On the very full agenda for their meeting on Tuesday night, Jan. 10, the  Antioch City Council will vote on the Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) for the new contracts for each of the city employee groups, discuss the elimination of the Cost Allocation Plan (CAP) for citywide administration costs from Measure C funds and a possible pursuing becoming a charter city.

The MOU’s are the final step for the contracts the previous council unanimously approved Nov. 8, which last five years, beyond the end of Measure C, and provide a 4.5% pay raise an increase in benefits, at a total cost of $9.2 million to the city budget. As was stated in a previous Herald article, about 80% of the compensation increase will go to the police, including a 4.5% wage increase for sworn officers, and a 2.5% wage hike for non-sworn officers. Other union groups, including confidential employees, engineers and management, will receive annual pay hikes of 2-3% over the next five years.

The contracts are not final until the MOU’s are voted on. But, as stated by City Attorney Michael Vigilia in another previous Herald article on the contracts, “while it’s true that this is primarily a policy issue, there are also significant legal risks associated with a City Council potentially deciding to attempt to re-negotiate a tentative labor agreement that has already been approved by both a union and the City Council.”

City Manager Steve Duran made similar comments.

“The tentative agreements contain all business terms that were negotiated in good faith by the parties over many months,” Duran said. “They constitute, in writing, the business terms that the MOUs must contain, and have been ratified by the unions and approved by the City Council. Nickie and I have consulted with our professional labor negotiator and our City Attorney on this matter. Trying to change any of the business terms to which the parties have agreed is wrought with rather unpleasant legal and financial dangers to the City.

Vigilia and Duran were then asked if since the agreements are tentative and not finalized until the MOU’s are voted on, then how can there be legal ramifications if a new council majority wants to reopen negotiations and do something such as shorten the period?

Vigilia responded with, “To put it simply, the parties have reached a meeting of the minds as to the major terms of the MOU’s and each party has relied on the representations of the other party in deciding to agree to the terms. Once there is a meeting of the minds there is an enforceable legal obligation which would be very risky to break. The City, at the very least, risks breach of contract claims being asserted against it. Additionally, to attempt to renegotiate the terms exposes the City to potential charges of unfair conduct from the Public Employee Relations Board, which enforces collective bargaining laws covering public employees. This exposes the City to potential fines. As Steve and I stated, there are significant legal ramifications.”

Cost Allocation Plan

In one of the first moves to implement his agenda as Antioch’s new mayor, Sean Wright wants the council to eliminate the application of the city’s Cost Allocation Plan to Measure C funds, so that 100% of the sales tax revenue from the measure is used on what it was promised, more police and code enforcement. Following the CAP that’s been in place since 2005, staff has been allocating between 7.8% and 8.1% of the funds from Measure C that have been received by the police department to citywide administration.

That reallocation of Measure C funds out of the police department has become a bone of contention with some Measure C Oversight Committee members, including former member Sal Sbranti who has been outspoken on the issue, the public and some of the candidates during the most recent election.

Charter City

According to the League of California Cities, “Cities that have not adopted a charter are general law cities. General law cities are bound by the state’s general law, even with respect to municipal affairs.”

According to the staff report on the agenda item, “cities that adopt their own charter may adopt their own procedures, ordinances and resolutions for matters that are considered “municipal affairs” in the state of California. The report also includes a comparison of charter versus general law cities. City Charter is a written document that operates as the city’s “constitution” to the degree allowed under the California Constitution. A charter can only be adopted by a vote of the people of the City. Thus, a charter may be amended or repealed by subsequent votes of the people. An amendment may be proposed either by the city council or by initiative submitted to the council by the voters. Initiatives to adopt city charters may only be placed on the ballot during a general statewide election.”

So the soonest a charter city vote can take place is in November, 2018.

A charter city therefore has more control over its finances and governing than a general law city. If approved, becoming a charter city, by a vote of the people, would allow Antioch to have a full-time mayor, more council members and make it easier to raise taxes.

Only two cities in the county are charter cities, Richmond, which has seven council members and a full-time, paid mayor, and San Ramon, which has only five council members and no full-time, paid mayor. Of California’s 478 cities, 108 of them are charter cities.

