News reports that DWP General Manager Marcie Edwards was retiring told only part of the story, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power watchdog Jack Humphreville told the Buzz this week.
According to Humphreville, who serves as the Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council’s liaison to the DWP, General Manager Marcie Edwards had told Mayor Eric Garcetti she wanted to retire months ago, but no decision about her replacement had been made until Los Angles Times reporter David Zahniser broke the story on July 29.
According to Humphreville, in his LA Watchdog column in the CityWatch blog:
As a result of Zahniser’s article, Mayor Garcetti reacted by announcing on Monday afternoon that Edwards will retire on August 16 and that David Wright, the Department’s Chief Operating Officer and Edwards’ choice as her successor, will be appointed as DWP’s Interim General Manager.
Humphreville is optimistic that her successor, David Wright, at least for the interim, will continue along the same path as Edwards, who brought Wright into the organization a year ago to help her restore confidence and transparency in the DWP.
“David Wright is a decent guy,” said Humphreville, “he has good organizational skills.” He said he hopes that Mayor Garcetti will appoint Wright, rather then “bring in a political hack.”
Edwards got high praise from critics like Humphreville for her efforts to bring more transparency to the DWP and to serve the rate-payers despite what he calls the “dysfunction” of City Hall.
