Antioch Council hears earful from public upset with El Campanil Theatre sale
Posted in: Arts & Entertainment, City Council, Community, News, Rivertown | Comments (0)
Following protest march from theater to City Hall.
Mayor called “Satan”, blamed for helping church purchase it which he later refuted; some attacked church, too; Bernal calls false comments “unfortunate”
Council also approved name & title changes to City’s newest department, staff; two additional temp positions; ADU designs; purchased SeeClickFix app software
By Allen D. Payton
Before dealing with the few items on the light agenda during their meeting Tuesday night, the three Antioch City Council members in attendance each heard an earful from members of the public about the pending sale of the El Campanil Theatre to a church. Since the matter was not placed on the agenda even for discussion by the council, residents had to speak during General Public comments at both the beginning and end of the meeting. A total of 18 people spoke in person and one spoke via Zoom. (See 3:30:00 mark of meeting video)
While the seating for the audience was almost full, only the mayor and two council members were in attendance, as Mayor Pro Tem and District 3 Councilman Don Freitas was out of town, as he announced at the end of a council meeting earlier this year, and District 1 Councilwoman Tamisha Torres-Walker was absent due to a migraine. She said due to the light agenda, she felt she could miss the meeting, and her colleagues could handle the items without her, which they did.
Following Public Comments, the council members took action to rename the Public Safety and Community Resources Department to the Community Services Department and the titles for the staff positions, as well as, to use state grant funds for two temporary positions in that department. They also adopted pre-approved Accessory Dwelling Unit plans for residents to use and voted to purchase software for the City’s SeeClickFix app.
Public Comments Get Harsh, Include Attacks on Mayor, Council, Church
Following a protest march from the theater to City Hall before the council meeting in which, according to Joy Motts, about 15 people participated holding signs and a banner that read, “Save El Campanil Save Our Stage”, several residents spoke during Public Comments at the beginning of the meeting. They were each allotted the same three minutes to share their thoughts.
Some took out their anger on Mayor Ron Bernal, about the sale by the current, private owner of the theater building and all related equipment, to a church, blaming the mayor for helping make it happen, and for every other problem the City is currently facing. One attempted to tie him to President Trump, the Heritage Foundation’s national Project 2025 agenda and the national MAGA movement. She also labeled the Hispanic pastor and his church members “Christian Nationalists, racist” and “full of hate for everybody that is not White.”
The first person to speak, resident Leslie May, who is a regular council meeting attendee and public speaker, made most of those remarks saying she, “was very disturbed about this El Campanil. I already know for a fact that you were the one, Mayor Ron Bernal, that went and told him,” claiming he spoke with Pastor Eli Herrera of Legendary Movement Church whose purchase offer was accepted by the owner.
However, Bernal refuted that in response to questions from the Herald in an article published on Thursday. Asked if he helped the church purchase the theater, Bernal responded simply, “No.”
May continued with what she’s been “telling these people in person, on Facebook and Instagram about you. I told them you are not for Antioch…you are nothing but Satan. You are.” She then repeated comments posted on Facebook by another resident that Bernal is, “Selling out Antioch for his Project 2025” and a “MAGA cult mayor.”
“You brought him here. You were a member of his church years ago before you broke off. You are friends with him,” May continued speaking of the mayor’s connection to Herrera. However, Herrera is quoted in another Herald article about the theater being sold to his church said, “I’m a very good friend of Ron Bernal, before he was mayor. I served at Cornerstone Christian Center for about a year for their school and youth ministry,” referring to the church where Bernal has attended, but mentioned nothing of the mayor helping him with the purchase.
May then made more unsubstantiated claims saying the church is “Christian Nationalists, are racist, they’re full of hate for everybody that is not White.” However, Herrera is Hispanic as are many if not most of his church’s members.
“They spread falsehoods…because they’re just Satan’s minions. Just like I said, you are,” she continued addressing Bernal. “You guys are wrong. I say prayer works wonders, you guys. Psalm 109, read it over and over again so, we can get rid of you and all your little minions who walk the streets of Antioch, Brentwood, Oakley, whatever.”
The next person to speak was Greg Feere, the “retired vice president of the California State Building Trades,” who said he is “a 40-year resident of Antioch.” He complained about, “An out of area investor wanting to flip it just to make some money. He really doesn’t care about Antioch’s future,” referring to current owner Tung Bui who explained why he purchased it and is now selling it, as did the former executive director and theater board president, Rick Carraher who lined up the sale in 2023, both refuting Feere’s claims. (See related articles here, here and here)
He continued, “Yesterday…I called (State Senator) Tim Grayson and I asked him about whether or not we can put the El Campanil under the historical preservation site and he said, ‘yes.’ He said, ‘but it would have to be coordinated with the City of Antioch.’”
