Antioch City Council agrees to restore Economic Development Department, hire director, no dual role as assistant city manager
Leaves City with no continuity plan for top leadership, only an Acting City Manager until June 30, 2027, and no Assistant City Manager
By Allen D. Payton
The City of Antioch will once again have a separate Economic Development Department. During their meeting on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, the Antioch City Council agreed to re-establish the department and remove it from the current combined Community Development and Economic Development Department. Plus, the council agreed to have a stand-alone director without a dual role as assistant city manager, after the position remained vacant for a year then only an acting director for the combined department for half of the past year.
Public Comments
Resident and council candidate Andrew Becker spoke during public comments saying, “The easiest way to answer the question is…we go online and see what’s up for sale in the city of Antioch. Every business, every commercial property is up for sale in the city of Antioch, every single one.”
“The newest thing to go up for sale in the city…is the FoodMaxx on Lone Tree. They pay a million dollars a year,” he said. “Who would be part of that process? The economic development director. And get rid of the Mallet & Sons Jewelers sign next to the FoodMaxx that’s been hanging there for the past 15 years after they left.”
“How can we take 20 percent of their time away for other things. Is that responsible?” he asked. “We need something clear and concise, that’s an economic development department.”
Resident and local Realtor Melissa Case also argued for a separate position and to not combine it with the assistant city manager position.
However, this reporter also spoke and again suggested a combined position as the City had in the late 1990’s, but only temporarily, until the position of assistant city manager can be filled in order to have a continuity plan, as the City currently only has an acting city manager and no assistant city manager.
Council Comments & Direction to Staff
“When was the last time did we have an assistant city manager that also served as economic development director?” Torres-Walker then asked.
“The late 1990’s,” Freitas responded, to which both Torres-Walker and Wilson laughed.
Yet, more recently, from June 2023 until October 2024, the City had an employee in the dual role of Economic Development Director and City management, specifically, Kwame Reed. District 4 Councilwoman Monica Wilson was one of three council members who voted to appoint him as Acting City Manager during a meeting when Torres-Walker was absent, and he served in the position for a year and five months. He was then promoted to Assistant City Manager by the new city manager until he left earlier this year for a position with the County.
“I am definitely in the stand-alone camp. I am not for a split,” Wilson stated.
“Clearly, I am one of those who advocated for a split decision,” Freitas said. “Number one, structurally, we need an assistant city manager. One of the problems is authority. We need very quick actions. That individual…would have the authority to have things move quickly and not get mired in bureaucracy. Chances are things will move quicker.”
We’ve already gone out twice with the salaries we have, twice…it’s the lowest paid,” Freitas said. “It’s not going to happen at this salary. It also has internal impacts for all the department heads. We need to address the salary.”
“You really are creating a brand-new department. We need a very experienced individual,” he continued. “There cannot be on-the-job training.”
“There’s no sense in fighting. I will support a stand-by itself economic development department,” Freitas added.
“One of the reasons it did fail was because the positions were combined…it was difficult to find someone with experience in both city management and economic development,” Acting City Manager Ana Cortez stated.
“The public deserves to have high expectations. You pay for what you get,” Torres-Walker stated. “We need opportunity here for someone who’s going to come in and propel Antioch forward.”
Based on the consensus of the four council members present, as District 2 Councilman Louie Rocha was absent while attending the California League of Cities conference, current Acting City Manager Ana Cortez said she will bring back to the Council at their meeting on Oct. 13th, an entire package to move forward with forming the department, again and the recruitment process for the director position.
The decision by the council leaves the City with no continuity plan for leadership, only an acting city manager through June 30, 2027, and currently no assistant city manager.
the attachments to this post:
City of Antioch prop org chart 09-26 & Econ Dev
