Archive for April, 2017

Next Antioch Neighborhood Cleanup is this Saturday, May 6

Sunday, April 30th, 2017

The Antioch Police Department is excited to announce the 80th installment of the Neighborhood Cleanup Program. The event will occur on Saturday, May 6th from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

We will be cleaning the neighborhoods between F Street, L Street, and W. 11th Street, see map. Volunteers will meet and park along F Street in front of Fremont Elementary School. (see map). Volunteers will receive instructions and the equipment necessary to accomplish the goal. The targeted area is within walking distance.

Excluding inclement weather, future Neighborhood Cleanup events are scheduled for the first Saturday of every month and the locations will be announced in advance.

This is a collaborative community effort, which involves active participation from the Antioch Police Crime Prevention Commission; Neighborhood Watch Program; Volunteers in Police Service; community volunteers and the Public Works Department.

Remember, cleaning up your neighborhood can make life better for your family, your neighbors and your community.

Payton Perspective: Facing does not mean filing for or in bankruptcy, but Antioch Council needs to take action to avoid it

Thursday, April 27th, 2017

Chart from city staff report presented to the Antioch City Council on Tuesday, April 11, 2017.

I was informed this week that there is some confusion in the community about the City of Antioch’s finances due to the headline for an article published on the Antioch Herald website, last week.

The headline read “City Council learns Antioch again facing bankruptcy” which is accurate, based on the staff report at the Council meeting on Tuesday, April 11,2017. The chart included with the article shows that in the 2021-22 fiscal year, without the city’s half-cent sales tax Measure C being re-approved by the voters, the city’s General Fund balance will cross the line from zero dollars. Even if Measure C is renewed that financial event occurs two years later.

I have since updated the headline to reflect that bankruptcy will occur “within five years.” But, the original headline was accurate and we stand by it. Folks, let me be frank. First, you need to understand the meaning of words and their use in a sentence. Second, you have to read the article to understand what’s going on, not just the headline.

When a government agency or a business is facing bankruptcy, it doesn’t mean it has filed for or is in bankruptcy. It means it has to make some changes to avoid it.

That’s exactly what needs to be done at City Hall and they have five years to do it.

Two things have caused this. As the article states, “Antioch’s $52.7 million General Fund budget is projected to begin deficit spending by $2.6 million in July of next year due largely to increased police staffing, pay and benefit hikes for all city employees and increased payments to the California Public Employees Retirement System.” (PERS)

The recent approvals, by the previous council and the current council majority, of the city employ contracts with increases to pay and benefits will cost the city over $9 million over the next five years. Those contracts extend one year beyond the sunset of Measure C in 2021. That council majority does not include current Mayor Sean Wright and Mayor Pro Tem Lamar Thorpe who both opposed the new contracts, but couldn’t do anything to stop them once they were on the council.

PERS is now requiring cities to pay more towards the unfunded liabilities of the pensions of past employees. That’s because for years, PERS has been projecting an overly aggressive and unrealistic return on their investments, and now reality has hit them in the face. The result is each city and government agency in California has to contribute more money to PERS to make up for the difference in what they projected and what is needed to pay for the pensions of current and future retirees.

At the end of Tuesday night’s meeting on April 25, Mayor Sean Wright said “Antioch is in fine financial shape. For those who ask if we are filing for bankruptcy the answer is no.  We have $25 million in reserves with no debt.”

His second sentence is correct, as I’ve pointed out, above. Wright’s first sentence is also correct – today. But, he’s aware and we all are, now with the staff report, that just because the city has $25 million in reserves, today doesn’t mean it will be in fine financial shape, just a few years from now. Wright is also aware that action must be taken to keep the city in “fine financial shape.”

As the city staff report on April 11, and above and below charts show, that even if we vote to renew Measure C, the city’s half-cent sales tax passed by voters in 2013, the city’s General Fund balance will be zero dollars in less than seven years.

