Antioch Council to vote on one-year APOA contract, buying AI-assisted technology systems and emergency radios for APD, traffic calming for Sycamore
Hold 2027-28 General Fund Budget Study Session to address projected $15.2 million deficit
Closed Session on employee group contracts, 9 potential lawsuits
By Allen D. Payton
During their meeting on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, the Antioch City Council will vote on a one-year MOU with the Antioch Police Officers Association at a cost of $661,000, purchasing AI-assisted automated license plate recognition, in-car camera and integrated public safety technology systems for the police department at a cost of $662,000, additional handheld two-way radios for APD emergency communications at a cost of $300,000, spending $500,000 on Sycamore Drive Traffic Calming Improvements, expanding the contract for the consultant required by the civil rights class action lawsuit settlement at a cost of $150,000 and appoint one member to the Sales Tax Citizens’ Oversight Committee.
The Council will also receive the 2025 Annual Military Equipment Report from the police department and an Investment Performance Review presented by the City’s advisors, FM Asset Management, and hold a public hearing on the 2025 Urban Water Management Plan and Water Shortage Contingency Plan.
Closed Session
Prior to the Regular Meeting that begins at 7:00 p.m., the Council will hold a Closed Session at 3:30 PM for a Conference with Labor Negotiators to discuss contracts for the Antioch Public Works Employee Association (APWEA), Antioch Police Sworn Management Association (APSMA), Confidential Unit, and Management Unit and a Conference with Legal Counsel for “significant exposure to litigation” as the City faces nine potential cases.
2027-28 General Fund Budget Study Session
Then at 5:30 p.m. the Council will hold a Special Meeting Budget Study Session to discuss the Fiscal Year 2027-28 General Fund Budget Development. Acting City Manager Ana Cortez and Finance Director Dawn Merchant say the City’s consultant is projecting a decrease in sales tax revenue of $700,000 to $1.68 million for this Fiscal Year.
According to their report for Item SM-1 on the agenda, “even with the extensive work that was done (on the FY 2026-27 budget), we still did not manage to completely close the 2026-27 spending gap, and the forecast provided in June 2026 for 2027-28 was daunting, at almost $15M.
“Detrimental decreases to our sales tax budgets from the latest projections from our consultant…projecting the City’s fiscal year 2026-27 regular sales tax to decline $1,139,000, and Measure W to decline $538,000, carrying this decrease into fiscal year 2027-28. However, these projections are based only through the first quarter reporting of calendar year 2026 reporting and will be further evaluated after the next sales tax quarter. We are recommending to be cautiously optimistic for fiscal year 2026-27 at this juncture and project only a $500,000 decrease in regular sales tax and $200,000 in Measure W, carrying that corresponding reduction into 2027-28.”
In addition, the “3% COLA recently approved for the APOA bargaining unit ($745,667 FY28 impact”…and “reduction of $1.2M in projected contribution to HomeKey+ project with City Council rejection of the grant…as a result…the projected 2027-28 deficit spending has increased slightly to $15.2M.”
3% Pay Raise for Antioch Police Officers
Under Item 6.I. on the Consent Calendar, the Council will vote on the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the City of Antioch and the Antioch Police Officers’ Association that will include a 3% Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for Fiscal Year 2026-27 at a cost of $661,430 and other matters.
At their meeting on July 28, 2026, the council approved a tentative agreement. Staff then prepared the MOU to replace the agreement and require another vote by the council.
As reported, the previous Tentative Agreement covered the period of Sept. 1, 2021 – Aug. 31, 2025.
In addition to the 3% COLA, the Tentative Agreement includes the following:
- Increase to four floating holidays in a calendar year.
- Travel meal reimbursement increase to $25.00 for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
- Lateral Police Officer and Dispatcher new hire vacation credit of one week upon employment.
Plus, increases to the uniform allowance, adjustments to benefits, retirement and vacation, sick leave and bereavement leave language defined and/or updated, as well as updates to the department’s grievance procedure.
Purchase Police Department AI-Assisted Integrated Technology Systems
Under agenda Item 9, the Council will consider the purchase of automated license plate recognition (ALPR), in-car camera and integrated public safety technology systems. The vote will be to approve a sole source agreement with Axon Enterprise, Inc. for 55 fixed automated license plate recognition (ALPR) locations using Axon Outpost, six additional Axon Fleet 3 in-car video and mobile ALPR systems, and 120 Axon AI Assistant licenses for the Police Department, for a 49-month term beginning October 1, 2026, in an amount not to exceed $661,687.54.
