[remote or in person] Board of Commissioners

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago

Utilities

Thursday, March 7, 2024
10:30 a.m. — 12:30 p.m. CST

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100 East Erie Street Chicago, IL 60611 (Directions)

MWRD Headquarters, Board Room

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. You will be required to go through a metal detector and show government-issued photo ID.

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).

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Reporting

Edited and summarized by the Chicago - IL Documenters Team

Note-taking by Christopher Siegler

MWRD Board of Commissioners welcomes back the Shannon Rovers for the first time since before the pandemic

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Live reporting by Will Reynolds

MWRD Board of Commissioners welcomes back the Shannon Rovers for the first time since before the pandemic

Will Reynolds @willinois

Hello! I'm live tweeting today's Metropolitan Water Reclamation District board of commissioners meeting for @CHIdocumenters.
#CHIdocumenters

10:35 AM Mar 7, 2024 CST

Will Reynolds @willinois 2/16

@CHIdocumenters I'm watching remotely. There's currently a bagpipe band in the meeting room, but the video sound is off, thankfully.

Will Reynolds @willinois 3/16

President Kari Steele brings the meeting to order and they convene as a committee of the whole to discuss agenda items.

Will Reynolds @willinois 4/16

They recognize the bagpipe band, the Shannon Rovers, with a ceremonial resolution.
Another resolution recognizes the Irish-American immigrant tradition, including labor leaders John J. Fitzpatrick and Mother Jones.

shannonrovers.com

Will Reynolds @willinois 5/16

Mother Jones lived part of her life in Chicago and is buried at the Union Miner's cemetery in Virden, Illinois.

motherjonesmuseum.org/motherjonesmon…

Will Reynolds @willinois 6/16

Another resolution recognizes Kevin Byrne the Consul General of Ireland in Chicago.

ireland.ie/en/usa/chicago…

Will Reynolds @willinois 7/16

Kevin Byrne is invited to speak to the board and thanks them for the resolutions, including for labor leaders. He has celebrated St. Patrick's Day in 40 places. "Nowhere celebrates St. Patrick's Day like Chicago."

Will Reynolds @willinois 8/16

Personal note. I've had visitors from Ireland tell me no place else celebrates St Patrick's Day like Chicago, but it wasn't a compliment.

Will Reynolds @willinois 9/16

Notoriously Polish commissioner Daniel Pogorzelski speaks about the tradition of Irish-American labor leaders, particularly John Fitzpatrick and Mother Jones.

chicagolabor.org/about/history/

Will Reynolds @willinois 10/16

Two more commissioners join in recognizing the Irish immigrant tradition in Chicago. There's a short recess for photos.

Will Reynolds @willinois 11/16

MWRD is recognized by the Government Finance Officers Association with an Excellence in Financial Reporting award. They play a congratulatory video from the association president.

Will Reynolds @willinois 12/16

A resolution authorizes partnership with Chicago schools for the Space to Grow program that creates green infrastructure projects. Commissioner Brady-Davis praises the program's benefits to Chicago students.

spacetogrowchicago.org

Will Reynolds @willinois 13/16

MWRD board of commissioners concludes their meeting of the whole, and comes back for the regular board meeting after a short recess.

Will Reynolds @willinois 14/16

The clerk reads items into the agenda and the consent agenda is passed.
Under new business, Commissioner Flynn talks about participating in the St Patrick's Day parades.

Will Reynolds @willinois 15/16

Commissioner Corral Sepúlveda plugs upcoming events, including a water quality roundtable. Sound is poor and I have trouble getting the details.
Commissioner Davis is doing a panel discussion on PFAS.

Will Reynolds @willinois 16/16

There are no public comments.
The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District board of commissioners adjourns.
This concludes my live tweeting for #ChiDocumenters.

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Attachments

Video

By India Daniels 3/7/2024

Meeting details

By India Daniels 3/7/2024

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.