Antioch Mayor Harper quits job with Senator Glazer to join race for County Supervisor

Wade  Harper from his Facebook page.

Wade Harper from his Facebook page.

Antioch Mayor Wade Harper announced, on Wednesday, December 23rd, his decision to run for Contra Costa County Supervisor in the 3rd District, which includes parts of Antioch.

In his statement, Harper wrote “Due to the time consuming nature of running a winning campaign, I am stepping away from my field representative responsibilities with Senator Glazer,” which he was hired for in October, this year.

He states that he “has a proven track record of effective leadership that will benefit the Board of Supervisors and the County.”

After being appointed to the Antioch School Board in 2008, to fill the vacant seat due to the death of Trustee  Joyce Seelinger, Harper ran for and was elected to the Antioch City Council in 2010. Then, in the middle of his term he was elected Mayor in 2012, which ends next December.

Harper’s professional experience includes 24 years in law enforcement, including serving as a police manager, and teaching Emergency Preparedness, from which he retired in 2012 to serve as Mayor full time. However, currently, in addition to the position with Glazer’s office, Harper works as a part-time teacher at Antioch High School, teaching “Law Enforcement Careers” in the Leadership in Public Services Academy.

He states that he believes education and critical thinking skills are important as a leader.  Harper has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Pastoral Studies from Patten University, where he was Student of the Year. He earned his Master of Business Administration in Leadership from John F. Kennedy University’s School of Management, and was honored as Alumni of the Year. During his career, Harper completed Executive Development Training, Management Training, and the Sherman Block Supervisory Leadership Institute where he was selected as class valedictorian.

As a directly-elected mayor of the largest city in District 3, Harper has served on the board of directors for several committees such as Transplan, the Highway 4 Bypass Authority, eBART Policy Advisory Committee, as well as the East Contra Costa Regional Fee and Financing Authority.

He is Vice Chair of the Contra Costa County Conference of Mayors and meets with the Delta 6, which includes the East County mayors and supervisors or their representatives, to discuss regional issues.

Harper states that he believes, fiscal stewardship is of the utmost importance and that under his “leadership, the City of Antioch is operating from a solid strategic plan and has approved a policy and practice to commit 50% of all one-time funds and salary savings to reduce unfunded liabilities.  The City of Antioch maintains an AA- bond rating.”

Harper is also a member of the Board of Directors for Tri-Delta Transit and mentioned that it won “The Best Small Transit System in America” award in 2014 for the excellent operation of the transit agency. He also serves on the Delta Diablo Sanitation District Board of Directors, which Harper states “has won multiple awards for their efficient operations.”

“Delta Diablo is a leader amongst sanitation agencies,” he wrote in his statement.

Harper says he “understands water issues as the City of Antioch is a city in District III that maintains Senior Water rights, and that he “has fought to protect Antioch’s water rights and will continue to fight to protect our Delta.”

“What do I want people to know about me?” Harper asked. “That I am a man of faith and a family man.  I have prepared myself to lead and I consider my service to the community as my calling and a life-time commitment.”

Harper states that his family supports his run for Supervisor. He and his wife Lisa, an Instructional Assistant for Special Education in the Antioch Unified School District, have been married for 26 years. Their children attended Antioch Unified School District schools and the California State University system.”

“I respectfully request your support to serve as Contra Costa County Supervisor, District III,” he added.

Harper’s entry brings the total to four candidates in the race, including Oakley Councilman and immediate past Mayor Doug Hardcastle, NAACP East County Branch President Odessa LeFrancois and East Bay Regional Parks District Trustee Diane Burgis, who announced her campaign on Tuesday.


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Wade Harper


5 Comments to “Antioch Mayor Harper quits job with Senator Glazer to join race for County Supervisor”

  1. James says:

    Absolute disaster as mayor of Antioch. Totally clueless , just as this decision shows

  2. Julio says:

    Best thing that happened to Glazer. Harper is a hindrance to Glazer as he is to Antioch and would be to the Board of Supervisors. Go Diane. You can beat Harper, Hardcastle, and Odessa. They will fight for a few votes and you will run away with it.

  3. Libby says:

    Didn’t harper say that he was going to be a full time mayor?

    • Arne says:

      He might of said that, but Antioch’s former of government (City Council-City Manager) doesn’t allow for a “full time” Mayor.

      • Marty says:

        Oh he said it. Over and over. Retired his former position to become his interpretation of a “full time” mayor. Your interpretation Arne and his are not the same. Yes, we do not provide for a full time elected mayor.

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