Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of  
Greater Chicago  
100 East Erie Street  
Chicago, IL 60611  
Regular Board Meeting Minutes  
Thursday, May 21, 2026  
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 Beth McElroy Kirkwood, Commissioner Eira L. Corral  
Sepúlveda, Commissioner Sharon Waller, 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; Beth McElroy Kirkwood; Eira L. Corral Sepúlveda; Sharon Waller;  
and Kari K. Steele  
Approval of Previous Board Meeting Minutes  
A motion was made by Beth McElroy Kirkwood, seconded by Patricia Theresa  
Flynn, that the minutes from the last meeting of May 7, 2026 be approved without  
having to read them into the record. The motion carried by acclamation. Chorus  
of ayes - No nays  
Public Comments  
Aaron Henneberg, OHLA Central, addressed the Board with concerns regarding Agenda  
Item 18  
Donald Kiesling, Michels Construction, Inc., addressed the Board supporting Agenda  
Item 18  
Recess and Convene as Committee of the Whole  
A motion was made by Precious Brady-Davis, 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 Agenda with the exception of Items: 7,  
15 and 18  
Agenda Item #15 was deleted by the Executive Director  
Agenda Item #7 was deferred by Cameron Davis  
Agenda Item #18 was deferred by Kari K. Steele  
President Kari K. Steele called for a motion to accept the agendas for each  
Standing Committee that was convened. Moved by Patricia Theresa Flynn,  
seconded by Marcelino Garcia. President Kari K. Steele called for any  
objections. No objections were voiced. Motion carried.  
The Committee of the Whole meeting of May 21, 2026 was adjourned at 11:05  
a.m.  
Executive Session  
None  
Recess and Reconvene as Board of Commissioners  
At 11:10 a.m. President Kari K. Steele reconvened the regular board meeting to  
order  
Motions, Ordinances and Resolutions  
Finance Committee  
Report  
Report on Cash Disbursements for the Month of April 2026, in the amount of  
$35,486,787.05  
26-0351  
1
Attachments: April 2026 Cash Disbursements Summary  
Published and Filed  
Authorization  
26-0364  
2
Authority to approve Travel Expenses for Members of the Board of  
Commissioners and the Executive Director in the amount of $2,183.80,  
Accounts 101-11000-612010, 612030 and 101-15000-612010, 612030, 612080  
A motion was made by Marcelino Garcia, seconded by Precious Brady-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, Beth McElroy Kirkwood, Eira L. Corral Sepúlveda, Sharon Waller,  
Kari K. Steele  
Procurement Committee  
Report  
Report of bid opening of Tuesday, May 5, 2026  
26-0347  
26-0359  
3
4
Published and Filed  
Report of bid opening of Tuesday, May 12, 2026  
Published and Filed  
Authorization  
Authorization to amend Board Order of May 7, 2026 regarding Issue Purchase  
Order to Schneider Electric USA, Inc., to Furnish and Deliver One (1)  
Distributed Control System (DCS) Test Cabinet to the Calumet Water  
Reclamation Plant (CWRP) in an amount not to exceed $221,817.45, Account  
101-68000-634650, Requisition 1654520, Agenda Item No. 16, File No. 26-0275  
26-0352  
5
Attachments:  
Transmittal Letter for Board Meeting of May 7, 2026, Agenda Item No.  
