Tuesday, September 8, 2015

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Board Meeting September 3, 2015



The MWRD Board meets twice monthly at 100 East Erie Street. 
President:                       Mariyana Spyropoulos
Vice President:               Barbara J. McGowan
Chairman of Finance:    Frank Avila
Commissioners:             Michael Alverez; Timothy Bradford; Cynthia Santos; Debra Shore; and Kari Steele.

The LWVCC is initiating an MWRD Observer Corp effective with this September 3 meeting to learn more about the effectiveness of the Board’s oversight of the District’s operations and employees.

The morning meeting was run efficiently and the public was made to feel very welcome.  Visitor George Blakemore spoke on several occasions.  Agenda’s were passed out to all interested visitors.  It appeared that the commissioners felt comfortable asking questions of each other and the staff and also commenting to the Executive Director, David St. Pierre who sat in the front of the room with the President and the Secretary to the Board.

Much of the meeting was dedicated to voting on contracts:  new, time extensions, cost increases or overruns.  There were several comments about the number of resolutions both at this meeting and others over the past several months that come before the Board asking for more money. LWVCC will monitor.

League Members Take Note:  the MWRD has purchased 56,000 rain barrels to be given free to interested residents in the metro Chicago area.  The cost:  $3.2 million and the contract ends September 2017.
 
I was surprised to learn of the reach of the MWRD’s operations. It is known for its sanitary and sewage disposal responsibility, but it is also a major property owner, a landlord to many industrial business operations, and a steward of the quite a bit of open space.  It is highly regarded as a role model for good environmental practices.  However, a recent article in the Sun Times noted that a tenant of the District spilled antifreeze on District property without reporting it. Since many of the District’s tenants manufacture or produce toxic by-products, LWVCC will monitor good stewardship issues over the next several months.

Because the District successfully participated in a mandatory test to curtail energy consumption [50.3 megawatts], it will receive quarterly payments in 2015 and 2016 of approximately $1.87 million from EnerNoc, Inc. Since 1997, the District has participated in various curtailment programs and has been compensated a cumulative savings of $8 million.

David St. Pierre asked the Board for authority to enter into an intergovernmental agreement with the Cook County Sheriff’s Office to expand their Prescription Drug Collection Program [keep drugs from getting in our waterways].

After the Board meeting, a study session was hosted by Commissioner Frank Avila to discuss the District’s practice of using glyphosate herbicides to control weeds. While the practice has been greatly reduced, Mr. Avila is advocating for the complete stoppage of synthetic herbicides and a switch to natural products, processes, and practices. He invited several speakers and there was an excellent discussion over the next hour. This observer does not know if the District uses Round Up which includes glyphosate. Round Up was specifically mentioned by one speaker as being very dangerous because the inert additives react with the glyphosate in a manner that boosts its toxicity.
 
This observer has much to learn about the MWRD board and its operations.  Attending the meeting was definitely worthwhile.

Submitted by Diane Edmundson

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