PERSPECTIVE-An excerpt from the DWP press release dated May 5th, containing DWP General Manager Marcie Edwards (photo) purported apology:
“And finally, it’s important that I share something with you. The Trustees were advised that their review of the draft audit needed to be completed within three days, and that a response letter was required within that time frame. Since a detailed review and response was not possible in three days, the Trustees responded with a brief letter, stating in part that they needed more time to review, among other comments.
“With respect to those other comments, I regret allowing my own frustrations with the audit process overall to lead me to agree to some characterizations which were not appropriate. For that, I sincerely apologize to the Mayor, the Controller and this Board.”
What a bunch of weasel words.
What a bunch of lies.
Let’s start with “some characterizations which were not appropriate.”
Given the seriousness of the findings, the blatant disregard for transparency, and the recklessness with which “business” was conducted, merited something much stronger than “not appropriate” – how about, “I was completely wrong.”
Edwards’ also felt that a response was not possible in three days.
I consumed the contents of the report in about an hour. It was very clear to me, without being a party to the audit, that a detailed response would take some thought and time. An acceptable statement would have acknowledged the significance of the deficiencies and included a commitment to categorically address them, which would take a while longer (with a target date) given the nature and extent of the findings.
Instead, Edwards tag-teamed with D’Arcy to produce a smokescreen filled with bluster. Where was the Air Resources Board? Surely, there must have been a violation.
Are we to believe frustrations with the audit process were behind Edwards’ excuse for the response dismissing Galperin’s report as “innuendo?”
Who was being frustrated?
How about the ratepayers and the residents.
Who caused the frustration?
Wasn’t it D’Arcy?
If not a liar, Edwards is dense. I cannot believe she could have risen to her current position if the latter were true. No one does a 180 in a few short days willingly.
Edwards showed her true colors when she co-authored the letter with D’Arcy. She may as well have changed her legal name to Marcie D’Arcy (no disrespect to the popular character from Married with Children).
She added another layer of indifference and disrespect for the ratepayers when she suggested the two trusts simply be consolidated. Why not challenge the existence of the trusts? Even the CAO report found that the benefits of the safety programs could not be substantiated.
Whether consolidated or not, the trusts will still draw $4-million of our money annually, will still be managed by the same overpaid goons and overseen by trustees with no concept of oversight.
The trusts were created through labor negotiations. Mayor Garcetti, Marcie Edwards and the City Council use that as an excuse to surrender to D’Arcy.
But just as we can and should insist upon good performance by the IBEW Local 18 members in the execution of their work, the same standards need to apply to the trusts, too. That has not been the case with the trusts and, absent the removal of those responsible, measurable change is highly unlikely.
(Paul Hatfield is a CPA and serves as President of the Valley Village Homeowners Association. Heblogs at Village to Village and contributes to CityWatch.The views presented are those of Mr. Hatfield and his alone. They should not be construed to represent the opinions of the VVHA or the residents of Valley Village, individually or as a group. He can be reached at: [email protected]. )
–cw
CityWatch
Vol 13 Issue 38
Pub: May 8, 2015