16, File No. 26-0275  
Approved  
Authority to Advertise  
Authority to advertise Contract 26-622-11, Furnish and Deliver Miscellaneous  
Electrical and Mechanical Equipment to Various Locations, estimated cost  
$822,100.00, Accounts  
26-0331  
6
101-67000/68000/69000-623070/623270/623560/634650, Requisitions  
1645926, 1646938, 1646947, 1646244, 1648853, 1647942, 1655894, and  
1655698  
Attachments: Contract 26-622-11 Affirmative Action Goals Report  
Approved  
Authority to advertise Contract 26-RFP-10 Family Medical Leave Act and  
Americans with Disabilities Act Administrative Services, for a four-year period,  
effective on or about February 1, 2027, estimated cost $365,000.00, Account  
101-25000-612430, Requisition 1657013  
26-0337  
7
Attachments: Contract 26-RFP-10 Affirmative Action Goals Report  
Deferred by Cameron Davis  
Authority to advertise Contract 26-363-11 for public tender of bids a 14-year  
lease on approximately 9 acres of District real estate located at 6400 Canal  
Bank Road in Forest View, Illinois; Main Channel Parcel 37.07  
26-0363  
8
Attachments:  
Contract 26-363-11 Aerial View of Main Channel Parcel 37.07 - Forest  
View, IL  
Approved  
Issue Purchase Order  
Issue purchase order and enter into an agreement with Agilent Technologies,  
Inc. to furnish, deliver, install an Agilent 5900 SVDV Inductively Coupled Plasma  
Optical Emission Spectrometer, peripheral equipment, consumable supplies,  
and extended warranty, in an amount not to exceed $189,511.76, Accounts  
101-16000-612970, 623570, 634970, Requisition 1657716  
26-0329  
9
Approved  
Issue purchase order and enter into an agreement for Contract 26-RFP-07  
Flexible Spending Plan Administrator with P&A Administrative Services, Inc. in  
an amount not to exceed $350,000.00, Account 101-25000-612430, Requisition  
1650774  
26-0335  
10  
Attachments: Contract 26-RFP-07 Affirmative Action Goals Report  
Approved  
Issue purchase order and enter into an agreement for Contract 25-RFP-06,  
FERC Relicensing for Lockport Powerhouse, with HDR Engineering, Inc., in an  
amount not to exceed $701,857.00, Account 101-66000-612430, Requisition  
1645218  
26-0338  
11  
Attachments: Contract 25-RFP-06 Affirmative Action Goals Report  
Approved  
Issue purchase order and enter into an agreement for Contract 26-CON-01  
(Project 25-801-2C, formerly Project 25-801-3C), Testing and Inspection of  
Concrete and Construction Materials, with Flood Testing Laboratories, Inc., in  
an amount not to exceed $750,000.00, Account 201-50000-612240, Requisition  
1658052  
26-0340  
12  
Attachments:  
Contract 26-CON-01 (Project 25-801-2C) Affirmative Action Appendix  
A Report - Flood Testing Laboratories, Inc.  
Approved  
Issue Purchase Order to Superior Industrial Equipment, L.L.C., to Provide  
Flowserve Mechanical Seals to the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant, in an  
amount not to exceed $96,394.02, Account 101-68000-623270, Requisition  
1657152  
26-0345  
13  
Approved  
Issue purchase order to Duperon Corporation, to Furnish and Deliver Duperon  
FlexRake components to the Calumet Service Area, in an amount not to exceed  
$88,800.00, Account 101-68000-623270, Requisition 1658085  
26-0346  
26-0353  
14  
15  
Approved  
Issue purchase order and enter into an agreement with Interior Alterations Inc.,  
for Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning work, in an amount not to exceed  
$523,598.00, Account 201-50000-645780, Requisition 1658409  
Deleted by the Executive Director  
Award Contract  
Authority to award Contract 26-025-1H, Furnish and Deliver Stem Gate Valves  
to Various Locations, to Porter Pipe & Supply Company, in an amount not to  
exceed $94,191.14, Account 101-20000-623090  
26-0350  
16  
Attachments: Contract 26-025-1H Affirmative Action Goals Report.pdf  
Contract 26-025-1H Item Descriptions.pdf  
Approved  
Authority to Award Contract 26-023-11, Furnish and Deliver Lab Chemicals to  
Various Locations, to Colonial Scientific, Inc., in an Amount not to Exceed  
$99,498.70, Account 101-20000-623570  
26-0358  
17  
Attachments: Contract 26-023-11 Affirmative Action Goals Report.pdf  
Contract 26-023-11 Item Descriptions  
Approved  
Authority to award Contract 21-092-3P, Battery E Activated Sludge Facility,  
O’Brien Water Reclamation Plant (OWRP), to Michels Construction, Inc., in an  
amount not to exceed $389,933,408.76, plus a five (5) percent allowance for  
change orders in an amount of $19,496,670.44, for a total amount not to exceed  
$409,430,079.20, Account 401-50000-645650, Requisition 1639807  
26-0365  
18  
Attachments:  
Contract 21-092-3P - Affirmative Action Revised Appendix D and  
Appendix V Report - Michels Const., Inc..pdf  