City of Antioch General Fund Projection Chart from city staff report to council on 4/11/17.

If the Council doesn’t do three things over the next few years, Antioch will run out of those reserves and be upside down financially, which means bankruptcy.

First, the council needs to reopen and renegotiate the employee contracts. The City of Richmond just approved new contracts for their police and firefighters without a pay raise. (That city is facing the same financial challenges as Antioch, also because of PERS and even with a new tax increase. See related article, here.) Antioch should have done the same, at least until they had hired the 22 additional officers we were promised “immediately” in 2013 if we passed Measure C. Plus, all the other city employees enjoyed 13% in pay raises just a few years ago when the council ended Furlough Fridays. The council majority must have forgotten about that.

Message to the council majority: we didn’t give you two tax increases, including Measure O, to give pay raises to city staff. That was nowhere in the ballot language of either measure.

Second, the city needs to fulfill its promise and hire the 11 additional sworn police officers. So far, they’ve given us a net 11 additional officers out of the 22. They need to start budgeting for 111, not 102 like they’ve been doing. There were 89 sworn officers on the force when that promise was made.

That will result in crime being reduced which will help Antioch be able to attract business, as well as an increase in property values, which gives the city more tax revenue, without raising taxes.

Third, the city needs to more aggressively pursue new businesses to locate in Antioch. Now that the eBART extension and Hillcrest station will be opening next year, that area should be prime for attracting new businesses.

That will result in more sales and property tax revenue to the city, and possibly without having to either renew Measure C or increase other taxes – and to be frugal and responsible, the council needs to plan for and base their budgets on the expectation that it won’t be renewed.

The time to develop a plan to implement these three actions is now. I trust and hope that with the new leadership on the council and inside City Hall with a new city manager, it can and will be done.

Antioch Council rejects proposed A Street mini-mart

Wednesday, April 26th, 2017

Rejected proposed mini mart site on A St at the former drive-through dairy location.

Mayor says Antioch not filing for bankruptcy, city finances in “fine shape”

By Daniel Borsuk

Over concerns about crime, public loitering and drinking, the Antioch City Council unanimously denied Tuesday a request to approve a 1,200-square foot mini-mart to sell beer, wine and liquor at 2302 A St.

Council members were swayed to deny Amandeep Sing’s request to open a beer and liquor store at the A Street location when residents came forth to talk about their problems with homeless who are known to cause trouble in the area.

“I sincerely hope you don’t allow this business,” said Marsha Russo, who told council members about constant gunfire that she hears in her neighborhood.

Norton Street resident David Kundest said the proposed mini-mart will worsen conditions in the A Street area.  He said his neighborhood is plagued with homeless stealing private property, panhandling, urinating in public, and public intoxication.

“I’m struggling to see any positive things happening out of this application,” said City Council Member Tony Tiscareno.

The Antioch Planning Commission had rejected Singh’s mini-mart request based on the fact the store would not provide the required six off-street parking spaces.   He could only provide four parking spaces.

In other action, the council approved a 5-year $48.9 million capital improvement program.  Some of the features of the program include $10.5 million for wastewater and storm drain system projects, $14.2 million for roadway improvements, $800.000 for traffic signals, $600,000 for parks and trails and $400,000 for communication facilities.

Mayor Sean Wright also wanted to correct the public notion about the city’s financial condition.  Word has been circulating that the city’s financial stature might be wobbly.

“Antioch is in fine financial shape,” he said. “For those who ask if we are filing for bankruptcy the answer is no.  We have $25 million in reserves with no debt.”

Antioch Riverview Garden Club to host plant sale Saturday, May 6

Wednesday, April 26th, 2017

Superintendent asks school board to consider making Antioch a “safe haven” district at Wednesday meeting

Tuesday, April 25th, 2017

Item on agenda for discussion purposes only, for now

By Allen Payton

On the agenda for Wednesday night’s Antioch School Board meeting, trustees are being asked to consider a resolution creating a Safe Haven School District, to mainly restrict the ability of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from enforcing federal immigration law. The effort is part of the California Teachers Association agenda, as stated on their website, and included in their May 1st Day of Action pledge they’re asking all teachers to take.