The council meeting begins at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers at Antioch City Hall, located at 200 H Street in downtown. They can be viewed via live stream on the city’s website or on Comcast’s local cable access Channel 24.

I enjoyed Allen Payton’s vision for 2017.  We need imaginative thinking and bold ideas to shake off stagnation.

The New Year brings new visions. With the imminent opening of a widened Highway 4 and the not too distant inauguration of the Hillcrest e-BART Antioch sits on a crossroads of promise. We all hope that it might depart its’ media image as a kicking post of bad news and instead fulfill its promise of a ‘destination’ city.

As a child I had the privilege of growing up in such a town, Great Neck, Long Island, a town depicted in Fitzgerald’s ‘Great Gatsby’. Though we lived on the modest side of town, nevertheless, we would periodically open the door of our small Tudor to find a stranger’s note asking us to kindly call them should we ever decide to move. The town was that desirable, principally because it was rated in the top ten school districts nation-wide. Case in point; my German teacher spoke nine languages and would quote from memory long passages from Goethe.

Today, we all know that the two main drivers of real estate prices are safety and the quality of local public education. At this point what Antioch needs to boost its’ profile is more targeted housing that appeals along the Trilogy senior homes model; or the Blackhawk estates that bring in the wealthy and influential. That crowd brings disposable income, businesses and, crucially, voice. This is needed in a town long the butt of media ridicule and the long standing step-child of County government attention.

Antioch is poised as it has some substantial building blocks in place. How many towns can boast the likes of the former Humphrey’s Restaurant and an elegantly restored El Campanil Theatre sitting on the Delta? How many are recipients of the Delta breeze?  Who else can count the service of AMTRAK and over two dozen parks? These include a magnificent swimming and fishing reservoir and Black Diamond Mines.

How many other places have their version of a Miracle Mile, with a medical office complex, hilltop church, community center, library (one of two in town) and swim park? And here’s one we oft forget; how many towns can claim as many un-chopped hills and not boxed, but curving, undulating streets that make neighborhoods and driving interesting.

Yes, Antioch has its pressing problems of safety, jobs, downtown revival and, yes, an academic achievement gap. There is, though, much that we can be grateful for, plenty we can build on.

We have a corps of talented and dedicated public school teachers; a cutting edge network of ten career themed academies, including the award-winning Dozier-Libbey Medical High School and law, engineering and green energy programs, to name a few; a vibrant independent learning program; terrific choice with Montessori and now Rocketship, a recently approved third charter school; and a rich tradition of Christian schools like Cornerstone, Holy Rosary, Golden Hills and Seventh Day Adventist.

Granted, too often we have a two tier system of educational proficiency haves and have-nots. My son, Joshua, as example, prospered at Deer Valley High taking Advanced Placement classes where there he experienced seeing few discipline distractions or time-consuming struggling students. He went on to Cal Poly at San Luis Obispo and within three days of graduating college got a job as an environmental engineer.

Others, though, get left behind; too often children of color or students that are homeless, latchkey, transient, special needs or English language learner. Distressingly, only 19% of our students score proficient in math. That, simply, is not tolerable. We need to solve this puzzle of bringing along all kids. That calls for bold action by school administrators instituting aggressive interventions like the after-school individualized Math Intensive program that has had such success building fundamentals.

Fact is, once you fall behind it gets harder and harder to catch up. Since nobody wishes to be labeled a failure kids pretend they don’t care and act out. Cutting class, looking tough, being defiant all speak to frustration. You can’t do algebra when you don’t know your multiplication tables or how to do long division.

This, then, also calls for help from the parents staying in the loop. Education, after all, is a three legged stool– students, teachers and parents all working together, communicating and supporting and encouraging.  Televised meetings could also help keep people on board.

My New Year goal is that one day we can all open our doors and see a note asking for us to call should we decide to move. For that to happen, It takes the will to change. With resolve we can become that destination city where we number more reasons to stay in Antioch than to go.

