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Effective last Friday, will receive severance package

“this gives a new opportunity for the new city council to build a team and move forward and stop dwelling on the past.” – District 3 Councilman Don Freitas

By Allen D. Payton

Following the two-and-a-half hour Closed Session meeting by the Antioch City Council last Friday, January 17, 2025, during which they took no action on the performance, discipline, dismissal or release of an unidentified City employee, believed to be City Attorney Thomas L. Smith, it was announced Tuesday, January 21, that he had resigned effective that date.

A press release issued by City Manager Bessie Scott reads simply, “Antioch City Attorney Thomas Lloyd Smith has resigned effective January 17, 2025. Derek Cole, of the law firm Cole Huber LLP, will serve as the Interim City Attorney until a permanent City Attorney is appointed. The City Council would like to express its gratitude to Mr. Smith for his service and dedication to our city over the past five and a half years and wish him well in his future endeavors.”

Efforts to reach Mayor Ron Bernal for comment were unsuccessful. But District 3 Councilman Don Freitas, who called for Smith’s termination during the Dec. 10th oath of office council meeting, shared some details about the resignation.

“As I said at the Dec. 10th meeting, this gives a new opportunity for the new city council to build a team and move forward and stop dwelling on the past,” Freitas said when reached for comment.

Asked if they will start a nationwide search he said, “Absolutely. Now that Thomas has resigned and we have an interim city attorney in place, it gives us the opportunity to do a nationwide search for a city attorney.”

Asked if Smith will receive the severance package included in his contract since he resigned, Freitas responded, “Had the city council terminated him he would have received salary and benefits once a month for 12 months until he found another job. Part of the decision to let him resign was, he will receive the severance package. The city council had a choice. Moving forward was the possibility of terminating him which would make him eligible for the package. He has been with the city for six years. He asked that we give him the severance so, he could leave with dignity.”

“He has served the city for six years and it’s the desire of the city council to move in a new direction, so we felt that was the correct thing to do,” the councilman added.

“There was no reportable action because there was no vote, as he resigned,” Freitas added about was reported out by Bernal at the end of last Friday’s meeting.

About the interim city attorney, Freitas said, “My recollection is, Mr. Cole was very good at responding to requests for information. Transparency is critical and we want to make sure that when requests for information are made that they fulfill them as expeditiously as possible.”

Cole will have two assistant city attorneys to work with. According to his LinkedIn profile, Cole has been partner of his law firm since 2007 and received his law degree from McGeorge School of Law at the University of the Pacific in 1999. He earned a B.A. in pre-law from U.C. Santa Barbara.

Smith’s Background

As previously reported, Smith was hired in February 2019 on a 5-0 vote of the city council as Antioch’s first African American city attorney. He worked for law firm, Meyers-Nave, which was hired many times by Smith’s office, including for the defense of the lawsuit by the natural gas pipeline owners. While at the firm, Smith’s practice areas focused on Municipal and Special District Law, Labor and Employment, and Public Contracts. His senior management experience includes managing four departments across all offices of a global corporate law firm with more than 500 attorneys.

He started his professional career as a business analyst for McKinsey & Company in New York.
Smith earned his law degree from Harvard Law School, a Master’s degree in Public Policy at Harvard Kennedy School and a Bachelor of Science in Education, graduating magna cum laude from Seton Hall University.

At the time he was hired, according to his LinkedIn profile, Smith was a founding member of the Oakland Police Commission and served as its first chairperson.

City Attorney’s Responsibilities

According to the City’s website, “The City Attorney is appointed by the City Council as its chief legal counsel and has the following responsibilities:

• Serving as the primary legal advisor and legal representative to the City and City Council. The City Attorney’s Office cannot provide legal services to private citizens.
• Preparing all ordinances and approving contracts.
• Prosecuting all violators of the City ordinances and representing the City in all legal actions and proceedings.

The City Council appoints the City Attorney as its chief legal counsel. “corporate” legal counsel to the City as an entity and advises the City Council and City staff on contractual, regulatory and litigation matters. These matters typically include open meeting and public records laws; conflicts of interests; land use and environmental laws; claims and litigation; municipal elections; employment and labor relations; municipal utilities; procurement and other internal services; code enforcement; and resolutions, ordinances, and other legal documents.