Following is the draft resolution:

Antioch Unified School District

RESOLUTION NO. 2016-17-30

IN SUPPORT OF THE RIGHTS OF ALL STUDENTS –A SAFE HAVEN RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The Declaration of Independence of the United States of America recognizes every    individual’s right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness;

WHEREAS, Education has played a critical role in furthering tolerance and strengthening our society;

WHEREAS, The United States Supreme Court in 1982 ruled in Plyer v. Doe that public schools were prohibited from denying students access to Elementary and Secondary Public Education based on their immigrations status, citing that children have little control over their immigration status, the lifelong harm it would inflict on the child and society itself, and constitutional equal protection rights;

WHEREAS, The Antioch Unified School District Board of Trustees is committed to educating all students in a safe and welcoming environment;

WHEREAS, The Antioch Unified School District is committed to preventing and ending acts of discrimination or bullying based on a student’s immigration status, race, ethnicity, color, national origin, religion, age, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, genetics or disability

WHEREAS, The Antioch Unified School District Board of Trustees believes that celebrating the diversity that exists in our District, elevating the uniqueness of each student, and embracing the cultural assets that both they and their parents bring to the District is vital to the success of all students;

WHEREAS, State and Federal laws prohibit educational agencies from disclosing personally identifiable student information to law enforcement without the consent of a parent or guardian, a signed court order or lawful subpoena;

WHEREAS, Concerns of potential raids by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Office (ICE) have caused immigrants in the community to experience increased levels of concern about the presence of ICE in and around schools and the disruption that this presence may have on the learning environment for students and their families;

NOW BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, that the Antioch Unified School District Board of Trustees hereby directs the Superintendent to support the creation of a Safe Haven School District. This shall include:

  • Restricting, to the extent possible by law, the sharing of student and parent/guardian immigration status with federal agencies or officials;
  • Requiring all federal immigration agents seeking access to information or access to a school site have a warrant signed by a federal or state judge;
  • Continuing to promote and enhance a climate of inclusion;
  • Offering appropriate, focused professional development opportunities for staff;
  • Ensuring there are adequate supports and resources for students who may feel unsafe both on and off campus especially as it relates to discrimination or bullying predicated on immigration status, race, ethnicity, color, national origin, religion, age, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, genetics or disability;

The following questions were sent to Board President Walter Ruehlig and the rest of the trustees, as well as Superintendent Stephanie Anello:

  • First, who requested this be placed on the agenda?
  • Second, is the board now doing the bidding of the California Teachers Association, in passing this, as this is part of their agenda as stated on their website?
  • With the third “Whereas” clause being the law and as the sixth “Whereas” clause states “State and Federal laws prohibit educational agencies from disclosing personally identifiable student information to law enforcement without the consent of a parent or guardian, a signed court order or lawful subpoena;” and the why is this necessary?
  • What message does it send to the law-abiding students? Shouldn’t we be teaching the children in our district to comply with the laws and not pick and choose which ones they want to follow?
  • Is this an effort to keep students attending school instead of staying home?
  • Furthermore, which rights that students in the district have are you not currently being protected? How will this resolution change that?
  • Or is it a message to those parents who are in the U.S. illegally that the District won’t go out of its way to help the federal government deport them?
  • Or is it just pandering by some board members to certain political constituencies?

Anello responded Wednesday morning.

“I placed the item on the agenda,” she said. “As you are most likely aware, AUSD is one of the few districts in far east county that has not passed a Safe Haven Board Resolution. I have been asked by students, parents, community members, and staff if this is something that the Board is interested in pursuing.”