“So, I think you can take the effort and make it the preservation site and keep it exactly what it’s supposed to be. It’s a theater. It’s a great place,” he continued. “And, you know, no offense to the pastor, but, you know, he can stay in Pittsburg and there’s plenty of souls and sinners there to take care of.”
Many speakers mainly said they wanted the theater to remain a place for arts and culture in the city.
The theatre’s current Operations Manager John “Johnny” Hackencamp shared his thoughts saying, “I’m here as a resident, as a longtime employee…for almost 20 years and as a person who’s mad that the building got sold and that the council just continues to sit on their hands, not only in this, but in many, many dealings for decades. Maybe the City should investigate whether or not the sale of the building was actually legal.”
“You guys have an attorney, and I think it’s time that this council decides to do something,” he concluded.
Former Planning Commissioner Kerry Motts said, “I want to encourage the council to explore all options within its rights to explore the delay or cancellation of escrow for a change in the ownership of the El Campanil.”
Antioch Chamber of Commerce Board President Jim Becker said, “I’m here to support the El Campanil, too. The owner said, ‘well, it’s been up for sale for a while.’ But I didn’t learn about this until just about a week-and-a-half ago that, this building was up for sale. So, I reached out to some of my real estate friends and I said, ‘if you’re going to sell a building like this, what do you do?’ They said, ‘we reach out to other like, type organizations just to see if any of them wants to buy it.’ So, I called some that I know. I called The Lesher Center for the Arts (in Walnut Creek), I called Masquers Playhouse (in Point Richmond), I called the California Theatre (in Pittsburg). I said, ‘did anybody reach out to you and tell you this is for sale?’ They said, ‘no’. So, I said, ‘OK, something doesn’t smell right, there.’”
“So, then I said, ‘OK, well, maybe they approached some of the arts foundations,’” Becker continued. “I called Hewlett Packard, I called the Lesher Foundation, others. Nobody knew the building was for sale.”
“Well, how odd is that, that if the intent is to really, we keep it as an event space, as a theater space, as a culture space, that the folks that are most likely to do that weren’t aware?” he asked rhetorically. “So, that really does bother me a lot, right?”
Becker then ended with, “When churches take over your prime retail space, cities die, economically. We cannot have that happen. We have to preserve our economic vitality in this city. We have to preserve an economically viable downtown, and we have to save our theater.”
According to the Property Record report purchased by the Herald, it shows the listing agent, representing the seller, is Kellie Temby, and the buyer’s agent is Michael Temby. But Michael told the Herald when he was contacted last week for more details about this year’s sale, “I have no comments at this time while we’re in escrow. Happy to answer any questions after escrow closes.” According to Herrera, that will be on Sept. 29th.
Reading from prepared notes, Jeanette Rodriguez spoke next saying, “I am back to express my discontent with the handling of El Campanil.” She then read from the City’s Vision and Strategic Plan for 2019 to 2029 and said, “The Vision states, ‘Antioch is a desired destination in the Bay Area: Building on our historic legacy, creating bright opportunities for families to grow, offering places to play, enabling businesses to thrive and cultivating a unique downtown experience.’ Goals 5 and 6 state, ‘Strive to be a Healthy Community’ and ‘Support Historic Downtown Revitalization’.”
“The loss of this historic space directly goes against what our City’s vision is,” Rodriguez continued. “The arts have positive impacts on community well-being, economic development, public safety, youth development and social justice.”
She then took swipes at the church members who attended the community meeting at the theater on Tuesday, Sept. 1st. (See related article)
“I feel let down and I wish there had been more alarms raised, sooner so that the community could have had more time to organize and find a solution, as you see here, now. There needs to be more accountability in the future or else, what is there left to protect in Antioch,” Rodriguez concluded.
Resident Krystl Law spoke next also reading from prepared remarks saying, “So, last year, Tamisha Walker and Don Freitas started to work on the theater with the previous (City) manager Bessie Scott talking about using development impact fees. We have millions just sitting there idle. So, why is it that we can’t we start there?” That question was answered by Torres-Walker and Acting Community and Economic Development Director Kevin Scudero in the Herald’s article published on Thursday, Sept. 10th.
