Antioch Council to appoint Barbanica as city’s next mayor pro tem Tuesday night
At end of 15-item agenda; for one year, by council ordinance
Antioch District 2 Councilman Mike Barbanica.
By Allen Payton
Following the ordinance adopted by the Antioch City Council, last year, which changed how the mayor pro tem is chosen, District 2 Councilman Mike Barbanica will be appointed to hold the position for the next 12 months, Tuesday night. It is final item, number 15, on the council’s agenda during their meeting which begins at 7:00 p.m. Mayor Pro Tem Appointment Item 15 ACC121421
Until last year, the top vote-getter in the Antioch council election every two years was appointed by a vote of city council members as the mayor pro tem for the following two years. But with the new district elections in effect for the first time in 2020, the new ordinance bestows the position and title to the council member with the highest percentage of votes in the most recent election and for just one year. Since current Mayor Pro Tem and District 4 Councilwoman Monica Wilson received the highest percentage of all four council members elected last November, with 55.17% of the vote in her district, she held the office and title, this year.
Barbanica is next in order, having garnered 53.22% of the vote in his district, followed by District 1 Councilwoman Tamisha Torres-Walker with 36.21%, and then District 3 Councilwoman Lori Ogorchock with 34.3%. But the council member cannot have previously served as mayor pro tem. For example, if Wilson runs for re-election and wins, next year and receives the highest percentage of votes, she cannot serve as mayor pro tem for the following year.
The ordinance reads, “At the first City Council meeting following each general municipal election, or at the first City Council meeting of December during every odd year commencing in 2021, the City Council shall designate one of its members to be Mayor Pro Tempore.
(B) The City Council shall select the Mayor Pro Tempore as follows:
(1) The Council member who has not previously served as Mayor Pro Tempore shall be selected. If more than one Council member has not previously served as Mayor Pro Tempore, the City Council shall select the member who received the highest percentage of votes from his or her district in the most recent general municipal election at which the council member was elected. If the selected Council member declines, the City Council shall select the next Council member who has not previously served and has the next highest percentage of votes from his or her district.
(2) If all Council members have previously served as mayor pro tempore, or if the Council members eligible in accordance with subsection (B)(1) decline, the City Council shall select the Council member who received the highest percentage of votes in his or her district in the most recent general municipal election at which the Council member was elected. If the selected Council member declines, or if the Council member would serve two consecutive years if chosen, the City Council shall select the member with the next highest percentage of votes from his or her district in the most recent general municipal election at which the Council member was elected.”
The meeting will be held in-person in the Council Chambers at 200 H Street and televised live on Comcast channel 24, AT&T U-verse channel 99, and livestream at www.antiochca.gov/government/city-council-meetings.
Public Comments
Members of the public wishing to provide public comment may do so one of the following ways (#2 pertains to the Zoom Webinar):
- Fill out an online speaker card by 3:00 p.m. the day of the Council Meeting located at: https://www.antiochca.gov/speaker_card.
- Provide oral public comments during the meeting by clicking the following link to register in advance to access the meeting via Zoom Webinar: https://www.antiochca.gov/speakers
– You will be asked to enter an email address and a name. Your email address will not be disclosed to the public. After registering, you will receive an email with instructions on how to connect to the meeting.
– When the Mayor announces public comments, click the “raise hand” feature in Zoom. For instructions on using the “raise hand” feature in Zoom, visit: https://www.antiochca.gov/raise_hand. When calling into the meeting using the Zoom Webinar telephone number, press *9 on your telephone keypad to “raise your hand”. Please ensure your Zoom client is updated so staff can enable your microphone when it is your turn to speak.
- Email comments to cityclerk@ci.antioch.ca.us by 3:00 p.m. the day of the Council Meeting. The comment will be read into the record at the meeting (350 words maximum, up to 3 minutes, at the discretion of the Mayor). IMPORTANT: Identify the agenda item in the subject line of your email if the comment is for Announcement of Community Events, Public Comment, or a specific Agenda Item number. No one may speak more than once on an agenda item or during “Public Comments”.
All emails received by 3:00 p.m. the day of the Council Meeting will be entered into the record or the meeting. Speakers will be notified shortly before they are called to speak.
the attachments to this post:
Mayor Pro Tem Appointment Item 15 ACC121421
