Accomplishments !

As a Commissioner, I have:

• Spearheaded the successful introduction and passage of a flood and storm water management bill which now gives the MWRDGC the responsibility of dealing with this problem throughout Cook County, Public Act 93-1049.
• Responsible for the MWRDGC being one of the few governmental agencies in the State of Illinois that is fiscally sound, and has a AAA bond rating.
• Strongly advocated and initiated measures to control District operating costs to the extent that we consistently maintain an overall tax levy under 5%.
• Initiated an open door policy to maintain an active dialogue with our taxpayers and elected officials.
• Developed a new approach to aggressively market District real estate for commercial, industrial, passive and recreational use. Since 1999, we have almost doubled the income generated by our leases.
• Negotiated a new lease with the Chicago Park District to save Thillens Stadium for the continued use by current and future little leaguers for Cook County.
• Successfully lobbied for the continued funding of the “Tunnel and Reservoir Plan”, aka “Deep Tunnel”, $120 million since 1997.
• MWRDGC has signed Project Cooperative Agreements (PCA) with the United States Army Corp of Engineers, to begin work on both the McCook and Thornton Reservoirs which are part of the Tunnel and Reservoir Plan.
• Introduced a pollution hotline number in 1989, (800)-332-DUMP, to handle complaints of illegal dumping into sewers and waterways.
• Facilitated the closure of a Landfill on Port Authority property at 103 rd and Doty Avenue, and converted this property into a 36 hole golf complex, known as Harborside Golf Course, with the use of our Bio-solids program.
• Negotiated a lease with the Village of Worth for our land at Harlem Avenue and 115 th Street, so Village could build the Water's Edge Golf Course.
• Issued a permit to the Pullman Little League Association, for the use of our land for their baseball program.
• MWRDGC has constructed 32 flood control reservoirs in the separate sewered areas of suburban Cook County.
• Approved the sale of 2.8 acres of MWRDGC property to the Board of Education for the purpose of construction of Northside Prep High School at Bryn Mawr and Kedzie Avenues.
• Approved the sale of 1.5 acres to the CTA Bus Transportation Center at Foster and Kedzie Avenues for needed improvements.
• Approved leases for North Park University in Chicago and Trinity Christian College in Palos Hills for the use of MWRDGC property for the purpose of athletic fields, as well as for use by the public in those areas of the county.

The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District’s Awards and Achievements Recognition as of January 2006.

Paid for and authorized by the Friends of Terrence J. O'Brien.
A copy of our report is (or will be) available from the Cook County Clerk
69 W Washington Street, Chicago, Il 60606. And the Illinois State Board of Elections,
Contributions are not tax-deductible.