This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Politics & Government

DWP Ratepayer Advocate Approved

With the appointment made, the City Council will now take up a proposal to increase water rates.

The Los Angeles City Council today approved the appointment of an energy consultant to run the city's first Office of Public Accountability and to act a water and power ratepayer advocate.

The council unanimously approved Frederick Pickel, an energy consultant, after about 10 minutes of questions about how he plans to run the office, and also also signed off on his $236,758 annual salary.

Pickel was selected earlier this month by a citizens committee convened to appoint an executive director of the yet-to-be-created Office of Public Accountability.

Find out what's happening in Venice-Mar Vistawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Creation of the office and the position were overwhelmingly favored by voters in March. The office will be tasked with providing city officials with objective, non-political analyses of rate-raise proposals by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.

The City Council will debate a 3 percent proposed increase in water rates for the 2012-13 fiscal year. The utility says the increase is needed to pay for a federally mandated overhaul of the city's reservoirs, including covering open reservoirs or building replacements.

Find out what's happening in Venice-Mar Vistawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The City Council has declined to approve the rate hike until the so- called ratepayer advocate is appointed and provides his analysis.

Pickel said he read the rate proposal on Monday night, but has not yet formed an opinion of the proposal.

"I believe that the ratepayers of Los Angeles deserve someone within the Department of Water and Power whose sole responsibility is to provide the public independent, unbiased analysis of the Department of Water and Power's actions," City Councilwoman Jan Perry said.

Perry warned Pickel during a committee meeting last week that politicians would try to influence him. She urged Pickel to set up a formal process for documenting who comes and goes from his office.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?