The City Attorney’s Office does not typically prosecute criminal activity other than violations of the Municipal Code in certain situations.”

Following residents’ racially-charged verbal attacks on new mayor, council members

City Attorney Smith not in council chambers after closed-door meeting

By Allen D. Payton

After being blasted in their public comments by a few residents, during a special Friday night Closed Session meeting on Jan. 17, 2025, that lasted two-and-a-half hours, the Antioch City Council took no action on the performance, discipline, dismissal or release of a City employee. The council only hires the city manager and city attorney.

District 1 Councilwoman Tamisha Torres-Walker was absent from the meeting. Torres-Walker also missed the council’s regular meeting on Tuesday night, for which she was sick. Administrative Analyst Vincent Manuel sat in for City Clerk Melissa Rhodes who was also absent.

Prior to adjourning into Closed Session to discuss, several members of the public, most of whom are regulars at council meetings, spoke during Public Comments. Although the city employee was not identified the speakers assumed the focus was on City Attorney Thomas L. Smith and many defended him. The residents used racist and racially-charged terms and phrases, while holding signs that read, “Ron the Con”, “Don the Con your racism is showing”, “Justice and equality for all city employees” and “We won’t go back.”

Public Comments

“I’d like to thank the city attorney for doing his job for so many victims of the Antioch Police Department…that some of you leaders left behind, one of them sitting here, tonight, that they had to clean up,” said resident Katherine Wade. Then directing her comments to City Attorney Smith she said, “For us to be here, tonight calling out for your termination, tonight. This is their mess, not yours. For them to attack you like that hurts my feelings. For you to sign checks for what the police did to our people they should be writing checks to boys’ and girls’ clubs.”

“Ms. Scott you had to clean up all this mess,” May said to the city manager. “For them calling to do an evaluation maybe there should be a recall on them.”

Another speaker, Eddie Garrett said, “Don Freitas I believe you was mayor, prior, here. Louie Rocha. All y’all had some chaotic in Antioch. For you to say you want evaluations here, in Antioch when the police haven’t been evaluated.”

To the city attorney he said, “Thank you how you behave when those on the city council feel like they can talk to you any way.”

“The racism is basically there,” Garrett continued. “We had Tamisha, we had Lamar. Anyone who was African American who ran for this position was attacked. All we hear in Antioch is, ‘we gotta bring Antioch back’, ‘we gotta make Antioch great again.’ That means white.”

“Why does this have to be in Closed Session? Where’s the transparency? Who’s running what? You need to be evaluated, Don Freitas. I have reached out to you, numerous times but you haven’t reached back,” Garrett stated. “Louie Rocha, I have reached out to you, numerous times but you haven’t responded. You need to be evaluated.”

“It’s so obvious what’s going on, here. How can you come in here and take away the best parts of our city? Thomas has been a lifesaver to this city,” the next resident said. “When I saw Donald Trump flags, when I saw Confederate flags. Your flags were on the same lawns. You’ve already put in place the pawns that you want to sacrifice. The next ones aren’t going to come in and sweep the floors. That old time stuff is over.”

“You’re not the mayor anymore. Quit talking to him like that,” he said to Freitas. “Quit acting like the mayor.”

Resident Tachina Garrett approached the podium singing part of the song, “Lift Every Voice and Sing” also known as the Negro or Black National Anthem. She spoke of “shenanigans. Ron, you’re part responsible. Don, you’re part responsible. You two have held positions. We are seeing right through this screen. We’re not going back no matter who you are.”

“Thomas, stand your ground,” she said to the city attorney. “You have done your job.”

“Based on your history, it’s the same playbook,” resident Patricia Granados said. “On your first day you listed the five things you wanted, including officers in the schools. You need to be held accountable.”
“That’s what your voters and your people represent…who are terroristic,” she stated.

“You want to fire the city attorney. You want to fire the city manager,” Granados continued. “Thomas deserves a record for the lawsuits he’s dealt with. Those officers that were all in the text threads that were blinded that didn’t speak up.”

