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Council extends temporary Water and Power general manager through year-end; members press for security and plant-sale details
Summary
The City Council approved a resolution extending David Wiggs's interim appointment as general manager of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power through the end of the year and pressed department leaders for updates on plant‑sale negotiations and system security.
The Los Angeles City Council voted to extend the temporary appointment of David Wiggs as general manager of the Department of Water and Power (DWP) through the end of the calendar year, a move council members and staff said was intended to preserve operational continuity while the mayor’s search for a permanent manager proceeds.
The motion to extend Wiggs’s interim contract won council approval; the roll call recorded 11 ayes. Council members and staff emphasized that extension is a stopgap while the DWP board and mayor continue a formal search and while the commission completes a separate review of longer-term management options.
Council members used the discussion to press Wiggs and department staff on two recurring issues: operational security and the department’s recent negotiations over ownership of the Mohave Generating Station. Councilmember Ruth Galanter said the committee unanimously supported an extension, but she added that members had asked for a status report on the permanent-search process and whether Wiggs intended to be an applicant. Wiggs said he started in the interim capacity on May 1 and that he does intend to be a candidate for the permanent job.
In response to questions from Councilmember Nate Holden and others, Wiggs confirmed the DWP commission voted last week to approve a settlement proposal with Salt River Project that would change the department’s Mohave ownership stake and that the department planned to present details of that proposal to the council within 30 days. Wiggs described the settlement as a plan under which the department would retain a portion of its interest and arrange a disposition of another portion with Salt River Project; he said staff would return to the council with a formal recommendation.
Councilmember Jack Weiss told Wiggs the council expects the department to revisit emergency response and security planning in light of recent events. Witgss and staff agreed to work with the council on security and emergency-response updates.
The extension was forwarded to the mayor forthwith as the council’s action to maintain continuity at a department responsible for both water and power delivery across the city. The extension was recorded as 11 ayes on the council floor.
