m. and also move that today's meeting be Adjourned.  
The motion carried by the following roll call vote: /s/ Jacqueline Torres, Clerk  
9 -  
Aye:  
Precious Brady-Davis, Yumeka Brown, Cameron Davis, Patricia Theresa Flynn,  
Marcelino Garcia, Daniel Pogorzelski, Eira L. Corral Sepúlveda, Mariyana T.  
Spyropoulos, Kari K. Steele  
APPROVAL:  
In accordance with the provisions of 70ILCS 2605/4, each of the foregoing agenda items duly  
adopted by the Board of Commissioners of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of  
Greater Chicago this September 21, 2023, are hereby approved.  
APPROVED:  
/s/ Kari K. Steele  
President Board of Commissioners of the  
Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago  
September 21, 2023