Walter Ruehlig

President, Antioch School Board

Burgis, Glover, Andersen to take oaths of office as Supervisors, Tuesday morning

Newly elected County Supervisor Diane Burgis will take her oath of office, along with re-elected Supervisors Federal Glover and Candace Andersen, at a ceremony during the regular meeting of the Board of Supervisors at 9:00 a.m. in Martinez, Tuesday, January 10, 2017.

Burgis will then hold a Community Reception and Open House later in the day.

“Thank you for electing me to represent you on the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors. I am incredibly honored to have this opportunity to fight for you and our local priorities,” Burgis said. “I hope you will be able to join me, my amazing staff and our neighbors in celebrating the new year at my first District 3 Community Reception and Open House this Tuesday, January 10, 2017 from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

“I promise to have an inclusive and accessible office so that we can strengthen our community together. The first step is getting to know each other,” she added. “See you soon.”

The oath of office ceremony will be followed by a reorganization of the Board, with the election of the new Chair, which is expected to be Glover and Vice Chair, expected to be Supervisor Karen Mitchoff. The Board will then vote on Glover’s nominations of the board members to various county committees and regional boards.

DETAILS:

Oath of Office Ceremony

Tuesday, January 10, 2017 at 9:00 am

Board Chambers, Room 107, Administration Building, 651 Pine Street, Martinez

Burgis Community Reception & Open House

Tuesday, January 10, 2017

4:30 pm – 6:30 pm

Office of Supervisor Diane Burgis, 3361 Walnut Blvd., Ste 140, Brentwood

RSVP appreciated at dist3@bos.cccounty.us.

District 3 includes most of Antioch, as well as Oakley, Brentwood, Discovery Bay, Bethel Island, Byron and Knightsen in East County, as well as Blackhawk and Camino Tassajara in the San Ramon Valley.

The songs of Rodgers & Hammerstein, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Stephen Sondheim and much more

Hadleigh Adams

What a more perfect way to end the week of Valentine’s Day than by taking your sweetheart to hear Hadleigh Adams sing the songs of Classical Broadway. The internationally acclaimed baritone and soloist will be celebrating the songs of Rodgers & Hammerstein, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Stephen Sondheim and much more on Sunday, February 19 at 3:00 PM.

Hadleigh Adams is a New Zealand-born baritone now resident in the United States. He has a demanding concert schedule on the opera stage having recently performed at London’s Royal National Theatre, the Sydney Opera House, and for two years he was a principal young artist at the San Francisco Opera taking the stage in over 75 performances.

In his Classical Broadway program, Hadleigh showcases his passion for musical theatre performing a collection of songs from Broadway’s most beloved shows such as The Phantom of the Opera, South Pacific, My Fair Lady, and Les Miserables.  Contemporary classics from the songbooks of Stephen Sondheim and Andrew Lloyd Webber will also be featured…and, don’t be surprised if Hadleigh throws in a favorite operatic aria or two.

El Campanil Theatre, 602 W. 2nd Street in Antioch’s historic, downtown Rivertown.

For Tickets: Adults $27, Seniors (62& over) $25, Youth (under 18) $10, call the Box Office at  (925) 757-9500 or visit http://www.elcampaniltheatre.com/classical-broadway.html.

For more information about Hadleigh Adams, visit www.hadleighadams.com.

G.R.I.O.T. ( Greatness Rediscovered In Our Time) is hosting a National MLK Mentoring Day. What is the 2017 Black Male Achievement MLK Mentoring Day?

The Martin Luther King Mentoring Day (MLKMD) works to ensure that black boys and young black men are connected to effective mentoring services.  MLKMD trains, coordinates, and supports partner organizations and connects youth and families that request and need mentors with good-quality mentoring organizations nationwide.  We also help guide and support cities, communities, faith and community organizations, schools and others who want to create and maintain effective mentor programs.

G.R.I.O.T. hosts a mentoring day to promote and popularize mentoring in black communities and to encourage mentors and mentoring organizations in every state to mentor black boys and young black men. Although the focus is black, everyone is invited in hopes that other mentoring organizations can come to fruition to benefit all of children and youth.

This event is free but registration is required. You must register online by clicking here.