“I placed it on tonight’s agenda under ‘Items for Discussion by Board Members’ so that I could ascertain if it was/was not,” Anello continued. “Without placing it on the agenda, I have no way of knowing the will of the Board as this would be a potential violation of the Brown Act.”

In response, the following additional questions were emailed to Anello, Wednesday afternoon:

  • Why couldn’t those members of the public have asked their elected representatives – the trustees – if they would place this on the agenda?
  • If none of them has asked you to do this, since they’re your bosses, not “students, parents, community members, and staff” why would you agendize such a controversial issue potentially putting them on the spot on a political hot button issue?
  • Would this change the current practices of staff within the school district if it is adopted? If so, how?
  • Finally, who sets the agenda for the board? Isn’t it the Board President in consultation with you, as is done by the Mayor and City Manager for City Council meeting agendas? Since Walter was on vacation last week, was this run by him before being placed on the agenda? And if not, couldn’t it have waited until the next meeting when he could have provided his input, first?

4:45 PM UPDATE:

Anello responded with the following comments:

“This is a matter within the jurisdiction of the Board and one that the State Superintendent of Public Education has asked all California School Boards and Superintendents to consider adopting,” she stated. “Thus, it is appropriate to agendize it. Censoring or not bringing forth agenda items because they may be political or controversial, would be highly inappropriate in my opinion. As elected officials, Board Members are expected to weigh in on matters that may or may not be political that are within their jurisdiction. I am confident that AUSD Board Members –by virtue of their running for political office, understand that they may be required to act on issues that may be political in nature and I am confident that they have the courage to do so.”

“The resolution before the Board this evening for discussion is intended to remind parents and guardians about existing laws that protect them and their students’ records from questions about immigrations status,” Anello explained. “It is also intended to let the community know that the District is committed to maintaining a safe and welcoming environment for all students and families. Superintendents and Boards were asked to do both of these things by Tom Torlakson, The State Superintendent of Public Instruction.”

In addition, Anello stated, “Per Board Policy 9322, I  am the Executive Secretary to the Board and, according to this policy, ‘the Superintendent shall prepare the agenda for the Board.’ The agenda shall include items within the Boards jurisdiction. Agenda items may be brought forward by individual Board Members or the Superintendent per this policy. The Superintendent does not need Board permission to place an item on the agenda as long as it is within the Board’s jurisdiction. Items from Board Members can be requested at a Board Meeting and/or thru the President. These items must appear within two regularly scheduled Board Meetings or as soon as practical to allow sufficient research, etc.”

5:30 PM UPDATE:

However, Board Vice President Debra Vinson said she approved having Anello place the resolution on the agenda as a discussion item only.

“When I got the draft agenda, it was on there,” Vinson stated. “I said it was fine for discussion.”

Asked if any of these things are happening in the district, such as students being bullied or ICE approaching students and their parents who are here illegally, she replied “No, but I received a copy of an article on SFGate.com (the S.F. Chronicle’s website) listing Antioch and asking whether or not Antioch was participating in collecting students’ citizenship data.”

In addition, Vinson said she received a copy of a letter from the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area, sent to State Attorney General Xavier Becerra, about a” Complaint Concerning Discriminatory Enrollment Practices Denying Immigrant Youth Their Right to Enroll in School.” It shows Antioch and Orinda as the only two school districts that request the citizenship data of students when the enroll in the district. LawyersComteComplaintLtr

“The board president is supposed to sit down with her (Anello) to discuss the agenda,” Vinson added. “I know this is a hot issue, but I said we can have it on for discussion, not decision, tonight. We have to hash this out. We’re seeing this for the first time.”

In response to who is responsible for placing things on the agenda, she replied, “Board Policy9220 states that the vice president shall serve in the absence of the president in all capacities.”

A call was made and a text sent to Board Vice President Debra Vinson asking if she approved having Anello place the resolution on the agenda. She was  unavailable until after 5:00 p.m., today. Please check back later for her response.