“Why is that we are waiting to the last minute to decide to save something that is clearly dear to everyone’s hearts?” she asked and then launched into a litany of complaints against Bernal. “You are stubborn and set in your ways. You chose to spread lies about Homekey. You chose to retire before the FBI came in to do their investigations. You chose to go after a Black woman city manager who tried to call out inconsistencies with SMI and your friend, Sean McCauley. You chose not to speak about a Black woman who was hit by an officer. You chose to put everything on the last city council when you were city manager from 2017 to 2021. When will you take responsibility for your actions? You chose to spend $499,000 on sweeps instead of Homekey. You chose to not talk to Ms. Walker and Freitas about the theater.”
That was addressed in Bernal’s comments to the Herald in the article published on Thursday, Sept. 10th. When asked if he was aware the theater was for sale this year before it went public last month Bernal responded, “Yes. As Tamisha may have told you she, Don and Bessie were working together to find out more about it. I was not involved due to obvious Brown Act implications,” referring to the state’s Open Meeting Law preventing a majority of council members from discussing matters that could be on a future council meeting agenda. (See 5th to last section of article.)
“When is it you’re going to take responsibility and step up and be a mayor?” Law asked in conclusion.
Rivertown business owner and citizen Kathy Cabrera spoke next reading from prepared remarks and saying, “I’m here tonight to ask you to do something that future generations of Antioch residents will either thank us for or wish we had done, and that is saving the El Campanil Theatre. It’s a place of Antioch’s history. We spend a lot of time talking about Antioch’s future and we should. But building a better future does not require us to destroy our past. Because once the El Campanil is gone it’s gone forever.”
“It’s easy to build, yet another church,” she continued. “But already have over 100 of those here, in Antioch and we cannot re-create a nearly century-old piece of history.”
“Please don’t let the El Campanil Theatre an old photograph of something we used to have. Take action. Put this sale on hold,” Cabrera exclaimed. “Give this community the opportunity to fight for the El Campanil before you allow anyone to give up on it. Leave this meeting saying, ‘we’re going to do something the community is asking us to do.’ Give Antioch a chance to save its history.”
She mentioned the requests by District 1 Councilwoman Monica Wilson, Torres-Walker and Freitas about preserving the theater and asked, “Why did these requests fall on deaf ears?” That was also mentioned in the Herald article published Thursday, Sept. 10th. (See sub-headline entitled, “One Councilmember Made Requests to Agendize Protection, But Not Purchase of El Campanil Theater”).
Cabrera concluded by saying, “Save the El Campanil Theatre, not just for those of us who remember its past but for those generations who deserve to experience its future. I beg of you to save the El Campanil. And thank you, Monica.”
A resident named Margie Carrell then offered more unsubstantiated claims saying, “Ron, you’ve already made up your mind. You’re not going to listen to these people. You do not care. You’ve already made a deal with your, what is it, your pastor? What does he have on you? What is he hiding? What happened in 2017, let’s see, when you left being our city manager? What did you go into, rehab? Did they pay for it? So, you’re on the books. We got you. So, don’t try to pretend like you really care about what’s going to happen…because you owe your church people.”
Bernal retired as city manager in 2021 following a 36-year career in public service and a 36-career in public service including 23 years with the City of Antioch. (See related article) According to his LinkedIn profile, following his retirement, he started a company in 2022 named Ron Bernal Consulting working as a management consultant, which he still owns and can operate as a part-time elected official.
A resident named Mary Jo Mundy-Bruce who said she “worked at El Campanil in 2023 when it sold,” as the bookkeeper. “Clearly there was some broken down piece that happened. This should not have been sold to a private person. Something was not right,” she stated. “This part I was not aware of. I wish I could go back in time and say, ‘hey, Rick, what are you doing, why are you selling this place?”
“I just think the sale should be put on hold, and some investigation should go into the 2023 sale,” Mundy-Bruce continued. “So, somebody be as passionate as we are. Hello, Ron. Be as passionate as we are. This is your city, right now. Please…do the right thing.”
“Thank you, for what you are doing,” she stated. “But, man, you gotta step it up, guy. Come on, step it up so, we can be like, ‘yay, I voted for Ron. I feel so good he saved this.”
“Put the sale on hold. We don’t need another church. No more churches. We got enough churches,” Mundy-Bruce exclaimed. “I just can’t believe the lack and the apathy of everything sometimes. Why is there so much apathy here? I understand your hands are tied and there’s things and bureaucracy.”
“Please do something,” she concluded.
