Summary as Introduced
Amends the Water Commission Act of 1985. Provides that a commission may not receive more than $10,000 per year in compensation (currently a commission may not receive more than $10,000 per year in compensation except that no commissioner who is a member of the governing board or an officer or employee of the county or any unit of local government within the county may receive any compensation for serving as a commissioner). Allows a commission to use alternate project delivery methods, establish goals or requirements for the procurement of goods and services and for construction contracts, and accept assignment of municipal waterworks system contracts or other public improvement contracts. Gives commissions the authority to enter into design-build contracts and use a design-build delivery system. Includes definitions and requirements for the design-build delivery system. Amends the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that a water commission may construct water transmission and distribution lines within a radius of 50 miles (rather than 25 miles) outside the corporate limits of member municipalities for the purpose of furnishing water to any additional entities which contract with the commission for a supply of water.
Staff Analysis
House Bill 2891 proposes amendments to the Water Commission Act of 1985 and the Illinois Municipal Code, aiming to enhance the operational capabilities and governance of water commissions within the state.
Key Provisions of HB 2891:
Compensation for Commissioners
The bill would amend the law to allow a member of the governing board or an officer or employee of a county or unit of local government to receive no more than $10,000 per year in compensation. Under current law, these individuals are prohibited from receiving compensation.
Alternate Project Delivery Methods
HB 2891 authorizes water commissions to utilize alternative project delivery methods, including the design-build approach. In a design-build system, a single entity is responsible for both the design and construction phases of a project, aiming to streamline project completion and enhance efficiency. This contrasts with the traditional design-bid-build method, where design and construction services are contracted separately. By adopting design-build, water commissions may benefit from reduced project timelines and potential cost savings.
Procurement Goals
The bill empowers water commissions to establish specific goals or requirements for the procurement of goods and services, as well as for construction contracts. This provision enables commissions to set objectives that may include promoting economic development within their jurisdictions, supporting local businesses, or advancing social objectives such as increasing participation from minority, women-owned, and veteran-owned businesses. By setting these procurement goals, water commissions can tailor their contracting processes to align with broader community and economic development strategies.
Construction of Additional Water Delivery Infrastructure
The bill provides that a water commission may construct water transmission and distribution lines within a radius of 50 miles (rather than 25 miles) outside the corporate limits of member municipalities for the purpose of furnishing water to any additional entities that contract with the commission for a supply of water.
House Amendment 1 (Tabled)
House Amendment 1 proposes to change the law by providing that a county water commission shall provide a local unit of government an amount of Lake Michigan water up to the then-current Illinois Department of Natural Resources (was Illinois Department of Transportation) allocation for the unit of government.
House Amendment 2
House Amendment 2 proposes that a county water commission shall provide a local unit of government an amount of Lake Michigan water up to the then-current Illinois Department of Natural Resources (was the Illinois Department of Transportation) allocation for the unit of government.
The amendment also changes the introduced bill concerning commissioner compensation by reducing the proposed compensation in the introduced bill ($10,000) to $600 per year, which is current law. The amendment also restores a provision deleted by the introduced bill that prohibits a commissioner who is a member of the governing board of an officer or employee of such county or any unit of government from receiving any compensation for service as a commissioner. This change would also retain current law.