However, as previously reported, during the new council’s oath of office meeting on Dec. 10th, Freitas asked for immediately providing City Manager Bessie Scott with goals and objectives for her to be evaluated on, six months following her start date on Oct. 7, to be in compliance with her contract. It was supposed to be done by the council within 30 days, he shared. Freitas then stunned the audience when he called for the termination of the city attorney. He inadvertently said “city manager” but corrected himself after being questioned about it by Torres-Walker. (See video of Freitas’ comments)

“We’ll never forget, Ron Bernal, that you retired” before the text scandal investigation was completed and “Louie Rocha, I heard about terrorist actions against students” when he was principal of Antioch High School,” Granados said.

“We’re here to stay, we’re going to call you out,” she concluded.

Antioch Police Oversight Commission member Leslie May spoke next saying, “I’m here representing myself and Reimagine Antioch” then read verses from the book of Proverbs in the Bible. “I’m a Christian. I can’t stand a so-called Christian who runs to Christianity when they get their behinds in trouble.”

“When Lamar Thorpe came from that meeting with Diana Becton…he let one of you resign and not be fired,” she said, speaking of Mayor Ron Bernal.

However, Bernal retired at the end of December 2021 and the meeting between former Mayor Lamar Hernandez-Thorpe, then-City Manager Con Johnson and District Attorney Diana Becton happened in March 2022, three days after the then-mayor’s arrest for DUI. (See related article)

“God does not like it when someone shows you mercy and you plot…against them,” May continued.

“When I see white men pitting two Black men against each other. We have the field ni**er and the house ni**er. The light ni**er against the dark ni**er. You’re dividing people,” she stated. “You say what you want to do about Monica. You say what you want about Tamisha. You smeared Lamar’s name. You could not stand him because of the color of his skin. You are a disgrace. And as of tonight, I’m praying Psalm 109 over all three of you. I’m going to my bad knees on you three tonight and I’m praying for your strength. But I’m telling you it’s not over. Indictments are coming.”

Local homeless advocate Nichole Gardner spoke next saying, “I know. I’m sick of it, too, Ms. Leslie. I don’t know how this even came about. I’ve been going to meetings for six or seven years. After dealing with the election, he was not on the radar. We were talking about mayors and city councils. I don’t know what made you decide after talking about unifying the community, that was the first thing you decided to do.”

“I wanted to speak to you, Thomas,” she continued. “I remember seeing you speak to the council ‘we didn’t want to criminalize homelessness,’ and you literally jump-started my homelessness work. I want to thank you for that.”

“I must say I am cool with the mayor. We’re friends. Even up here I didn’t agree with the mayor when it comes to Thomas. He knows when to bite his tongue,” Gardner stated. “If you could be more transparent maybe you could explain yourself. But right now, it looks like racism. It just doesn’t look right.”

“Is it racism or is it actual action? Because we often get confused over someone’s skin color over actions that happen here, in East Contra Costa and Antioch. Which it kinda sounds like,” said Gavin Payton (no relation to reporter/publisher). “The people need to know the actual facts. The voters are the ones who have the final say so…who they want to see in office. Let’s make sure it’s actual facts. If it’s something else, then we’ll have to rely on the voters to take retaliation.”

“When we speak up that’s when people get scared. The people sitting behind me aren’t scared. Neither am I,” he continued. “We’re tired of being sick and tired. We’re tired of having your dogs on us, we’re tired of being hosed down. We’re tired of young men hanging from trees.”

“Now you want to put police officers who were part of the text message scandal into our schools…when they just killed our babies,” Payton added.

Closed Session

Before adjourning to the closed-door session, which is required by state law for personnel matters, City Manager Bessie Smith then said the Closed Session was for “public employee performance, dismissal, release.”

Report Out

Following the conclusion of the Closed Session at 9:06 p.m. Bernal reported out saying, “There was no reportable action.” However, Smith was not in attendance after the council returned to open session.
The council then voted 4-0 to adjourn the meeting at 9:07 p.m.

Following the meeting when asked about the closed-door meeting Bernal further clarified, “Nothing to report now as the city council didn’t take any action.”

Smith’s Background

Smith was hired in February 2019 on a 5-0 vote of the city council as Antioch’s first African American city attorney. He worked for law firm, Meyers-Nave, which was hired many times by Smith’s office, including for the defense of the lawsuit by the natural gas pipeline owners. While at the firm, Smith’s practice areas focused on Municipal and Special District Law, Labor and Employment, and Public Contracts. His senior management experience includes managing four departments across all offices of a global corporate law firm with more than 500 attorneys.

