Council approves Rockhaven well
The City Council Tuesday approved drilling an exploratory well at the northwest corner of the Rockhaven property in the 2700 block of Honolulu Avenue. Testing has indicated the water flow from the well could be significant in meeting city needs. At 9.5 gallons per minute, the well could produce more than a thousand acre feet in a year provided the water meets all applicable standards. The elevation of the property will also reduce pumping costs.
Estimated cost would be about $700,000.

Mystery writer saluted by city
For the first time in the four-year history of the program a Glendale author will be saluted in the One Book, One Glendale program.
The One Book program is designed to have each city select a book to be read and discussed by residents.
This year, the book selected is an anthology of mystery stories, Los Angeles Noir, edited by Denise Hamilton. A Fullbright Scholar, Hamilton, author of the Eve Diamond series, is a former journalist who covered Glendale and the San Gabriel Valley. She resides in Glendale with her husband and two children.
Los Angeles Noir, part of a city-themed series, features 17 stories by well-known authors such as Michael Connelly and Janet Fitch, as well as a first piece of published fiction by LA culture guru Patt Morrison. Hamilton has a story in the collection. Reading groups will be formed, with the program culminating in an appearance by the author on Oct. 27.
Also part of the citywide effort will be Amulet, a graphic novel for young people written by Alhambra author Kazu Kibuishi.

GWP concerned about service failures
Service failures could result if the city does not approve a 3.8% water rate increase for the coming year. That was the warning to the Glendale Water and Power commission by utility staff during a Monday meeting. GWP is campaigning hard for the rate hike, which staff says is needed because of income reductions resulting from mandatory rationing.
The department presented its case at a recent city council study session receiving a less than enthusiastic response from city leaders. Elected officials and residents raised questions about the rate hikes even though water usage had been reduced through rationing.
Assistant general manager Peter Kavounas told the commission that the utility would be close to broke without the increase and would sharply reduce capital improvements and operating expenses. He could not guarantee that system failures would not occur.
Kavounas said that even with the rate hike, the average customer would see reduced costs over rates in place before rationing.
The utility is proposing to hire a consulting firm to help design a new rate structure that would reward customers for reducing their water use. Kavounas said the new rate structure could be in place by July 1, 2011.
GWP is also exploring saving costs on capital borrowing by using city reserves, rather than go to the open market. The city is looking to borrow up to $50 million to upgrade and repair aging resources.
By Charles Cooper

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