A woman named Nicole, who said she “goes by Fay”, wearing an El Campanil Theatre Academy logo shirt, said she did “19 years of theater,” and spoke of helping with children at the Academy in 2021. “I was just hoping there would be something there for kids. If we could save it…it would be really good for future generations of kids. Theater is life-saving.”
“I want my kids to be able to go that theater and enjoy it when I have kids. There are so many kids that got to enjoy it and perform on that stage and I want them to be able to do that again,” she added.
Bernal Responds Saying the Council “Can’t Say A Lot” About Theatre Sale
Following public comments and a nine-minute break during which most residents had left the Council Chambers, the council moved on to the matters that were on the agenda including Council Communications and the Mayor’s Comments. Bernal took the opportunity to address the issue of the theater’s sale after thanking “everybody who came out tonight to speak in support of keeping the theater as an arts location and the passion and the unity in the room it’s…great to see.”
“Unfortunately, some folks say things that aren’t necessarily true which is unfortunate. But that happens,” he stated. “The City of Antioch in our current position is not able to speak to what’s happening related to this escrow, that we understand the church currently has the building in contract.”
“And so, we are doing our own research,” Bernal continued. “We are doing everything we can to make sure we’re informed about what’s going on. But we are not able to say anything about that. So, that’s where we stand as a city council and why you’re not hearing us say a lot about the situation right now.”
“But we will be providing updates as we’re able to,” he added.
Proclamations
The Council then voted 3-0 to approve a proclamation honoring the 25th Anniversary of 9-11, Patriot Day and National Day of Service and Remembrance and presented it to Antioch Police Captain Desmond Bittner. (See related article).
Bittner said, “It’s my honor to receive this on behalf of the men and women of the Antioch Police Department and the men and women of the Contra Costa Fire Department who could not be here today and the veterans in both departments. I will share this with them tomorrow.”
They also approved by a 3-0 vote a proclamation recognizing September as Suicide Prevention Month in the city and presented it to Megan Shinkle, Director of Peer Connections Centers with locations in Antioch and San Pablo. She thanked the council and spoke of her organization’s work, providing support to those with mental health challenges, who may or may not be in recovery, as well. They offer groups to support wellness, one on one support, links to resources, and outings to museums, parks and other points of interest.
The mayor and council members then took photos with each of the recipients.
Name, Title Changes for Newest City Department, Positions
Under item 5 on the agenda, the Council conducted a public hearing and voted 3-0 to rename the Public Safety and Community Resources Department as the Community Services Department and the classification title changes from Public Safety and Community Resources Director to Community Services Director and Public Safety Manager to Community Engagement Manager, subject to completion of applicable labor-relations requirements. Although Wilson had originally voted for the confusing department name, she made the motion to make the change and voted for it.
As previously reported, at the urging of Mayor Pro Tem and District 3 Councilman Don Freitas, during their meeting on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, (under agenda item 10) the Council agreed to correct and clear up confusion of including the words “Public Safety” in the name of City’s the newest department formed by the council in 2022, but is not part of the police department nor deals with fire services and was the brainchild of Torres-Walker using an expanded definition of the term. The councilmembers also voted to change the titles of the department’s staff. (See 6:39:50 mark of meeting video)
The council approved the new department in February 2022 on a 4-1 vote. At that time, Torres-Walker tried to redefine and expand the meaning of public safety. But the department’s name has caused confusion because the majority of people don’t define the term the same as she does.
According to the staff report for the item, “As the department’s responsibilities continued to expand, the City Council also began discussing whether the department’s name accurately reflected its mission and public facing role. During several public and administrative discussions, Council considered various naming alternatives intended to better describe the department’s functions and distinguish its community-based services from the law enforcement responsibilities of the Antioch Police Department.”
Name Already Changed on City Website
As previously reported, the department’s page on the City’s website already had the new name in the header, but not in the text below, still including the word “resources”. That reads, “The City of Antioch’s Department of Community Services Resources is committed to building a safer, healthier, and more resilient community…The Community Services Resources (CSRD) Department works to strengthen community well-being through prevention, intervention, and support services. CSRD houses the City’s Youth Services Network, Housing and Unhoused Services, and Violence Intervention & Prevention Division, providing programs and resources that promote safety, stability, and opportunity for all residents.”
Two Temporary State Grant-Funded Positions for the Renamed Department
Then under item 6, the Council approved on a vote of 3-0 the establishment of two limited-term, grant-funded hourly positions to support the City’s direct implementation of community violence intervention, violence prevention, community outreach, case coordination, resource navigation, and community engagement activities. The proposed positions’ titles also retain the word resources: Community Resources Specialist.
