Politics & Government
City Taking Close Look at Edison Contract
The Public Works Commission wants to be sure the city is receiving its fair share of revenue in the agreement, which dates to 1943.
At Thursday's Public Works Commission meeting, the panel asked City Manager Jeff Kolin to investigate the city's utility contract with Southern California Edison, which dates to 1943, to ensure that Beverly Hills is receiving its fair share of revenue from the company.
Beverly Hills received $937,124 from Edison in the fiscal year ended June 30 as part of the franchise agreement. A franchise agreement allows a utility company use of the public right-of-way—city property held in the public's interest—to accommodate utility facilities.
"If Edison doesn't want to renegotiate the contract, they don't have to?" questioned Commissioner Peter Foldvary, who said that he was skeptical of Edison's alternative—a city-run utility.
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"That's right," Kolin responded.
Kolin said that the City Council has taken no official action to establish a city-owned utility. He also cautioned that such a project would be a costly endeavor for Beverly Hills.
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Nonetheless, Commissioner Farshid Joe Shooshani didn't rule out the possibility of such a project in the future.
"Our purpose is to make the best decision for our city and residents," Shooshani said. "It's something we should look at. This is just the beginning. We have a long way to go before any decision is made."