To see the complete agenda, click here.

The board meeting is Wednesday, April 26 at 7:00 p.m. in the District Office Board Room, 510 G Street in downtown Antioch.

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo at Lone Tree Golf & Event Center, Friday, May 5th

Monday, April 24th, 2017

Park Middle, possibly other Antioch school teachers asked to promote state unions’ May 1st Day of Action

Friday, April 21st, 2017

One of the posters on the CTA website offered for the May 1st Day of Action.

Another poster on the CTA website offered for use on its May 1st Day of Action.

Teachers, students asked to wear red, put names on red strips of paper, make posters; district, principal unaware of effort

By Allen Payton

On Thursday, an Antioch resident concerned with “communist propaganda being pushed at school” informed the Herald of an effort at Park Middle School entitled “‘Park Spartans Stand in Solidarity’ – May 1st” asking all staff and students to wear red that day, as part of “a movement to build a stronger union.” In addition, students are asked to make signs and posters during the “first week of our block schedule for testing, April 24 – 28,” which begins next Monday.

May 1st was the day chosen by the International Workers of the World and the Communist Party to protest for workers’ rights, starting in the late 1800’s and gaining prominence in the early 1900’s. The raised, clinched fist became the symbol of the movement. That symbol has since been adopted by other movements such as the black power and feminist movements.

Now it’s being used by the California Teachers Association (CTA), the state’s largest teachers’ union, which, via its website, is asking teachers and students to participate in their May 1st Statewide Day of Action to “Stand Up for Students.”

In an email message, the resident, who wished to remain anonymous wrote, “This memo [below] is circulating at Park Middle School. Why are public schools pushing political propaganda? Thought you may want to look into it” and forwarded the following message:

“Remember that on May 1st we are ‘Park Spartans Stand in Solidarity,’ so you can have your students make posters next week.

‘Park Spartans Stand in Solidarity’ – May 1st

This is a day where the Nation will create a movement to build a stronger union to strengthen free, safe, and quality public education for ALL students based on social, economic, and political justice.

  1. ALL staff and students should wear RED this day.
  2. Students will be writing their names on red strips of paper during their lunches on April 26th – 28th. They will be linked together. (PLEASE send any red construction paper you would like to donate to Shelly in room 602.)
  3. Share the information with your students, and they can make signs and posters. A great week to have your students do this is the first week of our block schedule for testing, April 24 – 28. Any posters you want hung up outside of the school, please send to me by the end of the day on Friday, April 28th. Also, if anyone wants to get here early on May 1st to hang up the posters, I would appreciate it.
  4. I have attached a scan of the Action page. At the bottom are different links. One includes different ideas and activities you can do.
  5. Please take the pledge to Stand for ALL Students: cta.org/ForAllStudents (copy and paste the website)”

Posters on the CTA website offered for use as part of the organization’s May 1st Day of Action.

In an email response to questions about the memo, the anonymous resident wrote, “It is my understanding that it is a District wide program and each school is encouraged to set up their own May Day celebration based on the CTA guide. As far as the email I provided, it was sent out to all Park Middle School employees and I have been told that many employees are upset that the District is pushing this propaganda on the students. I have also been told by a friend at Mno Grant Elementary School that they are setting up a similar program there.”

On the CTA’s web page promoting the activities for the Day of Action, it asks people to sign a pledge with the message, “Take the Pledge: A Call to Action for the Public Education ALL California’s Students Deserve.”

It includes non-controversial clauses about supporting “safe learning and teaching environments, and the right to attend school free of fear, bullying and discrimination” and “all students deserve a well-rounded education – ensuring that students and schools have access to multi-cultural education, art, music, theater, dance, physical education, and career-technical classes.”