He started his professional career as a business analyst for McKinsey & Company in New York.
Smith earned his law degree from Harvard Law School, a Master’s degree in Public Policy at Harvard Kennedy School and a Bachelor of Science in Education, graduating magna cum laude from Seton Hall University.

At the time he was hired, Smith was a member of the Oakland Police Commission and served as its chairperson.

3 projects to choose from

Join us this Martin Luther King Jr. Day as we spend “a day on, not a day off,” encouraging all Americans to volunteer to improve their communities. Let’s work together to build a stronger Antioch!

This Year’s Services Include:
• Senior Day of Engagement – Antioch Senior Center | 415 W 2nd Street
• Antioch Community Park Revitalization Project | 801 James Donlon Blvd.
• Fremont Elementary School Community Project | 1413 F Street

Register to get involved at antiochca.gov/mlk-day.

By Antioch Police Department

During a ceremony on Monday, January 13, 2025, three new Antioch Police officers were sworn in, as well as a crime analyst and dispatcher were added to the department.

A post on the APD Facebook page Monday afternoon reads, “Welcome to the Team!
We are thrilled to introduce the newest members of our department:

Laurissa Lampi – Crime Analyst

Laurissa recently relocated from Colorado and now calls Concord home. She holds a Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice and brings over 10 years of experience as a death investigator and criminalist. Laurissa has worked on numerous suspicious death and homicide cases, including mass fatalities. She also served as an Arabic linguist in the United States Air Force for six years.

Fun Fact: Laurissa loves her Peloton bike and spending time at the beach!

Ma’Janae Brown – Dispatcher

Born in Richmond and one of seven siblings, Ma’Janae graduated from Cesar Chavez High School and later earned a Bachelor’s in Child Development and a Master’s in Business Administration from Sacramento State. Before joining APD, she worked as a dispatcher for Oakland Police Department. Ma’Janae is passionate about helping others and making a positive impact.

Fun Fact: Ma’Janae loves to travel and try new foods!

David Taylor – Police Officer

David grew up in Oakland and San Leandro, graduating from Castro Valley High School. A lifelong athlete, he played football and baseball and earned a collegiate football scholarship. He holds a BA in Communications with a minor in Coaching and is also a licensed EMT. David prioritizes God, family, and his career.

Fun Fact: David collects props and memorabilia from his favorite film franchises, including Marvel, Harry Potter, and Star Wars!

Jose Collazo – Police Officer

Jose served as a Community Service Officer with APD for three years before becoming a Police Trainee. He’s a six-year veteran of the United States Army National Guard, where he served as a Chinook Helicopter Repairer. During his time in the National Guard, Jose completed a combat deployment and supported state missions during fire seasons.

Fun Fact: Jose enjoys spending time with family and friends.

Brandon Michaud – Police Officer

Brandon was born in Fairfield and grew up across the East Bay, including Brentwood and Oakley. A Freedom High School graduate, he played basketball before earning a degree in Criminal Justice from the Community College of Denver. Brandon’s goal is to become a homicide detective.

Fun Fact: Brandon is a huge Game of Thrones fan and considers himself unbeatable in trivia about the show!

Welcome Laurissa, Ma’Janae, David, Jose, and Brandon to the Antioch Police Department family! We’re excited to have you on board as we continue to serve our community with dedication and excellence.”

That brings the total sworn officers on the force to 83 out of 115 in the City budget.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

Fundraiser for Boys Mentoring program

By Anthony Randolph

A Martin Luther King Day event will be held on Monday January 20th, from 9:30 am to 12 noon at Grace Bible Fellowship of Antioch. It will be a great breakfast including shrimp and grits and a MLK, Jr. program. It is also a fundraiser for our Boys Mentoring program and all proceeds will help send them on a summer trip to Atlanta.

We are also having a Black History Contest open for all school age students in Contra Costa County. Below are some details but for complete details visit our website: www.gracearmsofantioch.org/mlkjr.

The church is located at 3415 Oakley Road.