By Julie BUTCHER

This week’s meeting of the Glendale City Council started with an informational report from a Metro (transit agency) expert on the electrification of buses as the city plans for an electric bus pilot for its Beeline buses.

Marc Manning, senior director of vehicle engineering and acquisition, added that he also oversees Metro’s zero emission bus strategy, having previously worked to test electric buses in Chicago and before that did diesel engine research at a prominent bus manufacturer. He explained the process being used by Metro to move to electric buses, emphasizing that it is slow and costly, dependent on the details of specific transit needs. Urging a “small, measured approach,” Manning said it will take three to five years, perhaps less given the involvement of Glendale Water and Power (GWP) as the source of power for the buses. Five bus companies are “buy American” certified; buses are “kind of available” now, he informed the Council.

Councilmember Paula Devine asked how Foothill Transit has been able to go 100% electric.

“There’s only one transit district that has gone entirely electric. It’s in South Carolina and they’ve got five buses. Foothill has electrified one line; I believe it’s 14 buses. Antelope Valley is close to 100%. Foothill is on the same timeline as [Metro] – 2030,” Manning said.

Each electric bus will cost more initially, approximately $1 million per bus versus an estimated cost of $700K per compressed natural gas bus currently being purchased; chargers and charger installation adds another $200,000-$250,000 to the cost of each bus, depending on many factors, including the site of the bus line, the need for trenching, the expected range of the route, the number and weight of passengers.

Some electric bus lines utilize in-route charging technology.

Mayor Ara Najarian asked about the buses the city is currently purchasing and the environmental friendliness of their Cummins L9N engines. Manning replied that they are “the lowest emission [buses] you can buy. The NOx is 90% below prior certification levels. There is no better alternative.”

Next, the Council reviewed a contract to expand the software and license services agreement with OSIsoft to an enterprise program agreement for GWP’s process information historian system software for an additional five years for a total not to exceed $2,236,000.

Councilmember Vrej Agajanian questioned the perceived fairness of the bidding process.

“You mention that this company is excellent to work with; they started with a $147,000 contract in 2011 and then another for $140,000 in 2018 to perform whatever they were doing. All of a sudden, we’re here with a $2 million contract. I worry that different companies come with an offer, a lower bid, and nobody else can compete. They’re already in that city. That bothers me.”

“I understand, Mr. Agajanian, but that’s not this,” GWP general manager Steve Zurn responded to the councilmember’s concerns. Zurn explained that the two previous contracts had been pilot programs and that the company had been effectively tested for the past 10 years and that it would cost five to 10 times more if the utility had to purchase new technological systems.

“One of the beauties of this firm is that they came in, put all of our systems together, consolidated what we had, rather than having to buy all new,” Zurn told the Council.

The contract was approved by a unanimous vote.

Mayor Najarian interrupted the normal course of Council business to follow up on a recent news story. Inviting Glendale Fire Chief Silvio Lanzas to add detail, Najarian reported on new thermal-imaging cameras recently issued to the city’s firefighters. During a recent house fire, two firefighters fell through the roof and into the home’s basement but were able to be rescued quicker with the help of the devices.

“These cameras are bringing this technology to each of our firefighters and it will undoubtedly save lives,” Chief Lanzas said.

Speaking during the section of the Council agenda set aside for public comment and the announcing of community events, Christopher Najarian invited the Council and public to an upcoming book signing for the new book by his grandmother Mary Najarian. The signing for “Maro” will be on Sunday, Feb. 9 at 3 p.m. at the Armenian Society of Los Angeles, 117 S. Louise St. The book tells the tragic and joyful life story of the author, born in the 1930s in Aleppo, Syria, to immigrants of the Armenian Genocide.

The author, Mary Najarian, is the mayor’s mother.

Planning official Bradley Calvert briefed the Council on two upcoming planning projects: one called the West Glendale Sustainable Transportation and Land Use Study and a larger review and updating of the land use, circulation and housing elements of the city’s general plan, the development of a citywide transportation impact fee, and compliance with state regulations.

The first study covers a smaller area and is intended to provide foundation for an East-West Community Plan. Calvert explained the investigation would include improvements for pedestrian and bicyclist safety and seek input on proposed rapid bus routes as well as the second phase of the anticipated downtown streetcar.

Calvert overviewed a “robust” outreach plan to engage public input and feedback through workshops, community meetings and a focused website. He added that updating the housing portions of the city’s plans might help maintain some amount of local control in response to legislation contemplated in Sacramento.

Finally, the Council revisited and denied an appeal regarding the installation of a small cell (4G) facility at 283 Maryland Place after an attorney representing AT&T reported that the company had considered the alternate location suggested but that due to concerns about compliance with the American with Disabilities Act and the repaving of the street that would be necessitated by moving the new street light (and cell “tower” on top of it) across the street, they would not agree to the change in location.

The appeal was denied when the Council voted to allow the installation as initially proposed.

  Julie BUTCHER