Glendale City Council Meeting Wrap-Up

24-hour city access line

The City Council on Tuesday authorized the creation of a 24-hour city access telephone number through which residents could report issues.

Under the proposed plan, calls to the line made during city hours would be routed to the appropriate department, while calls made outside of normal operating hours would be routed to the public works maintenance yard or Glendale Water & Power’s call center for dispatch and response.

City officials said the line would provide residents with one easy way to report all city-related issues.

WHAT IT MEANS

There are no additional costs associated with the hotline, though increased after-hours calls to service could result in more overtime costs, according to a city report.

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Glendale Water & Power contracts

The council approved two contracts for a total of $3.6 million with the Southern California Public Power Authority for two pilot programs related to the city’s installation of more than 100,000 “smart” meters.

One program would help Glendale Water & Power create pricing models based on when customers use their electricity, while the second program would add to the utility’s customer support services.

WHAT IT MEANS

The contracts are funded through the $20-million federal grant the city received to support its smart grid program.

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Google 4 Glendale

The council ratified the city’s bid to be chosen as a test site for Google’s experimental high-speed Internet system.

Under the company’s Google Fiber for Communities pilot program, one or more cities will serve as test locations for the company’s super high-speed fiber optic network. The high-speed Internet service will be available to all residents and businesses at a competitive price, officials said.

Glendale last week launched a website, www.google4 glendale.com, joining cities across the country in competing for the opportunity.

WHAT IT MEANS

All interested agencies must submit their response by March 26, Google officials said. At that point, the company will review the applications, meet with local officials and conduct site visits before making their selection sometime this year.