Funding for FY 2026-27 has been identified within the existing Police Department General Fund budget; payments in future fiscal years will remain subject to the annual budget process.
ALPR helps officers and investigators identify vehicles associated with shootings, robberies, burglaries, stolen vehicles, hit-and-run collisions, organized theft, missing persons, illegal sideshows, and other serious incidents.
According to the City staff report, “the Department currently operates fixed ALPR cameras through Motorola and Flock. Motorola is decommissioning its ALPR platform, and the proposed purchase would replace and consolidate the two fixed systems into a single Axon network while expanding fixed coverage. APD already uses Axon Body 4 cameras, Axon Fleet in-car cameras, and Axon Evidence as its primary digital evidence environment.”
Purchase 30 More Police Dep’t Handheld Two-Way Radios for Emergency Communications
Under Item 6.G. of the Consent Calendar the Council will consider purchasing additional handheld two-way radios for the police department’s emergency communications. The vote will be to adopt a resolution authorizing the sole source purchase of 30 Motorola APX N70 handheld two-way emergency radios, including accessories and five years of subscriber and device management services, from Motorola Solutions in an amount not to exceed $300,717.21.
Public Hearing on 2025 Urban Water Management Plan & Water Shortage Contingency Plan
During the regular meeting the council will hold a Public Hearing on the 2025 Urban Water Management Plan and Water Shortage Contingency Plan. According to the City staff report for Item 7 on the agenda, he Urban Water Management Plan (“UWMP”) Act requires all urban water suppliers serving municipal water to 3,000 customers, or supplying more than 3,000 acre-feet annually, to adopt and submit an UWMP every five years to the Department of Water Resources (“DWR”). The City of Antioch provided 5,311 million gallons (16,298 acre-feet) of potable water for municipal purposes to 34,739 connections in 2025 and thus is required to comply with the requirements of the UWMP Act and prepare an UWMP.
The City’s water supply consists primarily of surface water diverted from the San Joaquin River and water purchased from Contra Costa Water District (CCWD). Untreated surface water from the San Joaquin River is pumped to the City’s Municipal Reservoir, where it is stored prior to treatment at the City’s WTP. This untreated surface water may also be routed to the Brackish Water Desalination Plant (BWDP).
The Capital Improvement Budget includes adequate funding for the development of the Urban Water Management Plan from the Water Enterprise Fund. Compliance with the current provisions of the Urban Water Management Plan Act is expected to result in no fiscal impact to the City’s General Fund.
Sycamore Drive Traffic Calming Improvements
Under Item 6.H. on the Consent Calendar, the council will consider awarding a construction agreement to the lowest, responsive, and responsible bidder, Martinez-based Cowan & Thompson Construction, Inc. in the amount of $488,511.94, with a $25,000 contingency for a total contract amount of $513,511.94 for the Sycamore Drive Traffic Calming Improvements Project.
According to the City staff report, the FY 2026/27 Capital Improvement Budget includes $425,000 of Gas Tax funding for the project. Approval will increase the allocation by $89,000. The projected June 30th balance of Gas Tax funds with this amendment is projected to be $1,014,298.
The devices will be placed in eight segments along the street and will include signs and raised traffic separator curb guidance systems with quick release delineator bases.
See Project plans for all planned traffic calming device locations on Sycamore Drive.
Sales Tax Citizens’ Oversight Committee Appointment
Under agenda Item 8 the Council will vote on appoint Dr, Loretta Ezeife to the Sales Tax Citizens’ Oversight Committee for a full-term vacancy expiring March 2030. According to her application, she has lived in Antioch since 2008 and works as the Accounting Officer for the University of the Pacific in Stockton, “with over 25 years of experience overseeing financial operations across private industry, public agencies, and higher education.”
Meeting Details
The meeting will be held in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 200 H Street, in historic, downtown Rivertown and can be viewed via livestream on the City’s website or on Comcast cable TV channel 24 or AT&T U-verse channel 99.
See the complete agenda packet with staff reports here.
the attachments to this post:
APD & Axon lic plate reader dispatch
Traffic Calming Devices & locations Sycamore Dr
Antioch Service & Water System Map
Antioch GF 26-27 Budget adjusted & 27-28 Projected
Antioch GF 27-28 Projected Budget chart
Antioch City Council mtg