Deferred by Kari K. Steele  
Increase Purchase Order/Change Order  
Authority to increase purchase order with Millan Chicago, LLC for Contract  
26-0333  
19  
23-RFP-11 Individual Coaching and Training Services, in an amount of  
$17,500.00, from an amount of $106,028.75, to an amount not to exceed  
$123,528.75, Account 101-25000-601100, Purchase Order 3130439  
Attachments: Change Order Log - Purchase Order 3130439  
Approved  
Authority to increase purchase orders and to exercise an option to extend the  
agreement for an additional one-year period, for Contract 23-RFP-13 for Third  
Party Claims Administrator Services with Lodestar Claims & Risk Services Inc.,  
formally known as PMA Management Corp., in an amount of $278,333.00, from  
an amount of $742,642.32, to an amount not to exceed $1,020,975.32,  
Accounts 101-25000-612430 and 901-30000-601090, Purchase Orders  
3128894, 3128895  
26-0334  
20  
Attachments: Change order Purchase Order 3128894 (101 Fund)  
Change Order Purchase Order 3128895 (901 Fund)  
Approved  
Authority to decrease purchase order with AT&T Enterprises, LLC for  
Point-to-Point DS1 Telemetry Services (known as T1 lines) in an amount of  
$104,842.39, from an amount of $213,600.00, to an amount not to exceed  
$108,757.61, Account 101-27000-612210, Purchase Order 3135153  
26-0336  
26-0339  
21  
22  
Approved  
Authority to increase Contract 11-187-3F Addison Creek Channel  
Improvements, SSA to Judlau Contracting, Inc. in an amount of $194,700.00,  
from an amount of $79,346,971.23, to an amount not to exceed $79,541,671.23,  
Account 501-50000-645620, Purchase Order 4000103  
Attachments: Change Order Log - Purchase Order 4000103  
Approved  
Authority to increase Contract 16-127-3DR A/B and C/D Service Tunnel  
Rehabilitation - Phase Three, Stickney Water Reclamation Plant, Rebid, to IHC  
Construction Companies, LLC in an amount of $110,166.91, from an amount of  
$29,408,742.77, to an amount not to exceed $29,518,909.68, Account  
401-50000-645750, Purchase Order 4000097  
26-0354  
23  
Attachments: Change Order Log - 4000097  
Approved  
Engineering Committee  
Report  
Report on change orders authorized and time extensions from January through  
26-0342  
24  
March 2026 for Contract 11-187-3F, Addison Creek Channel Improvements,  
SSA  
Attachments: Attachment 1 COR Report for 11-187-3F January to March 2026.pdf  
Attachment 2 COR Status Report for 11-187-3F January to March  
2026.pdf  
Published and Filed  
Report on change orders authorized and time extensions approved by the  
Director of Engineering during the month of April 2026  
26-0344  
25  
Attachments: Attachment 1 CO Report April 2026 5 Contingency FINAL.pdf  
Attachment 2 CO Status Report April 2026 FINAL.pdf  
Attachment 3 TER Report for April 2026 FINAL.pdf  
Published and Filed  
Information Technology Committee  
Authorization  
Authorization to settle payment dispute claim with AT&T Enterprises, LLC, f/k/a  
26-0349  
26  
AT&T Corp against the District related to various telecommunication related  
services, for a final payment of $120,092.93, Account 101-27000-612210 (As  
Revised)  
Attachments: AT&T Accounts Tables 1 & 2.pdf  
Approved  
Pension, Human Resources & Civil Service Committee  
Authorization  
Requesting the advice and consent of the Board of Commissioners to the  
appointment of Edward J. Staudacher as the Director of Maintenance and  
Operations for the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago  
26-0281  
27  
Attachments:  
BOC 0507 Req Advice and Consenst to Appt. EJS, Dir, M&O  
Resume.pdf  
Approved  
Real Estate Development Committee  
Authorization  
Authority to pay 2025 real estate taxes in the amount of $468,064.64 for the  
Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago’s real estate  
located in Will County, Illinois. Account 101-30000-667130  
26-0328  
26-0330  
28  
29  
Approved  
Authority to extend easement agreement dated February 7, 2002, between the  
District and the United States Army Corps of Engineers six additional months to  
allow the continued use of District land located east and west of the Main  
Channel near Romeo Road/135th Street in Will County, Illinois, known as Main  
Channel Parcels 18.03, 19.01, 19.02 and 19.04, for continued operation and  
maintenance of aquatic nuisance species barriers. Consideration shall be a  
nominal fee of $10.00  
Attachments: RE - Army Corps Easement Extension Aerial.pdf  
Approved  
Authority to grant Evanston/Skokie School District 65 a 25-year, 13,755 sq. ft.  
non-exclusive easement to continue to operate and maintain a widened service  
drive along the east bank of the North Shore Channel between Church and  
Dempster Streets in Evanston, Illinois; North Shore Channel Parcel 3.08.  