The proposed hourly salary range for each of the positions is $39.54 – $48.07.
According to the staff report, the City has been awarded $2,034,800 through the Board of State and Community Corrections’ California Violence Intervention and Prevention (CalVIP) Grant Program with an authorized grant period through Sept. 30, 2029. The approved grant provides funding for two positions to support implementation of the City’s community violence intervention and prevention activities.
Consent Calendar – ADU Plans Approved for Accelerator Program That Ends Sept. 30
District 2 Councilman Louie Rocha asked to be removed item item 4.I. on the Consent Calendar agenda regarding pre-approved Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) plans developed through the ADU Accelerator program, for discussion and questions for staff.
He mentioned the program at Antioch High School in which students build ADU’s and that he wanted to make sure whatever they’re doing complies with the City’s plans.
However, “these City plans do not supersede any ADU’s that they’re doing as long as they’re compliant with state building code,” Acting Community Development & Economic Development Director Kevin Scudero responded.
With no public comments on the item, the council voted 3-0 to approve the pre-approved ADU plans.
According to the ADU Accelerator Rebate Program information on the City’s website, ADUs are attached or detached residential dwelling units that provide complete independent living facilities for one or more persons on a lot with an existing (or proposed) primary residence.
The State Senate District 7 ADU Accelerator Program, piloted by former State Senator Steve Glazer, is composed of 15 cities in the East Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area, including Antioch.
The program provides individual rebates of up to $7,500 to property owners for new ADU units and up to $30,000 for new ADU units that are deed restricted to low-income households (minimum of 20 years.) As the purpose of the program is to encourage the construction of smaller ADU units, there will be no rebates for units over 1,000 square feet.
The City is matching the low-income rebate amounts with Permanent Local Housing Allocation (PLHA) funding to double the rebates for low-income ADUs to encourage low-income ADU production in Antioch. Antioch homeowners will be able to access up to $30,000 for the construction of a low-income ADU less than 500 square feet.
However, according to the staff report for the agenda item, the rebate program provides individual rebates up to only $15,000 for ADUs that are deed restricted to low-income households (minimum of 20 years.) An email was sent to City staff asking which is the correct amount.
Acting Community and Economic Development Director Kevin Scudero responded, “The ADU Accelerator Program offered up to $15,000 in rebates for the construction of ADU’s. The City of Antioch also had Permanent Local Housing Allocation Program (PLHA) funds allocated towards ADU’s and chose to provide matching funds for deed restricted affordable ADU’s to further incentivize their production. This is why you see the larger rebate number on our website.”
The City of Antioch was granted $216,228.77 for rebates, which was based upon a per capita calculation, and $50,000 to create free permit-ready or pre-approved plans for public use.
The second component of the ADU Accelerator program is the development and adoption of free pre-approved ADU plans which will be free for residents to use.
While the rebate program has been available to homeowners in Antioch since October 1, 2024, it will close September 30, 2026. Staff were also asked if the termination date is correct and if so, why is the council just now being asked to adopt the pre-approved plans.
Scudero also responded, “Yes, the termination date is correct. In addition to the ADU rebates, the program also provided $50,000 in funding to develop pre-approved ADU Plans. The development of the pre-approved plans was on a dual track with the rebate program. The pre-approved plans are not specific to the ADU’s receiving rebates and will be available to anyone in the future who would like to construct an ADU in Antioch.”
SeeClickFix Application Programming Interface Software Purchase
All other items on the Consent Calendar were approved on a vote of 3-0. They included item 4.H., an increase to the current Agreement with Tyler Technologies Enterprise Permitting & Licensing (EP&L) for recurring Software as a Service (SaaS) fees and additional support services for a total agreement amount not-to exceed $235,000 per year. The council is also being asked to memorializing the recurring SaaS services which automatically renew each year throughout the term of the contract, which is consistent with the Agreement but inaccurately described in the original resolution.
The software serves the City’s SeeClickFix Application Programming Interface (API).
According to the staff report, the Initial approval by City Council in January of 2021 authorized an amount not to exceed $800,000, for a term ending June 30, 2025. The addition of the SeeClickFix Application Programming Interface (API) allows increased functionality for Code Enforcement complaints that are submitted via the SeeClickFix system, improving Code Case creation and response times, and streamlined updates to the public on complaint status via SeeClickFix. We are in the testing phases currently, and plan to fully implement the API by or before the end of this calendar year.
The Council adjourned the meeting at a rare, early 9:14 p.m.
See meeting video.
Publisher @ September 14, 2026
