But county officials said they would honor the wishes of the Burbank City Council, which on Tuesday expressed its frustration over being backed into a corner.
After finalizing the county contract, Union Rescue officials said they expect to be fully mobilized and ready to open the shelter Tuesday.
A proposed 35% increase to base water rates over the next three years to pay for infrastructure repairs and to replenish Glendale Water & Power’s dwindling cash reserves narrowly moved past the City Council on Tuesday night, but not before city management was chided for allowing the utility’s financial deterioration to go unchecked for so long.
The proposed rate increase — which will add $21.40 to the average bimonthly water bill for a single-family homeowner by 2010 — is the first time the utility has increased its water rates since 2002. That lack of rate hikes, Glendale Water & Power officials say, has caused a major cash hemorrhage as water rates remain flat despite rising service costs.
Without the rate increases, the city-owned utility expects its cash balance to be negative at the end of March, said Peter Kavounas, water systems administrator for the city.
Changes to the rate structure won’t take effect until the City Council votes to confirm the ordinance at its Tuesday meeting.
Police are looking for an Inglewood woman wanted for impersonating a hospital employee and swindling senior citizens at retirement facilities in Glendale and elsewhere.
Mary Susan Reese, 40, is a prime suspect in several burglaries, including one on Oct. 8 at the Glen-Park Retirement Facility, Glendale Police Officer John Balian said.
