Budget Message / Highlights - Metropolitan Water Reclamation ...

METROPOLITAN WATER RECLAMATION DISTRICT OF GREATER CHICAGO
2009 BUDGET
Budget Message / Highlights
Major Issues, Policy, and Program Changes
Legislative Changes
During the 2008 Spring Session of the Illinois General Assembly, legislation was passed and signed by the Governor that
impacts the District. A summary of this legislation and its implications for the District is as follows:
Public Act 95-825 and Public Act 95-716 These acts amend the MWRD Act to enlarge the corporate limits of the MWRD by
annexing various parcels of land in Hoffman Estates into the District’s service area.
Public Act 95-891 This act amends the MWRD Act to allow the Board of Commissioners to transfer interest earned on any
moneys to the MWRD Retirement Fund, as well as to the funds that are in most need of the money.
Public Act 95-923 This act provides several amendments to the MWRD Act as follows:
• Provides that charges for removal or discharge of a civil service employee of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District
must be filed with the civil service board within 30 days from the date of suspension. Provides that those charges shall be
promptly investigated by the civil service board (now, the civil service board must conduct an investigation within 30 days
from the date of suspension). Provides that the employee's suspension shall be extended until the civil service board enters
a finding unless the board approves an agreement to terminate the suspension at an earlier date. Provides that a hearing
take place within 120 days from the date the charges were filed. Provides that either the District or the employee may file a
petition for rehearing within 21 days after the finding and decision are served.
• Amends the MWRD article of the Illinois Pension code by adding an appointed retiree member and one additional elected
employee member to the Board of Trustees. The terms for successors to the employee members is increased from 3 years
to 4 years, and for appointees from 2 years to 3 years.
• Changes the titles of certain MWRD managers and departments effective January 1, 2009.
• Amends the MWRD Act to enlarge the corporate limits of the MWRD by annexing parcels of land in Matteson and
Olympia Fields into the District’s service area.
Outstanding Legislative Initiatives
Federal Funding of McCook and Thornton Reservoirs continues to be pursued through the Energy and Water Development
Appropriation. The fiscal year 2009 Water Development Appropriation bills in the House and Senate contain provisions for $30.0
million and $34.0 million, respectively. It appears that Congress may need to approve a Continuing Resolution (CR) to provide
funding for government programs at either the House approved or Senate approved levels for fiscal year 2009 or the fiscal year
2008 enacted level, whichever is less through March 6, 2009. Different scenarios are under development for funding through
November, January, and February due to the uncertainty of when Congress will finalize the fiscal year 2009 appropriations
process.
Long-Term Facilities Planning
In recognition of future population growth, aging infrastructure, and potentially more restrictive effluent discharge limitations,
the District completed the development of Infrastructure and Process Needs Feasibility Studies for the District’s three largest
water reclamation plants, Stickney, Calumet, and North Side. These studies identified the major capital improvements needed
at each plant to continue to provide exceptional quality effluent into the year 2040. The goal is to reduce overall maintenance
costs, operations costs, and energy consumption. The final product of the studies will be a Master Plan to establish, prioritize,
and budget the construction contracts needed for each plant over the next three decades. Projects identified through the Master
Plans are included in the Capital Improvements Bond Fund project lists.
During 2007, the District entered into a $20,000,000 agreement for design services to replace the existing Imhoff tanks at the
Stickney Water Reclamation Plant with new Preliminary Settling Tanks. Upon completion of design, each of the three planned
batteries will require approximately three years to construct. New clarifiers will be constructed within the structure of the
existing Imhoff tanks, thereby saving the cost on new tank foundations, and some major influent and effluent flow distribution
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