Krekorian Calls for DWP Oversight, Neighborhood Council Reform Package

The Los Angeles City Council took the first step today toward creating the voter-approved Office of Public Accountability, which is intended to provide oversight of the Department of Water and Power.

The move comes a day after the DWP announced it would seek rate hikes for the next three years that would increase ratepayers' bills by about 15 percent over that period, or an additional $2.24 on the average monthly water bill and about $4.04 on the average monthly power bill.

"As far as I'm concerned, we really need to expedite the process of creating the Office of Public Accountability precisely because the department is going to be coming forward with a rate proposal,'' Councilman Paul Krekorian
said. "The timing is not entirely by coincidence."

Krekorian alsp introduced a neighborhood council reform package (see below).

Voters on March 8 approved a charter amendment to set aside 0.25 percent of the DWP's budget in order to create an independent DWP watchdog office.

The council put the measure on the ballot after a bitter fight with the DWP over rate hikes last year.

The council today directed the city attorney to create the legal groundwork for the creation of a five-member citizens committee that will be charged with selecting the executive director of the new Office of Public Accountability.

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Council President Eric Garcetti will each appoint two members and Energy and Environment Committee Chair Jan Perry will choose one.

The appointees must all be DWP ratepayers, and one of Villaraigosa's appointees to the committee will have to be a Neighborhood Council board member.

Voters in March also approved the creation of a ratepayer advocate, who would ostensibly be an official voice for customers during discussions about water and electricity rates.

The city attorney's office has said the new executive director of the Office of Public Accountability and the ratepayer advocate cannot be the same person. That led to concern by some council members on the Energy and Environment Committee that the ratepayer advocate might not have the power and independence voters intended the position to have.

"That's just wrong," Krekorian said. "What the titles are, are completely irrelevant to me. What matters to me is that this office will have independent powers to be able to assess the actions of the DWP and provide independent analysis of the economics and finances of rate proposals."

In the wake of the DWP's announcement that it wants the first round of rate hikes in effect by November -- the department plans to begin holding a series of public meetings about the rate hikes beginning tonight -- council members Jan Perry and Krekorian introduced a motion today calling for the utility to immediately report to the council about its proposed water and power rate plan.

Krekorian Introduces Neighborhood Council Reform Package

Krekorian also presented four motions Wednesday which he said are aimed at improving the functions of neighborhood councils. The four motions can be seen here.

“After ten years of development, the neighborhood council movement is at a crossroads,” said Krekorian in a press release. “Initially, the focus of neighborhood councils was simply to create a system that empowered communities. What followed was an astonishing and inspiring movement in which 93 neighborhood councils sprouted in nearly every corner of Los Angeles, built by dedicated residents who simply wanted a voice in City Hall and wanted more for their neighborhoods.

"I introduced this package of reforms to help chart the course, but not drive the bus.  These reforms are by no means limited to my personal vision but are rather the product of tremendous collaboration and will be a starting point in our ongoing conversation to help shape local democracy.”

According to a press release issues by Krekorian, the four motions deal with (I) improved training for neighborhood council board members, (II) reforms in the neighborhood council funding program, (III) a restructuring of managerial responsibilities from the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment to regional collaborations of neighborhood councils, and (IV) a streamlined process to handle grievances of neighborhood councils and its members to maintain the integrity of the system.  

The City News Service contributed to this report.