Genise Johnson

The Board of Commissioners conducted a meeting covering several key items, including a public participation period with comments on housing, immigration, property taxes, landlord tenant ordinances, and employment practices. The administrative operations committee provided reports on task orders for environmental renovation and surveying services, as well as an update on design-build services for the Bronzeville Regional Senior Center. Additionally, the Board ratified a change order for the Kenwood Academy Link and Mechanical Project, reviewed executive reports on project outreach, and approved the appointment of a design-build team for the Bronzeville Regional Senior Center project.

The meeting included a project update for the CCC School of Nursing at Kennedy-King College and a pre-submission conference regarding Design Build Services for DWM. The commissioners also recognized a Black History Month celebration, engaged with the African American Contractor's Association, received a presentation on BOWA / FGM Architect student career outreach, and held a National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) public meeting.

The meeting covered several key operational and project management items. Key discussions involved the approval of monthly task orders awarded against term contracts, totaling three new orders for environmental demolition, and material testing services at various locations, including the City Colleges of Chicago School of Nursing, Kinwood Academy, and Forest Preserve District facilities. There was also discussion regarding the assignment of an existing contract with Synap Networks Inc. for server migration and maintenance services, which required board approval due to a change in company ownership (Synapse Networks Inc. to Synapse Tech LLC). The Executive Director provided reports on field order activity, specifically addressing revisions to soil material disposal for the WPA reconstruction project on West 106th Street and rehabilitation of restroom facilities in the Forest Preserve District. Change order activity included approvals for the Kenwood Academy and Mechanical Project related to signage and sewer connections, and credits for unused contingencies on the Dewey Elementary School annex project. Several WPA projects and alley projects with the CDOT were reviewed for reconciliation and closeout. Additionally, regular updates were provided regarding recent activities, including a project update meeting with 16 Ward Aldermen concerning the Kennedy King nursing program, a presubmission conference for Department of Water design-build services, and celebrations for Black History Month.

The meeting began with a roll call confirming a quorum, followed by the public comment period, which focused on resident concerns regarding housing affordability, property tax increases, and alleged mismanagement. Key discussion points for the commission included the approval of three task order awards for environmental renovation, demolition, and specialty consulting services. The committee also reviewed the recommendation of a firm for design-build services for the Department of Family and Support Services Brownsville Regional Senior Center. Further discussion involved the ratification of a change order amounting to $188,212.90 for the Kenwood Academy link and mechanical project. Finally, the board considered the recommendation to appoint Berlin Builders Incorporated, partnered with Future Firm PLLC, for the design-build services for the DFSS Brownsville Regional Senior Center, noting the team's commitment to MBE/WBE goals.

The Administrative Operations Committee meeting featured several operational reports provided by the Chief of Staff and the Chief Development Officer. The Chief of Staff provided an overview of task orders awarded to specialty consultants between March and August 2020, summarizing geotechnical, material testing, environmental, and surveyor task orders. This segment also included updates on task orders awarded under AOR/EOR contracts for various library and school projects, such as Legler Regional Library and Decatur Classical Elementary School. The Chief Development Officer presented the Field Order Activity Report for March through August 2020, noting 79 total field orders across 19 projects, mostly related to the school program. The report detailed completion status for several school projects, including Corliss, Decatur, Kenwood, and Palmer Elementary Schools. Additionally, the committee reviewed several program-wide amendments, primarily extensions for various specialty consultant pools (environmental services, geotechnical, surveyor, traffic study, material testing) and design architect services, noting these extensions were time-based due to the pandemic and did not carry immediate dollar amounts. Updates were also given on contract extensions for photo documentation services and insurance brokerage services.