Board of Commissioners [in person or remote]

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago

Utilities

Thursday, Feb. 16, 2023
10:30 a.m. — 12:30 p.m. CST

100 East Erie Street Chicago, IL 60611 (Directions)

You have the option to document this meeting in person or remotely, via live stream.

If you attend the meeting in person, an additional hour will be added to your pay for this assignment. Take a photo to let us know you were there. You will be required to go through a metal detector and show government-issued photo ID. More details on attending public meetings of the MWRDGC Board of Commissioners can be found here, starting on pp. 13.

If you choose to document this meeting remotely, visit/refresh https://mwrd.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx at the scheduled meeting time. A link labeled “In Progress” will appear under the Video column for the corresponding meeting (though it may not be until at or a little after the scheduled start time).

Check the source website for additional information

Reporting

Edited and summarized by the Chicago - IL Documenters Team

Note-taking by Makala Bach

Honoring Shermann "Dilla" Thomas, PFAS policies

View notes

Live reporting by Will Reynolds

Honoring Shermann "Dilla" Thomas, PFAS policies

Will Reynolds @willinois

Good morning! I'm live tweeting today's Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago Board of Commissioners meeting, scheduled at 10:30, for @CHIdocumenters #CHIDocumenters

10:30 AM Feb 16, 2023 CST

Will Reynolds @willinois 2/16

@CHIdocumenters I'm watching remotely. Meeting agenda and video can be found here: mwrd.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx

Will Reynolds @willinois 3/16

They have a moment of silence for a deceased district employee. There's also a resolution for a different employee who passed, Laurence Msall.

Will Reynolds @willinois 4/16

Two commissioners speak about a resolution recognizing National Engineers Week and honoring the Society of Women Engineers.

Will Reynolds @willinois 5/16

Discussing agenda item 8, for a 14 year lease in Lemont, IL. Commissioners are deferring a vote to get more information.

Will Reynolds @willinois 6/16

Commissioner Flynn asks for all commissioners to get the full text of proposed legislation being submitted to the IL General Assembly concerning Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Policy (pfas). Commissioner Davis is pushing the bill and talks about trying to do it faster.

Will Reynolds @willinois 7/16

Commissioners talk more about the timeline for legislation but aren't discussing what they're trying to do. Background on PFAS: earthjustice.org/features/break…

Will Reynolds @willinois 8/16

The clerk reads a resolution recognizing February as Black History Month and honoring Shermann Thomas, aka the Chicago urban historian. @6figga_dilla

Will Reynolds @willinois 9/16

@6figga_dilla Commissioner Du Buclet describes the impact of Shermann Thomas' videos about Chicago history. President Steele thanks him. They take a 5 minute break for a photo with Thomas, who's there to accept the recognition.

Will Reynolds @willinois 10/16

@6figga_dilla Black History Month began in Chicago. Here's a tiktok about it from Thomas himself:
twitter.com/6figga_dilla/s…

Will Reynolds @willinois 11/16

The Water Reclamation District Board finishes meeting as a committee of the whole and the clerk reads items into the agenda. Items 1-28 are put on the consent agenda and passed as a group.

Will Reynolds @willinois 12/16

President Steele promotes a program tonight on environmental justice for Black History month. It will happen hail or shine.
mwrd.org/black-history-…

Will Reynolds @willinois 13/16

New commissioner Daniel Pogorzelski says it's Fat Thursday in Poland. There's pączki in his office. Guess I should have gone in person.

Will Reynolds @willinois 14/16

Commissioner Spyropoulos promotes an upcoming seed swap.
twitter.com/m_spyropoulos/…

Will Reynolds @willinois 15/16

Commissioner Yumeka Brown speaks about black history month.

Commissioner Du Buclet recognizes national heart health month and promotes the two Black History Month events.

Will Reynolds @willinois 16/16

Commissioners Garcia and Davis talk about updates to an online dashboard. Steele says they'll have to consider what they're willing to make public.

There are no public comments. The Water Reclamation District Board adjourns. This concludes my live tweeting for #CHIDocumenters

View thread

Agency Information

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago

mwrd.org

(312) 751-6633

public.affairs@mwrd.org

@MWRDGC

See Documenters reporting

Created in 1889 as the Sanitary District of Chicago, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) today is a special-purpose district responsible for treating wastewater and providing stormwater management for residents and businesses in its service area, which encompasses 882.1 square miles and includes Chicago and 128 suburban communities throughout Cook County.

The MWRD serves approximately 10.35 million people each day, including 5.25 million residents of Chicago and 128 suburban communities. To learn more about the agency’s management structure and departments, click here.