But, the pledge also includes political positions of the teachers’ union, in the following clauses:

“WHEREAS, public schools should serve as centers of the community, not profit centers with taxpayer dollars diverted to private voucher schemes and unaccountable corporate charter schools; and

WHEREAS, California has always been a place for DREAMers and supports safe-haven schools and sanctuary cities that reflect and embrace the diversity of our students and their families, as well as the rich language and cultural assets they bring to our communities.”

The website also provides a variety of posters that can be used, including one that shows two hands in a handshake with the words “The Union Makes Us Strong.” Others promote the LGBTQ agenda with the new symbol that includes male, female and transgender.

A message left for Park Middle School Principal John Jimno seeking comment about the activities at the school proposed for next week was not returned.

An email was sent to Board President Walter Ruehlig, who is out of town on vacation, all board members and Superintendent Stephanie Anello asking if they were aware of this, if it was a district-wide effort and if they supported it.

Anello responded, “I am looking into this and will get back to you. I was unaware that this went out, etc. Thank you for bringing it to my attention.”

Board Vice President Debra Vinson said “I hadn’t heard of it. That’s news to me” and that there are “so many things that we need to reel in.”

In a later email message from Anello, she said Jimno was not aware of the memo, either and that he would be contacting the teacher who sent it.

“I was unaware of the email as was Mr. Jimno as he was out of the office yesterday,” Anello wrote. “According to Mr. Jimno, nothing has gone out to students or their families about this. CTA and its membership certainly have a right to free speech and expression that would include their ability to wear red and make posters and comments on the issues and to encourage their membership to do so. However, there is no legal basis for taking class time to direct students (or non-CTA staff) to do so as it is not part of a district approved curriculum. Mr. Jimno has already reached out to the teacher who sent the email and she will send out clarification letting teachers know.

“Thank you for bringing this to my attention,” she concluded.

After returning from vacation, Ruehlig responded with the following:

“This was done off the District radar screen and I am only thankful that it was caught and reported in time by a conscientious employee.

The choice of using International Worker’s Day as a showcase, coupled with the design of some of the posters is, indeed, controversial but that is not the major point.

What is black, white and unarguable is the violation of prohibition of political activity within the schools; you simply can’t use District technology, facilities and paid time to lobby. These are public schools.

The biggest damage, though, would be to allow the use of students as a pawn to pursue any partisan lobbying and uncontested ideology.”

Communist poster

On the Marxists.org website it provides background about the first International May Day.

“In his preface to the fourth German edition of the Communist Manifesto, which he wrote on May 1, 1890, Engels, reviewing the history of the international proletarian organizations, calls attention to the significance of the first International May Day:

As I write these lines, the proletariat of Europe and America is holding a review of its forces; it is mobilized for the first time as One army, under One Bag, and fighting One immediate aim: an eight-hour working day, established by legal enactment…. The spectacle we are now witnessing will make the capitalists and landowners of all lands realize that today the proletarians of all lands are, in very truth, united. If only Marx were with me to see it with his own eyes!

The significance of simultaneous international proletarian demonstrations was appealing more and more to the imagination and revolutionary instincts of the workers throughout the world, and every year witnessed greater masses participating in the demonstrations.”

Soviet Propaganda poster from the 70’s stating “We are in solidarity with you, Vietnam!”

On the same website the French Marxist, communist activist, essayist, and journalist, Boris Souvarine is quoted from his work entitled, The Call, published in 1920 about the Communist roots of May Day celebrations.

“Since the foundation of the Communist International, containing all the revolutionary forces of the world proletariat, the international manifestation of May Day has taken on a character of working-class solidarity which it never possessed before,” Souvarine wrote.

“Previously, when the Second International had resolved to choose the first day of May as the occasion to affirm the universal fraternity of the workers, the annual demonstration of the exploited of every country was a luminous symbol. But the Second International shed itself of its revolutionary spirit, and sunk more and more in opportunism, whilst the general strike of the May Day also lost its revolutionary spirit, for which was substituted an overweening concern for the ‘practical.’ And during the war when, more than ever, the solidarity of the proletariat was a pressing necessity, when Imperialism intensified the oppression and the exploitation of the producing class, the International backed out, and its weakening parties traitorously renounced the traditional celebration of May Day.”

