Special Meeting to adopt 2023 budget [remote or in person]

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago

Utilities

Thursday, Dec. 8, 2022
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 Anna Mason

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District, special budget meeting, 2023 budget passes

View notes

Live reporting by Will Reynolds

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District, special budget meeting, 2023 budget passes

Will Reynolds @willinois

Good morning! I'm life tweeting the special budget meeting of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago for @CHIdocumenters #CHIdocumenters.

10:26 AM Dec 8, 2022 CST

Will Reynolds @willinois 2/9

@CHIdocumenters It's scheduled for 10:30am. I'm watching remotely. Meeting video and agenda can be found here: mwrd.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx

Will Reynolds @willinois 3/9

After the opening ceremonies, the budget meeting starts with a presentation by Executive Director Brian Perkovich.

Will Reynolds @willinois 4/9

Perkovich gives a short summary.
The budget is guided by the MWRD strategic plan.
The capital budget is up 8%.
Perkovich and board President Kari Steele both thank staff for their work on the budget.

Will Reynolds @willinois 5/9

Commissioner Mariyana Spyropoulos says MWRD has a balanced budget and AAA bond rating thanks to the work of staff.

Will Reynolds @willinois 6/9

Commissioner Marcelino Garcia says "the budget has a lot of equity ideas inside" but would like to create more partnerships in the community.

Will Reynolds @willinois 7/9

Commissioner Eira Corral Sepúlveda asks if a previously discussed leave policy is included in the budget. Perkovich says it would be reflected in the fiscal year 2024 budget.

She's looking forward to new programs related to the affirmative action ordinance they're working on.

Will Reynolds @willinois 8/9

They close discussion and approve all budget resolutions unanimously by roll call vote.

Will Reynolds @willinois 9/9

President Steele moves to adjourn the budget meeting. This feels anticlimactic.
MWRD doesn't have many heated debates. Their work is usually less controversial. They also do working groups outside of board meetings.
This concludes my live tweeting for #CHIdocumenters.

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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.