Sponsorships are still needed. Please see the following flyer: griotdonationrequest-letter-2017

El Campanil Children’s Theatre presents Snow Queen

A magical, wintry wonderland awaits this charming children’s show, closely adapted from the same Hans Christian Andersen tale as Disney’s Frozen.  The Flurries, the icy imps of the Snow Queen, conjure up a cruel spell to make a magical mirror that reflects the ugly side of humanity.  Hardly impressed, the Snow Queen smashes the mirror to set her more dastardly plan into motion.  While cousins Gerda and Kay play tag, Kay gets a shard of the shattered mirror stuck in his eye, and it turns him into a rotten brat.  The Snow Queen kidnaps the boy and takes him to her Ice Castle.  Timid Gerda is determined to rescue her best friend, armed only with a Gypsy’s jar of warm wishes and giggle-inducing snickerdoodles.  On her journey, she encounters a cursed gardener, talking flowers, a mischievous fox, a know-it-all crow, a generous princess and rowdy robbers.  Once at the castle, Gerda uses the jar of warm wishes to melt the Flurries and the  magical cookies to warm Kay’s heart again. Thanks to Gerda’s own warm heart and her loving, forgiving nature, the Snow Queen transforms into the Sun Queen and the Flurries  return as Sunbeams.

Friday, January, 20, 2017  7:30 pm
Sunday, January, 22, 2017  2:00 pm
General Seating

Ticket Prices:  Adults: $12   Seniors (62 & Over): $10  Youth (17 & Under):  $8 – Buy tickets by clicking, here.

The Music of Simon and Garfunkel
Performed By AJ Swearingen and Jayne Kelli

Swearingen & Kelli recreate the music, memories and magic of the most famous folk-rock duo of our time, Simon and Garfunkel. AJ Swearingen has been performing this music for twenty years with mastery of Paul Simon’s intricate guitar playing. His deep baritone blends perfectly against Kelli’s angelic vocals, which invoke a true sound in the spirit of Art Garfunkel. The duo has been performing music together since 2010. Together and separately they have shared the stage with Kenny Rogers, Crystal Gayle, Livingston Taylor, John McCutcheon and many more.
​

Saturday January 21, 2017  8:00 pm
Reserved Seating

Tickets Prices: Adults: $27   Seniors (62 & Over): $25   Youth: (under 18): $10 – Buy tickets by clicking, here.

Richard Pagano from his Facebook page.

The Antioch Chamber of Commerce announced today that local State Farm agent, Richard Pagano will be its new its Chief Executive Officer. Pagano replaces former CEO, and newly elected Mayor of Antioch, Dr. Sean Wright.

Asked about the Chamber’s leadership change, incoming chair-elect Donna McGee of Kaiser Permanente said, “We’re looking forward to Richard’s leadership. As our immediate past-chair, he has proven himself a valuable asset both to the Chamber, and the community at large. Under the direction of the board, we expect that he will maintain the mission and vision the Chamber has been operating under for the past six years.”

The Mission of the Antioch Chamber of Commerce is to promote our community, advocate for businesses with government, grow our local businesses, and encourage regional economic development and job creation.

“I’m excited to continue the good work the Chamber had been doing for the past six years under Sean’s leadership,” Pagano said. “We have a dynamic Board of Directors that has been supportive throughout the transition process, and I’m thankful for all they’ve done to make this seamless.”

“I’m looking forward to maintaining our mission of promoting the community, advocating for business with government, helping businesses grow, and encouraging regional economic development,” he added.

Incorporated in 1938, the Antioch Chamber of Commerce is a voluntary partnership of business and professional people working together to build a healthy economy and to improve the quality of life in our community. As the Chamber works to accomplish these goals, it wears many hats: economic developer and planner, community promoter, business spokesperson, economic counselor and teacher, government relations specialist, human resources advisor, and public relations practitioner. The Chamber is a member organization that represents almost 300 businesses who employ thousands of employees serving the East Contra Costa community.

“The Chamber is excited to continue advocating for those businesses and growing the economic climate under Richard Pagano’s leadership,” added McGee.

You can contact the Antioch Chamber of Commerce by visiting us at 101 H St. #4 Antioch, CA 94509, www.antiochchamber.com, emailing frontdeskadmin@antiochchamber.com, or calling 925.757.1800