On the CTA website, it explains why it chose May 1st and that it’s part of a national effort in coordination with the National Education Association (NEA), the national teachers’ union. They want parents and community members to support the effort at local schools, as well.

“Why May 1?

May 1st has been historically linked to international worker’ rights. On May 1, 1886, the U.S. Federation of Organized Trade and Labor Unions (including immigrant workers) ruled that an 8-hour work day, would be a full and legal work day. NEA and the Alliance to Reclaim Our Schools (AROS) are also holding a national day of action on May 1. May 1, or May Day, continues to be a national day of action to raise awareness about immigration rights and the need to keep families together as they fight for a better life.  

How can I get involved?

CTA is asking our local chapters and members to hold actions with parents and community members at their local school sites. Actions may include “walk-ins” with parents and community members, unveiling new safe zone policies and safe zone resolutions, taking the pledge, hosting community meetings, and more. Please join our Facebook group and fill out our form to let us know how you are participating.”

However, nothing could be found on the NEA’s website regarding a national day of action on May 1st. 

Nothing could be found on the NEA’s website regarding a national day of action on May 1st. However, on the Alliance to Reclaim Our Schools’ website, their May 1st day of action is entitled “Build Schools Not Walls” and is about opposing President Trump’s proposed wall on the border with Mexico and education for illegal immigrant students.

That website states, “Every community deserves quality public schools where immigrants are welcome and kids & families are safe, respected, and loved.”

Further, it states, “Join millions nationwide on May 1st, 2017:

Demand an end to mass deportation and threats to immigrant communities

Demand our schools be safe spaces free from the threats of ICE raids, racism, and bullying

Demand that billions not be spent on a wall, but on strengthening public schools to educate all our children regardless of immigration status.”

However, the AROS website only shows a few sites throughout the U.S. participating in their Day of Action and the only one in California is in Los Angeles.

Celebrate Earth Day by helping keep Antioch beautiful, Saturday, April 22

Friday, April 21st, 2017

Annual Keep Antioch Beautiful Clean-Up Event

Earth Day is a big deal in Antioch.  The Annual Keep Antioch Beautiful Clean-Up Day brings families, students, and community groups together for a city-wide litter pick-up and garbage haul that contributes toward a clean community.  This year’s cleanup is on Saturday, April 22, 2017 from 8:30am to 11:00am.  There are five locations to volunteer, but you only need to pick one:

– Antioch High School

– Antioch Community Park at Jensen Family Grove

– Hillcrest Park at Larkspur Drive entrance

– Prewett Park at the Grand Plaza/Water Park

– Somersville Towne Center near Starbucks

There is a thank you BBQ after the clean-up at the Prewett Park Grand Plaza for all workers and volunteers.

Cash prizes are awarded to the schools that have the most number of volunteers participating in the clean-up.  To raise money for your school, individuals only need to write the name of the school on the registration and waiver forms.  High schools, middle schools, and elementary schools all qualify for the cash awards, and there is money for first, second, and third place participation.

Volunteers can show up the morning of the event to register and complete the event waiver form.

Advance registration is available at http://ci.antioch.ca.us/Enviornment/Keep-Antioch-Beautiful/

Community volunteers started this event eight years ago, working side by side with the City of Antioch to keep our community litter free.  Sponsorships and monetary donations are always needed and can be sent to Leo Fontana LAF “Keep Antioch Beautiful,” 2730 Lone Tree Way, Suite #4, Antioch, CA 94509. All donations are tax deductible. For more information call the Environmental Resource Line at 925-779-6137.

For more information or to register your group visit http://ci.antioch.ca.us/Environment/Keep-Antioch-Beautiful/.