Consideration shall be a nominal fee of $10.00  
26-0355  
30  
Attachments: RE - Evanston Skokie Service Drive Aerial.pdf  
Approved  
Authority to grant Evanston/Skokie School District 65 a 25-year, 2,500± sq. ft.  
non-exclusive easement to continue to operate and maintain a 24-inch storm  
sewer on a 50 ft. by 50 ft. strip of land on the east bank of the North Shore  
Channel between Church and Dempster Streets in Evanston, Illinois; North  
Shore Channel Parcel 3.08. Consideration shall be a nominal fee of $10.00  
26-0356  
31  
Attachments: RE - Evanston-Skokie School Dist 65 Sewer Aerial.pdf  
Approved  
Authority to approve, execute, and make payment to three property owners for  
temporary easement extensions in connection with the Addison Creek Channel  
Improvements Project (Contract 11-187-3F). Consideration shall be a combined  
total amount of $7,312.66, Account 501-50000-667330, Stormwater  
Management Fund  
26-0357  
26-0361  
32  
33  
Approved  
Consent to a partial assignment of lease from the Village of Crestwood, to the  
Village of Crestwood and ABS Properties, LLC as co-tenants, with respect to  
2.016 acres of the Village’s 7.61-acre leasehold located south of the Cal-Sag  
Channel and west of Cicero Avenue in Crestwood, Illinois; Cal-Sag Channel  
Parcel 11.04 (eastern portion). Consideration shall be an initial annual fee of  
$10.00  
Attachments: RE - Crestwood Partial Assignment of Lease Aerial.pdf  
Approved  
Authority to pay 2025 real estate taxes in the amount of $228,195.36 for the  
Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago’s real estate  
located in Fulton County, Illinois. Account 101-30000-667130  
26-0362  
34  
Approved  
Stormwater Management Committee  
Report  
Report on Stormwater Partnership Projects, Technical Assistance, and  
Voluntary Flood-Prone Property Acquisition Submittals  
26-0343  
35  
Attachments: 26.05.21 2026 SPP TA FPPA Map Exhibit Final.pdf  
26.05.21 TA List.pdf  
26.05.21 SPP List.pdf  
Published and Filed  
RESOLUTION sponsored by the Board of Commissioners recognizing May  
25th as Memorial Day  
26-0366  
36  
Adopted  
Approval of the Consent Agenda with the exception of Items: 2, 7, 15, and 18  
A motion was made by Patricia Theresa Flynn, seconded by Marcelino Garcia, 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, Beth McElroy Kirkwood, Eira L. Corral Sepúlveda, Sharon Waller,  
Kari K. Steele  
Miscellaneous and New Business  
Meeting Summary  
Speakers  
None  
Summary of Requests  
Procurement Item #7  
1. Sharon Waller requested the cost to administer the program in-house  
2. Precious Brady-Davis requested a cost benefit analysis  
3. Kari K. Steele requested a comparison of the District's average number of FMLA  
cases to other agencies  
Study Session  
None  
Announcements  
None  
Board Letter Submission Dates  
The next regular board meeting is scheduled for June 4, 2026, 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: May 22, 2026  
Date all agenda items are due to the Executive Director: 1:00 p.m., May 27, 2026  
Adjournment  
A motion was made by Yumeka Brown, seconded by Beth McElroy Kirkwood, that  
when the Board Adjourns, it adjourns to meet again on Thursday, June 4, 2026 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, Beth McElroy Kirkwood, Eira L. Corral Sepúlveda, Sharon Waller,  
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 May 21, 2026, are hereby approved.  
APPROVED:  
/s/ Kari K. Steele  
President Board of Commissioners of the  
Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago  
May 21, 2026