Big Bear Lake City Council votes 3-2 to find way to control DWP without changing city charter

A divided Big Bear Lake City Council voted 3-2 on September 9, 2026, to direct staff to identify a way to bring the Department of Water and Power under City Council control — without going through the charter amendment process the city attorney said is legally required to do so. The split vote sets up a potential governance conflict between the council majority and the independently chartered DWP Board, with direct implications for how Big Bear Valley residents' water utility is overseen.

The push began at the August 12, 2026 City Council meeting, when Council Member Hicks asked that the next agenda include a staff briefing on what it would take to dissolve the DWP Board and transfer its responsibilities to the council. Council Member Melnick seconded the motion^[1].

The City Attorney responded with a staff report, presented at the September 9 meeting, concluding that dissolving the DWP Board would require amending the city charter — and that the earliest such an amendment could reach voters is March 7, 2028^[1].

Rather than accept that timeline, Council Members Hicks and Melnick made a follow-up motion directing city staff to look for differences between DWP and city operations, determine the council's responsibilities, and "find a way to control the DWP without a charter amendment." The motion passed with affirmative votes from Hicks, Segovia, and Melnick; Council Member Herrick and Mayor Putz voted no^[1].

Council Member Hicks argued during the meeting that council members hold "ultimate fiduciary responsibility to what goes on in the Department of Water." DWP staff, in a report prepared by General Manager Reggie Lamson, called that assertion "inconsistent with the City Charter, Sections 808, 809, 815, 816, and 817"^[1].

Lamson's report pushed back on the premise of the council's inquiry more broadly. "DWP staff do not see an available reason for these discussions by City Council," the report states. "We do not see a problem that needs to be addressed or corrected. The DWP is not considering significant rate increases, has not incurred significant legal claims, has not had any negative interactions with City staff and there is no reason for concern about an inability to complete projects or maintain current service levels"^[1].

DWP staff also disputed the idea that the utility's debt poses any risk to city finances, noting that its approximately $22.96 million in outstanding bonds — about $2,586 per customer, at an average interest rate of 2.24% — are revenue bonds backed exclusively by water revenues. The bond indenture, staff said, explicitly states the city is not liable^[1]. Since 2010, the DWP has built more than $79.7 million in system improvements using its own funds and debt financing^[1].

What's missing

The staff report reviewed here was prepared by DWP, not the council majority. Council Member Hicks and the other supporters of the motion do not have a direct voice in the available record — their arguments appear only as filtered through DWP staff's rebuttals. It is also not yet clear from available documents whether the city attorney believes any path to council control exists short of a charter amendment.

The DWP Board is scheduled to review the September 9 City Council meeting and its Item 2.1 at its adjourned regular meeting on September 29, 2026, at 9:00 AM at Hofert Hall, Civic Center, 39707 Big Bear Blvd., Big Bear Lake. The public may attend in person or via Zoom (Webinar ID: 865 8474 7873)^[1].